"As One" is the cinematic retelling of the first ever post-war Unified Korea sports team, hastily formed to participate in the 41st World Table Tennis Championships in 1991. Following the North Korean mid-air bombing of Korean Air Flight 858 in 1987, a Summit was held between North and South Korea to defuse the extreme tension on the peninsula. The summit ended with the agreement to form a unified Korean sports team; and table tennis, being highly visible and world-class in both countries, was chosen as the symbolic unifier. Summarily, the first-ever unified North-South team under the simple aegis "KOREA" was formed to compete in the 1991 World Table Tennis Championships in Chiba, Japan. "As One" recounts these dramatic events where especially two world-class players who had only ever met across the table as die-hard opponents must suddenly become a true partners and teammates in time for the biggest stage of the World Championships. Putting aside their individual ambitions, these women have to summon every ounce of grit and grace to defeat a dominating Chinese team that is vying for its 9th consecutive World Championship title.—Mike Meier
"As One" recounts the dramatic tale of the first unified Korean team that competed at the 1991 World Table Tennis Championships in Chiba, Japan. South Korea's ping-pong star Hyun Jung Hwa and North Korea's Li Bun Hui have each suffered humbling defeats at the hands of China's formidable Deng Yao Liang (also know as the "Ping-Pong Witch") every time they reach the final rounds of tournaments. Forced by politicians to suddenly team up as the first united Korea team since the beginning of the war, Hyun and Li experience only conflict and mistrust, and face the loss of their championship dreams. But game-by-game, the two begin to build teamwork and find a budding friendship. When political winds change again, and just as suddenly an announcement is made to disband team Korea, the two young women must prove to their people and the world that teamwork can outshine the dark shadows of a painful history.
