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.
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Four Decades of Korea, In & Out: Rob Rapson (Part 1)
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The Ethics of Sanctions on North Korea: Hazel Smith
How North Korea Responds to a Black Swan Event: Markus Garlauskas
The Retreat (And Return?) of the United States: Gordon Flake
When Cold Warriors Sued for Peace: Mark Tokola
Lasting Legacies of An Unfinished War: James Person and William Stueck
The Miracle at Hungnam: Ned Forney
A Division No One Planned or Wanted: Charles Kraus
Defending Korea and a Letter to Pvt. Parker: John Stevens
Troubles Apologies in the Time of Pandemic: Alexis Dudden
Korean Baseball Comes to Bat in America: Mark Lippert, Eric Hacker, Daniel Kim, Dan Kurtz, Esther Lee, Troy Stangarone
The Last Transition Economy: Vincent Koen
Diplomacy or Readiness: Terence Roehrig
Succession in North Korea: Ken Gause, Chris Steinitz
Two Disappearances and a Funeral: Mark Tokola
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