In films set in or related to North Korea, certain elements often recur: secret agents and military personnel of the country, deprived civilians, breathtaking chases and graphic brutality. "The Square," an animated feature by director Kim Bo-sol, has none of that. Instead, the film focuses on two civilians in North Korea: Isak Börg, a Swedish diplomat, and Bok-ju, a North Korean traffic safety officer and Börg's lover. This unprecedented plot alone is enough to engage viewers immediately. The film follows how the two navigate their emotions and circumstances as they face an impending, permanent separation, inviting viewers to reflect on isolation, control and the quiet cost of love under surveillance. The plot was inspired by a news story Kim came across in 2016. “It was an interview with a real Swedish diplomat who had returned from North Korea after three years of service. When the reporter asked, ‘What was life like in North Korea?’ the diplomat replied, ‘I was so lonely.’ He explained that due to surveillance and control in North Korea, he could not even share a single be