A group of women gossiping about the new neighbor. A feisty middle schooler using a homemade drone to prank his classmates. A young military officer seeking information from his past. These themes could be from any American TV show. But they are, in fact, storylines from a new wave of soap operas produced by the North Korean state.
Former AP journalist Jean Lee, now a Global Fellow at The Wilson Center, analyzed four of these North Korean soaps for a new research paper commissioned by KEI. In this episode of Korean Kontext, she discusses some of her observations, including a shift from emphasizing military service to emphasizing family ties and a focus on youth and the next generation of North Koreans - themes which may indicate some of Kim Jong-un's main domestic priorities.
Steve Byrne: Sullivan And Sons
L. Gordon Flake - Mike & Maureen Mansfield Foundation
Lt. General Robert Gard Jr. - Korean War Veteran
Shin Kyung-sook - Author, "Please Look After Mom"
South Korean Minister for Trade, Bark Taeho
James Kyson - Heroes
Steven Yeun: The Walking Dead
How Korea’s English-Language Media is Changing the World: A Discussion with Sohn, Jie-Ae, Arirang TV
Iran Sanctions and South Korea
KORUS FTA: Wendy Cutler and Kim Ghee-whan
Ambassadors Wolstenholme and Choo
Phillippe Cousteau, JR - USA Pavillion
Daniel Dae Kim: Actor
North Korea After Kim Jong-il
Tourism in North Korea: A Special Feature
TK: Ask a Korean
Scott Snyder: Council on Foreign Relations
Andrei Lankov: Kookmin University
Curtis Melvin: NKEconwatch.com
Kevin O'Donnell: National Director of Peace Corps
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