North Korea qualified for the World Cup 2010 for the first time since 1966.
The Schoolgirl's Diary (한 녀학생의 일기) is a 2006 North Korean film that was released in France in 2007. It is the first film from North Korea to be picked up for international distribution in several decades."A Schoolgirl’s Diary focuses on modern-day issues and social pressures relevant to modern youth in the DPRK. Marked by a ’70s aesthetic, it also offers a charming portrait of the country with upbeat sing-alongs, cheerful soccer games and neighbours doing good deeds. At the same time, the film presents more serious elements, such as commercial branding, new technologies and foreign-language studies alongside traditional values of commitment to family and state" (Reel Asian).
Haeundae hits a Pyongyang college. A group of North Korean college students were caught watching a downloaded version of the movie Haeundae one month after it was released in South Korea, according to a think tank group in Seoul called North Korea Intellectuals Solidarity.
"In a separate release by the Korean Institute of National Unification, experts have quoted North Korean defectors who have testified that South Korean melodramas like "Autumn in My Heart" and "Winter Sonata" have become a such hit in the North that a special squad was once organized to crack down on the violators" (Hollywood Reporter).
South Korean pop culture must be so intriguing and fascinating to the North Koreans who have experienced nothing but the Dear Leader's propaganda. It also probably brings them an escape from the reality of their world to the extent that they are willing to be imprisoned (now the incidents are so common, sentences have been reduced).
About 20 years ago, a group of North Korea officials visited our home in China. My father played for them a South Korean sitcom (전원일기). Even at a young age I knew that this might land us in trouble. Fortunately, my father's instinct knew that they would love it and soon the officials were all on the floor laughing their hearts out. They wanted more. More laughter. More light heartedness. More happiness.
For more information: ABC News: NKoreans Risking Lives for SKorean Soap Operas
In North Korea, there are rules around newspaper use. For example, pages with Kim Il Sung or Kim Jong Il cannot be damaged as it is considered a serious crime.
