A Birth (탄생, 2022) — A Powerful Story of Faith, Courage, and Sacrifice
A Birth tells the remarkable story of Saint Andrew Kim Taegon, Korea’s first Catholic priest, and the difficult journey of the early Korean Catholic community during the 19th century.
What makes this film particularly moving is that it doesn't portray faith as something easy. Andrew Kim and the other Korean Catholics had to face persecution, separation from their families, dangerous journeys, and ultimately the possibility of death simply because of their faith. The film gives viewers a sense of how much courage it took for the early Korean Catholics to preserve and spread Christianity in Joseon Korea.
I especially appreciated the historical setting and the way the movie introduces important figures and events surrounding the early Korean Church. It also shows Andrew Kim not simply as a religious figure, but as a young man who had to make difficult decisions and take enormous risks.
The movie may feel slow at times, especially for viewers unfamiliar with Korean Catholic history, and there are many names, places, and historical events to keep track of. But for anyone interested in the history of Christianity in Korea, the Korean martyrs, or Saint Andrew Kim Taegon, this film is well worth watching.
One of the most powerful aspects of the story is knowing that these events ultimately led to the canonization of Andrew Kim Taegon and the other Korean martyrs by Pope John Paul II in 1984.
A Birth is not merely a movie about the birth of a priest. It is a story about the birth of a Christian community in Korea, built through faith, sacrifice, and the courage of ordinary people willing to risk everything for what they believed.
Highly recommended for Catholics and anyone interested in Korean history and the history of Christianity in Asia.
What makes this film particularly moving is that it doesn't portray faith as something easy. Andrew Kim and the other Korean Catholics had to face persecution, separation from their families, dangerous journeys, and ultimately the possibility of death simply because of their faith. The film gives viewers a sense of how much courage it took for the early Korean Catholics to preserve and spread Christianity in Joseon Korea.
I especially appreciated the historical setting and the way the movie introduces important figures and events surrounding the early Korean Church. It also shows Andrew Kim not simply as a religious figure, but as a young man who had to make difficult decisions and take enormous risks.
The movie may feel slow at times, especially for viewers unfamiliar with Korean Catholic history, and there are many names, places, and historical events to keep track of. But for anyone interested in the history of Christianity in Korea, the Korean martyrs, or Saint Andrew Kim Taegon, this film is well worth watching.
One of the most powerful aspects of the story is knowing that these events ultimately led to the canonization of Andrew Kim Taegon and the other Korean martyrs by Pope John Paul II in 1984.
A Birth is not merely a movie about the birth of a priest. It is a story about the birth of a Christian community in Korea, built through faith, sacrifice, and the courage of ordinary people willing to risk everything for what they believed.
Highly recommended for Catholics and anyone interested in Korean history and the history of Christianity in Asia.
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