The Rose: Creativity, Courage, and the Power of Beginning Again

By Linda Lowry – Social in Seattle 

Seattle’s soul has always belonged to artists who carve their own path, intentional, independent, and unapologetically real. That’s exactly why The Rose: Come Back to Me feels like it was made for this city. This isn’t just a documentary about a band; it’s about the grit it takes to heal, the power of community, and the bravery to speak up when the world says to stay quiet.

Executive Producer Bina Shukla is at the heart of this story. Her passion for powerful storytelling and championing women in film took The Rose from a rough cut to a festival favorite. Teaming up with Oscar-nominated producer Diane Quon, Shukla leaned into the emotional core of the band’s journey, and ensured the film landed with audiences seeking art that’s honest, vulnerable, and hopeful. It’s a classic Seattle movie: when local leaders lift up creative voices, the whole city feels it.

The Rose: Come Back to Me follows the band’s wild journey from busking on Seoul’s streets to playing for fans across the world. But the real magic here is in the film’s raw honesty. It digs into the pressures of the K-pop machine, the legal fights and personal struggles, and the mental health battles that shaped both their music and their friendships. Director Eugene Yi keeps it real and relatable, painting a portrait of four artists figuring out who they are, and what it costs to stay true. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or someone who’s had to put themselves back together, this film hits home.

SMB: What initially drew you to this project, and what inspired you to take on the role of Executive Producer for The Rose?

Bina: What drew me to this project was the film’s producer, Diane Quon. I’m passionate about supporting female filmmakers, and Diane, an Academy Award nominated producer whose work includes Minding the Gap, and I connected over our shared belief in bringing meaningful stories to life. She was originally pitching me another project, based on Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet (the Panama Hotel in Seattle), when she mentioned, “I have this other project you might love.”

Once I saw a rough edit of The Rose: Come Back to Me, I was genuinely moved by the story. It’s a music documentary that traces the band’s journey from busking on the streets of Seoul to the Coachella stage, but it also explores deeper themes, especially the mental health challenges facing young men. That emotional honesty, combined with the band’s resilience and creative independence, really stayed with me. I decided to come on as an Executive Producer as the film was wrapping up, to support its premiere at Tribeca and its continued journey, including the Oscar campaign for the film’s song “Trauma.”

SMB: For those who haven’t seen the film yet, how would you describe its central story and what makes it meaningful?

Bina: The Rose: Come Back to Me is an intimate portrait of four young artists reclaiming their voice. On the surface, it follows The Rose’s journey from busking on the streets of Seoul to selling out global tours and performing on the Coachella stage. But at its heart, the film is about what it costs to stay authentic in an industry and a culture that often prioritizes conformity over well-being.

What makes the film especially meaningful is its emotional honesty. It doesn’t shy away from the pressures of the K-pop system, the personal and legal setbacks the band faced, or the mental health struggles that emerged along the way. Instead, it centers friendship, vulnerability, and the slow, difficult work of healing and rebuilding, both creatively and personally. Press coverage has often noted that the film feels less like a traditional music documentary and more like a coming-of-age story. In that sense, it resonates far beyond music fans, it speaks to a generation navigating identity, mental health, and the courage it takes to begin again.

SMB: What aspects of the band’s journey or creative evolution felt most important to capture in the documentary?

Bina: One of the most vital things the film captures is why “The Rose” chose to define success on their own terms. Rather than a typical manufactured idol story, the documentary shows them stepping away from the K-pop system that shaped them, forming a band rooted in genuine musical collaboration, and pursuing a path that felt true to their artistic instincts. That decision to choose each other and their own sound becomes a throughline in the film and underscores the band’s evolution from trainees and street buskers to a globally recognized group.

SMB: How did the film team approach shaping the narrative arc of the film?

Bina: Eugene Yi is a deeply thoughtful director, and what stood out to me was how effortlessly he was able to shape a complex, multi-year story into something intimate and emotionally coherent. The band’s journey spans different countries, legal challenges, military service, separation, and reunion, and he found a way to weave all of those threads together into a single, human story.

In interviews, Eugene has shared that the focus was not just on what happened, but on how it felt: balancing the difficult moments, like lawsuits and mental-health struggles, with the joy of making music again and reconnecting with each other. Music itself became a key storytelling tool, with songs helping anchor the emotional arc of the film, even when the structure wasn’t strictly linear. The result is a film that feels less like a traditional rise-to-fame documentary and more like a story about healing and brotherhood.

SMB: What do you hope audiences will take away from the documentary once they experience it?

Bina: The Rose: Come Back to Me shows that success isn’t just about big stages like Coachella, it’s about friendship, creative freedom, and the courage to come back to what truly matters. If viewers leave the film feeling a little more hopeful, a bit more aware of the mental health challenges young men face and reminded of the power of music to heal life’s trauma, then the film has done its job.

SMB: Are there themes or messages within the film that you feel resonate particularly strongly with today’s cultural or artistic landscape?

Bina: We’re living in a time when anxiety, loneliness, and pressure are at an all-time high, yet in many cultures these issues are still difficult to talk about openly. The film reflects that reality and shows how important it is to create space for honest conversations about mental health.

What I find especially powerful is how the band’s journey highlights the healing power of music and community. Their story is about friendship, vulnerability, and being there for one another through difficult moments. That message feels incredibly relevant in today’s world, where so many people are searching for connection and support.

SMB: What were some of the most rewarding or challenging parts of shepherding this project?

Bina: One of the most rewarding parts of this journey is being able to help put a real spotlight on mental health, especially for young people and young men. Supporting the Oscar campaign for Best Song for “Trauma” felt particularly meaningful because the song captures so much of what the film is about, pain, honesty, and the possibility of healing through music. Seeing that message resonate beyond the film itself was incredibly affirming.

Another unexpected and deeply rewarding experience was getting to know the band’s fans, known as Black Roses. Immersing myself in that community gave me a new appreciation for the impact The Rose has on people’s lives. I attended their sold-out Seattle concert, and witnessing firsthand how the fans responded to the band’s message of hope, vulnerability, and healing through music was incredibly moving.

SMB: Looking ahead, how do you hope The Rose: Come Back to Me contributes to conversations around creativity, resilience, or the artist’s experience?

Bina: I hope “The Rose: Come Back to Me” sparks conversations about the importance of creative freedom for artists. The band’s story shows the toll that the K-pop system can take on young performers: rigid schedules, strict control over music and image, and immense pressure to conform. By stepping away and reclaiming their artistry, The Rose demonstrates the courage it takes to follow your dreams despite obstacles, setbacks, or societal expectations.

The Rose’s story is proof that staying real isn’t always simple, but it’s where the good stuff lives. Life keeps throwing curveballs, but choosing your own voice, whether you’re making art or just figuring things out, can change everything. My hope? This film fires up creators and fans alike to embrace creative freedom and remember how perseverance shapes work that matters.

The Rose: Come Back to Me lands just when we’re all craving stories about rebuilding, messy, beautiful, and honest. Thanks to Bina Shukla’s vision and the band’s willingness to show up as themselves, the film reminds us that creativity isn’t just about putting on a show, it’s survival, connection, and the quiet courage of choosing yourself, over and over. Seattle gets this; our city is all about reinvention. This documentary invites us to listen deeper, lift up truth-telling artists, and celebrate the communities that rise with them. The Rose: Come Back to Me is now showing in select theaters across the U.S. Grab showtimes and tickets at therosedoc.com/theatrical.

Photo Credits: The Rose-Come Back to Me