“Ayla” is a beautiful and emotional movie of the Korean War that allows viewers to be a part of the details of real life stories. The story of two young Turkish soldiers going to South Korea from Iskenderun/Turkey did not imagine having a daughter in the middle of the battlefield. The Turkish made movie was a candidate for an Oscar, an honor it deserved.

The movie “Ayla,” or in English translated as “The Daughter of the Korean War,” which hit the theaters in 2017 had pretty good actors in the film. The movie starts with Kim Seol, a Korean little girl who plays the part of Ayla. Even though Turkish is not an easy language to learn, the little girl managed it so well. Then we mainly see İsmail Hacıoğlu as Süleyman, a soldier who came from his homeland to Korea. It was really impressive for a man to be a father to a kid that he will not be able to see later. Actor Hacioglu really gave his audience the emotion and made me and millions cry.

The movie starts with Suleyman’s life in Turkey while he was in high school. He gets chosen to participate in the Korean War with his best friend Ali. After the arrival they get on a mission at night and in the middle of a massacre they find this little girl holding her mother’s hand in shock. They take her with them and take care of her for the rest of their mission in Korea. As Americans say in the movie, Turkish people are pretty interesting people and what they did with this girl was pretty remarkable. 

This movie was taken from the actual real life story of Suleyman who passed away recently before watching his own movie. Reading his past interviews he said that he was looking for his daughter for his whole life. He couldn’t find her himself but some journalists brought them back together and they also included the actual video of Suleyman and Ayla seeing each other for the first time after 50 years. He also mentions that during the earthquake in 1999, he went back to his house to gather his pictures with Ayla. Other movies in the past have taken real life stories, or historical events and put them on film.  The movie “Titanic” is such a movie, and “Ayla” both tell historical events. “Titanic” was about an event that affected a lot of people but “Ayla” is about two people’s life story. I like both of them equally but I cried more on “Ayla.”

You should watch this movie because seeing these types of stories makes watchers think and appreciate what they have. Everyone might have a favorite kind of movie but this movie applies to all kinds. You can watch it on Youtube with subtitles. Have fun.