Pulgasari is an epic kaiju film directed and produced in 1985 by Shin Sang-ok during his abduction in North Korea. A multinational co-production between North Korea, Japan, and China, it is considered a remake of the lost 1962 South Korean film also depicting the eponymous creature from Korean folklore. The ensemble cast includes Chang Son-hui, Ham Ki-seop, Ri Jong-kook, Ri In-kwon, and Yoo Kyung-ae, with Kenpachiro Satsuma in the title role. Set during the Goryeo Dynasty, it follows a blacksmith's daughter who brings to life a metal-eating monster envisioned by her late father to defeat the monarchy.

Shin and his wife Choi Eun-hee had remained in North Korea since their kidnapping was initiated in 1978 by Kim Jong Il (then the country's heir apparent). Submitted in February 1985, Pulgasari became Shin's last film made under Kim's orders. Principal photography took place in Pyongyang from June to August 1985, with the Korean People's Army contributing roughly 13,000 extras. A team of 15 Toho employees handled special effects photography from September to December. With an estimated ¥200–300 million ($2–3 million) budget, Pulgasari was one of the most expensive films ever produced in North Korea.

Pulgasari was previewed at Toho Studios in January 1986 and scheduled for a worldwide release later that year. However, the film was banned in March after Shin and Choi escaped North Korean supervision and fled to the United States; Shin later worked on an American remake of the film. Pulgasari eventually debuted on VHS in Japan on January 21, 1995, and had its official premiere in Tokyo on July 4, 1998, to commercial success. Japanese reviewers compared the film favorably to Godzilla (1998). It has since become the most widely seen North Korean film internationally and gained a cult following.