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.
South Korea as a Liberal Democracy: Darcie Draudt
Mongolia and the Korean Peninsula: Dr. Alicia Campi
East Meets South: Ahn Choong-yong and Jagganath Panda
Peace Corps Story: Kathleen Stephens
Korea, Japan, and the Missing Advocate: Kristin Vekasi and Jiwon Nam
The Great Successor: Anna Fifield
Defending Korea, from the Nakdong to the Chosin: Colonel John Stevens
How China Sees the Korean Peninsula: Lee Seong-hyon
At Best Unique, At Worst Delusional - North Korea's Special Economic Zones: Theo Clement
Explainer: The Political Origins of Korean Baseball
Explainer: The State of Korea's Childcare Industry
North Korea's Illicit Trade Winds: Hugh Griffith
Why North Korea Won't Budge: Ken Gause
Going Back to The Source: Jeffrey Robertson
[Rebroadcast] Valuing Age and Experience: Yongmin Cho and Quan Nguyen
Explainer: Ultrafine Dust Crisis
[Rebroadcast] We Built This Bureau: Elise Hu
From Maximum Pressure to Maximum Leverage: Daniel Wertz
[Rebroadcast] In Defense of KORUS: Phil Eskeland, Troy Stangarone, and Kyle Ferrier
When North Korea Embraces Mobile Technology: Yonho Kim
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free