This movie is basically about the relationship between the South and North Korean soldiers. Not because they want to but because of the situation they get into. And that is basically the brief synopsis of this movie. Oh and throw in naive Korean villagers and a American pilot that crashed. And you get a soft hearted movie that has a mix of comedy and a bit of sadness to go with it. The comedy in my opinion isn't that great but it does it's job of building relationships amongst the characters without it being too serious. Relationships is what this movie is built upon and how even if your facing the enemies they are human like everyone else. Now this isn't the most effective approach I seen of this kind but it's pretty good for at least the first view. And the scenery is nice to watch sometimes as well. This movie was a pretty good hit in Korea, I think it's because it's a flick the whole family can enjoy despite a bit of blood. Overall it's a decent flick that the whole family can enjoy if they can understand a bit of Korean culture and style of humor. If not the kids might be a bit bored with it.7.4/10

"Welcome to Dongmakgol" is a quirky and fantasy like tale about a bunch of soldiers who happen on a remote village during Korean war. A village where nobody knows anything about the war and nobody has even seen a gun. The basic premise is a little ridiculous and over the top. But if you are willing to believe it, then the movie is very rewarding.It has some excellent cinematography. A few scenes are exaggerated but that is for the comic effect. The village and the villagers maybe silly but other characters are still believable which is necessary for the film to maintain its grip on reality.Many reviewers have complained about the politics of the film. But the movie is not about politics. Just like that village it exists in its own world and is not aware of the reasons of war. It just know instinctively that violence is bad.

The only thing that stinks about this movie is... what am I going to follow it with? Dongmakgol is such a memorable, powerful experience that I'm afraid to watch another movie lest the next one be a dud.The only reason I watched this film was that I heard Joe Hisaishi did the musical score. He of course did a brilliant job as always, but that's not even the tip of the iceberg. For one thing, it's the first *colourful* war film I've ever seen. What is it with war movies and drab, bleached sepia tones anyway? Hasn't that been done to death? Well, the gorgeous opening scene of an angelic girl standing in a meadow and watching a fighter plane crash ought to be enough to tell you that this is no cookie-cutter war movie. I'm about to cry just thinking of it.*sob* give me a minute, willyaOK... moving along...I won't pretend to say I know anything about the Korean War. I'll leave the political bickering to other IMDb posters. For me, this told a very timeless, human story which could have been set in any war. It is the story of two violent enemies who find something more important than their conflict.I didn't care who was wearing which uniform, nor did I care who the "bad guys" were, nor did I even flinch when I, a red-blooded American, found myself occasionally hoping for an American soldier to be shot (a truly bizarre experience). I ignored all that stuff; it's all purely incidental. At any time, you could swap flags, and the story would be the same. Magical, humbling, emotional, funny and profoundly affecting.I strongly recommend that ALL Americans SHOULD SEE THIS FILM. NOW. It's not a history lesson; it's a human lesson. And the message is extremely timely with what is going on in the world today. Leave your personal political views at the door, and allow yourself to be swept away by the poetry of this wonderful tale.

Charming feel good story set during the Korean War. Hard to believe but true! The characters are easy to identify with, and draw you into the story. They are fairly believable, with the slight exception of the North Korean commander who seems perhaps too heroic. It verges on being trite or cheesy at times, idolizing the "quaint" village, but for the most part stays away from that. The film is even handed in its treatment of all sides in this war, other than perhaps the military command, as it is quite anti-war. There is a bit of violence and gore, so it isn't for young children. I would recommend this to anyone; go in expecting a fairly romanticized comedy and you shouldn't be disappointed.