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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Going Together to Address a Pandemic: Marc Knapper
Public Health is Human Rights, Human Rights is Public Health: Ambassador Robert King and Greg Scarlatoiu
The Economic Fallout of a Pandemic: Troy Stangarone and Kyle Ferrier
The Rise, Stumble, and Rise of A Conglomerate: Geoffrey Cain
How Korea and the World Are (and Are Not) Fighting the Coronavirus: Amb. Kathleen Stephens and Mark Tokola
How an Isolated Country Fights a Pandemic: Troy Stangarone
Tackling the Coronavirus is Not Costless: Kyle Ferrier
Can North Korea take on the coronavrius? Not alone: John Grundy
[Rebroadcast] North Korea's Healthcare System: John Grundy
10 Issues for the Korean Peninsula in 2020: KEI Staff
Monetizing The Linchpin: Kyle Ferrier
Building a Better Future with Truth: Min Jin Lee
Representation and Community: Alexander Chee
Korea and the Persian Gulf: Troy Stangarone
Sharing the Burden: Song Min-soon
Impeachment, Part 2: Consequences
Impeachment, Part 1: Precedent
A Team of Their Own: Seth Berkman
The Korean Revolutionary in Cuba: Joseph Juhn
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