It's too bad that Jurgen Hintzpeter and Kim Sabok never met again in real life. But I'm glad that now the latter's real identity is known. #ATaxiDriver

I feel so sorry reading that the real Kim Sabok passed away in 1984 and was battling alcohol addiction from trauma of witnessing the Gwangju massacre.
It's even sadder that he and Hintzpeter were framed as NK spies. #ATaxiDriver

Real vs Reel (1)
The building irl is Gwangju YMCA. Ryu Junyeol's character Koo Jaesik is based on several democratization activists. Aside from Hintzpeter, there was actually another foreigner on that rooftop: US Peace Corps Volunteer Paul Courtright.
#ATaxiDriver

Real vs Reel (2)

The real Kim Sabok was actually politically active, as opposed to the fictional character Kim Manseob. He had known Jürgen Hintzpeter for 5 years before Gwangju. And he had a son instead of a daughter.
#ATaxiDriver

A plan was proposed (2018) to bury Kim Sabok's ashes & Jürgen Hintzpeter's relics in the Gwangju Memorial Garden, it was rejected (2019).
As of now, only Hintzpeter's relics are in Gwangju, but his grave is in Ratzeburg, Germany. Kim Sabok's grave is near Seoul. #ATaxiDriver

For German actor Thomas Kretschmann, what helped him empathize with the story told in #ATaxiDriver was personal: his struggles when he had to flee from East Germany in his early 20s leaving his parents behind, across mountainous borders of Hungary, Yugoslavia & Austria.

Real vs Reel (4)
(Correction)

Ryu Junyeol's Koo Jaesik is 1 of 2 activists mentioned by name in the film. But irl at least 6 activists names are associated with the 1980 movement: Yoon Sangwon, Park Gisoon, Park Kwanhyun, Pyo Jeongdu, Jo Songnam, Park Raejeon #ATaxiDriver

The real Kim Sabok's oldest son, Kim Seungpil, sued a conservative commentator who called his late father an "NK spy" (2018). He also explained that the film's version was different from his late father's real self. #ATaxiDriver