In this blog post, I will explain why I chose the documentary film “We Were There,” analyze its sequences, form, and themes, and summarize three images and a quote from the film.
Reasons for Choosing the Film
I love sweat. I feel a special sense of happiness when sweat flows on the mountain, and I enjoy the process of taking on challenges. I came across the documentary “We Were There” through my interest in rock climbing on Mount Seorak and my preparations to tackle high-altitude peaks like the Himalayas. As one of the few mountaineering documentaries not widely known in Korea, this film interweaves past climbing records with present-day lives to capture a passion for the mountains and the extreme human experience.
The film vividly conveys the wonders of nature by restoring footage from the actual climb 16 years ago. It is structured in a highly realistic manner, reminiscent of reading a climbing log, featuring footage of the accident involving the Slovenian team encountered on the mountain at the time, as well as scenes of the Korean G4 team members. The film does not explicitly tell us why they climb the mountain, but through the sweat and tears of their youth, and all the emotions and aspects of humanity revealed in extreme conditions, it prompts the audience to reflect on themselves. I chose to watch this film to re-examine my own life and dreams, and to regain confidence in pursuing my own goals.
Sequence Summary
Sequence 1: The film opens with a nightmare scene featuring the protagonist (Yoo Hak-jae). The first scene captures the daily life of Yoo Hak-jae, a former G4 team member, revealing his present circumstances.
Sequence 2: A depiction of the protagonist’s daily life. Against a backdrop of firewood and a rural village, a scene unfolds where he converses with his friend Park Jun-ki about writing a book related to their 1995 ascent of Gasherbrum in the Himalayas.
Sequence 3: Actual footage and narration from the 1995 Himalayan expedition unfold from the perspective of the protagonist, Yoo Hak-jae. Using an observational style, the past and present are intercut, and the situation at the time is shown through interviews and records.
Sequence 4: The 1995 disappearance of Slavko. Still photographs show Slavko as he was when he was alive, and the sequence depicts how, after his disappearance, his colleagues attempted a rescue and were subsequently rescued by the Korean team after suffering from snow blindness. Through current interviews with the protagonist and his Slovenian colleague Yuri, a memorial service for the missing climber, and an interview with Thomas, the leader of the Slovenian team, the film reveals the friendship between mountaineers from both countries and the gravity of the incident.
Sequence 5: The 1997 Attempt to Re-ascend. Two years after the failed summit attempt in 1995, the process of challenging Gasherbrum IV once again begins.
Sequence 6: Includes a scene of a mountain ceremony (memorial rite) held in 1997 to honor the missing Slavko.
Sequence 7: Records of daily life during the 1997 ascent. A subtitle indicates the start of the first ascent of the G4 West Face on May 25, followed by the establishment of Camp 1 on May 27, Camp 2 on June 9, and minor daily routines such as a rice cake porridge party, along with the preparation process. On June 15, an avalanche devastates the advance camp, destroying equipment and food supplies; interviews with the protagonist, Woo Chan-sung, Hwang Young-soon, and other team members at the time show scenes of recovery and crisis response.
Sequence 7 (Continued): Interviews with Team Leader Jo Seong-dae and team member Bang Jeong-ho, scenes of requesting equipment and food supplies from foreign expeditions, and team member Go Hwang Gi-ryong reading a letter. The dangers and tension of the ascent are meticulously documented, including the near-fatal chain of falls involving team members Hwang Gi-ryong and Shin Dong-cheol on June 23 (explained using animated graphics).
Sequence 7 (Continued): The altitude-by-altitude log continues, covering the overnight stay at 6,600 meters on July 8, the protagonist and team member Choi Byeong-gi relieving the assault team on July 10, the establishment of Camp 3 at 6,800 meters on July 12 (named “Eagle’s Nest”), and the arrival at the challenging Black Tower. Alongside accounts of the Japanese and American teams’ failed ascents, the push for survival begins anew.
Sequence 7 (Conclusion): On July 16, team member Hwang Ki-ryong descends due to frostbite; the first bivouac site is secured at 7,400m; and the second bivouac is set up at 7,500m. As they overcome these final hurdles, the protagonist and his teammates’ tension and emotions on the night before reaching the summit are depicted through comic illustrations and interviews.
Sequence 8: At 2:27 p.m. on July 19, 1997, they finally reach the summit of Gasherbrum. The new route they pioneered is named the “Korean Direct” and officially recorded in the American Alpine Journal.
