We Were There (2013)

우리는 그곳에 있었다

Mt. Gasherbrum IV in the Himalaya is famous for the "shining wall," the west face that has tempted many climbers. In 1997, the Korean team led by Cho Sung-dae and Yoo Hak-jae successfully developed a new route through the wall to the summit, where only two teams in history have been at the top. They couldn't get sponsors for their expedition and lost most of the equipment and food because of avalanches, but they managed to do what seemed impossible. The route was named 'Korean Direct,' and officially documented in the American Alpine Journal. The documentary shows us what happened in Himalaya 16 years ago, using dozens of videotapes shot by the team. It also includes interviews of the group, currently living a life distant from climbing the mountain. Why did everybody forget the most significant achievement in Korean mountain climbing history?