Movie
Where to Watch The Lovers & the Despot (2016) in the US
- 2016
- Unrated
- 1h 38m
- 6.5IMDb
- 79%Rotten Tomatoes
- 65Metascore
The Lovers & the Despot is available with a subscription, free with ads, free with a participating library card, or to rent in the United States.
Free with ads
Free with a library card
Rent
- Prime VideoSD98 minAudioEnglish$2.99Opens in a new tab.
- Fandango at HomeSD98 minAudioKorean$2.99Opens in a new tab.
- FlixFlingSD98 min$2.99Opens in a new tab.
- Apple TV StoreSD98 minAudioEnglish$3.99Opens in a new tab.
- Apple TV StoreHD98 minAudioEnglish$3.99Opens in a new tab.
- Prime VideoHD98 minAudioEnglish$3.99Opens in a new tab.
- Fandango at HomeHD98 minAudioKorean$3.99Opens in a new tab.
- FlixFlingHD98 min$3.99Opens in a new tab.
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Availability last checked Oct 10, 2026.
Report a wrong listingAvailability
- Watch the movie with a subscription on Philo (HD).
- Watch the movie free with ads on DistroTV (HD), Fandango at Home (HD), The Roku Channel (HD), Tubi TV, and YouTube (HD).
- Watch the movie free with a participating library card on hoopla and Kanopy (HD).
- Rent the movie on Apple TV Store, Fandango at Home, FlixFling, and Prime Video.
What it's about
In 1970s South Korea, actor Choi Eun-hee and her ex-husband, film director Shin Sang-ok, were divorced, estranged and both struggling with stalled careers. Unfortunately, both their lives seemed changed forever when they were individually kidnapped in 1978 by their biggest fan, Kim Jong-il, despot of North Korea. With persuasion and brute force, the movie obsessed Kim planned to use them to develop the Hermit Kingdom's film industry and get it out of its mindless propaganda mentality. Through the words of Choi, their family, associates and US intelligence personnel, you will follow the story of the bizarre slavery of this couple even as they rediscovered their love and secretly gathered evidence of the dictator's crimes. All the while, they struggled to play along with the world's most dangerous film geek as they desperately planned their escape.
Cast and crew
- Director
- Ross Adam, Robert Cannan
- Writer
- Ross Adam, Robert Cannan
- Starring
- Choi Eun-hie, Paul Courtenay Hyu, Shin Sang-ok
Details
- Release date
- Sep 23, 2016
- Language
- Korean, English, Japanese
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Box office
- $55,511
- Awards
- 5 nominations
Where to Watch The Lovers & the Despot (2016) in the US — common questions
- Where to watch The Lovers & the Despot in the United States?
- The Lovers & the Despot is available with a subscription, free with ads, free with a participating library card, or to rent in the United States. Watch the movie with a subscription on Philo (HD). Watch the movie free with ads on DistroTV (HD), Fandango at Home (HD), The Roku Channel (HD), Tubi TV, and YouTube (HD). Watch the movie free with a participating library card on hoopla and Kanopy (HD). Rent the movie on Apple TV Store, Fandango at Home, FlixFling, and Prime Video.
- Can I stream The Lovers & the Despot or do I have to rent it in the United States?
- Watch the movie with a subscription on Philo (HD). Rent the movie on Apple TV Store, Fandango at Home, FlixFling, and Prime Video.
- Can I watch The Lovers & the Despot for free in the United States?
- Watch the movie free with ads on DistroTV (HD), Fandango at Home (HD), The Roku Channel (HD), Tubi TV, and YouTube (HD). Watch the movie free with a participating library card on hoopla and Kanopy (HD).
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