Sequence 9: The day after the ascent, while descending, they discover the body of the missing climber, Slavko, at an elevation of 7,200 meters. They cut a section of his rope to use as their own, overcoming a crisis; the scene where Slavko’s rope saves their lives after their own rope is severed by a rockfall is highlighted through the protagonist’s interview. The film explores the aftermath of the incident, including Captain Thomas’s search efforts at the time, the relief felt by the protagonist upon the discovery, interviews with Slavko’s friend and Slovenian mountaineers, the loss of film footage due to the collapse of Camp 2, and the subsequent public scrutiny in Korea.
Sequence 10: Returning to the present day, we see the protagonist at work. Scenes of the G4 team members, reunited for the first time in 15 years, preparing for a memorial climb in honor of the late Hwang Ki-ryong; Kim Dong-gwan, now living as a stonemason in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province; and Hwang Young-soon, working as a rescue team member on Mount Bukhan—their daily lives and preparations for the memorial are interwoven.
Sequence 11: The scene unfolds during the descent from the summit of Parinakcha (6,710 m) in the Himalayas, where the protagonist, along with team members Hwang Ki-ryong and Shin Dong-seok, had reached the peak. As Shin Dong-seok descends first, the protagonist turns around to find Hwang Ki-ryong has passed away. Flashbacks of Hwang Ki-ryong’s life and his final interview footage are intercut, deepening the emotional impact.
Sequence 12: The film concludes with a memorial climb. Against the backdrop of an autumn mountain landscape, the protagonist is shown alongside team members Kim Dong-gwan, Moon Sang-ho, Bang Jeong-ho, Shin Dong-cheol, and Hwang Young-soon. As scenes from their past days in G4 play, the final end credits roll with the narration: “That is why we were with you. That is why we were happy.” This scene leaves a lingering impression that perhaps allows the film to be interpreted as a memorial.
Review and Analysis of Form and Theme
The film unfolds primarily through narration, subtitles, archival footage, and interviews. Thanks to its structure based on real events, it feels highly realistic and immersive. As restored footage from that era, accident footage, and contemporary interviews intercut, the audience naturally follows the unfolding of the events and the flow of emotions. The use of classical music particularly amplifies the poignant emotion during the end credits.
Formally, this work primarily employs the Direct Cinema style, or observational approach. Approximately 80% of the film consists of observational footage depicting the struggles in the Himalayas at the time, while the remaining 20% is filled with Cinema Verité-style (participatory) interviews addressing present-day life and memories. By juxtaposing past climbing records with present-day daily life, the film reveals that their passion for the mountains has not faded despite the passage of time.
It is difficult to summarize the theme of this film in a single phrase. The story of the climb itself, the record of death and remembrance, and the record of friendship and solidarity all coexist within the film. However, after watching the film, the sight of people living their lives immersed in a particular pursuit and doing what they love makes one reflect on oneself. Focus, passion, and solidarity with colleagues remain as the core emotions.
Three images and a quote
Image keywords: Mountains · People · Challenge · Dreams · Sweat — If I were to summarize the scenes in the film in a single sentence, it would be “People in the mountains, the challenges and dreams within them, and their sweat.”
1. Challenge, Dreams, and Sweat — What the characters have in common is that they enjoy challenges and harbor dreams of taking paths others do not. The mountains help them rediscover the meaning of life, and upon returning to their workplaces, they sweat once again. In the film, the memorial climb undertaken by the middle-aged team members in memory of the late Hwang Ki-ryong, as well as the figure of team member Bang Jeong-ho, speak to the preciousness of that sweat.
2. People — The black-and-white group photo of the G4 team at the end of the film evokes memories of their youth, when they climbed together, trusting and relying on one another. Though they are now middle-aged, their friendship endures, reminding us that humans cannot do everything alone. Because we have colleagues and friends by our side, we are never alone.
3. Mountains — Humans are fragile in the face of nature. The team members climb simply because they love the mountains, sometimes pushing themselves to the brink of death. The mountains remain ever-present and unchanging. Gazing at them inspires the thought, “I want to be a person of unwavering consistency.” The awe-inspiring beauty of nature is surely one of the reasons we climb the mountains—to witness it with our own eyes.
Famous Quotes from Movies
“Dreams come true. If there were no possibility of them coming true, nature would not have made us dream in the first place.” — John Updike —
“There is no conquest of a mountain. We simply seize the opportunity to go. The more I climbed, the smaller I became, and the mountain grew larger and larger.” — Mountaineer Yoo Hak-jae —
