6 ms·
NK is really a surreal place, no matter how much you learn about it, something new will still shock you for example, I watched a documentary about a Western ey
by lingben 11y ago
NK is really a surreal place, no matter how much you learn about it, something new will still shock you
for example, I watched a documentary about a Western eye doctor who went there pro bono to do cataract surgeries
the thing was, when he gave people their sight back they didn't thank him, they went up to a picture of 'Dear Leader' and wept and prostrated themselves in a cathartic show of gratitude
- will_brown 11y agoThere are 2 ways to look at that... 1. They are legitimately brainwashed into believing he is God; or 2. They simply know anytime the cameras are on or the Party is present, as would be the case for such an event, they are required to approach Dear Leader's picture and begin the tears...or off to the camps for them and their whole family.
- fratlas 11y agoUnfortunately from the interviews I've read it is absolutely number 1.
- gtr32x 11y agoI'd rather say fortunately for them it is number 1.
- ekianjo 11y agoIf that is indeed the case there is very little hope things could change.
- pmarreck 11y agoReligiosity is on the decline, so who knows
- mdpopescu 11y agoMy mother cried at Stalin's death, so I have no problem believing it was #1. On the other hand, this appears to be a common trait with beloved leaders. In [1] we can read that "rare was the person who did not cry that long weekend". [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactions_to_the_assassination_of_John_F._Kennedy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactions_to_the_assassination...
- sullivanmatt 11y agoThe documentary is "Inside North Korea", for the curious: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxLBywKrTf4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxLBywKrTf4
- InclinedPlane 11y agoCamp 14: Total Control Zone, it's a heartbreaking movie about what life is like in the gulags of North Korea. Shocking to think that sort of thing is still going on just a few miles away from the developed world.
- pakled_engineer 11y agoThere's a NK defector where I live who runs a restaurant, who's family spent some time in a NK prison when he defected (he bribed their way out) and claims there is financial incentive for defectors to come up with the most sensational stories possible. Even the author of that book the movie is based on admitted he fictionalized parts of it a few months ago so the movie, which is merely based on the book is likely a complete fabrication. Not saying horrible things don't happen in totalitarian gulags but I wouldn't trust that movie to be anything except fiction. The defector here uses Kakao Talk to contact his NK family every day, and he manages to send them money on a regular basis at only a 15% fee through some Chinese Hawala-like network. Most of the military and party officials like to gamble remotely in Chinese/Myanmar casinos so there is widespread unregistered money transfer networks in place across the country.
- bjornsteffanson 11y agoThe principal subject of this film recanted much of his story in 2015.
- InclinedPlane 11y agoDo you have a source for that claim?
- verisimilitude 11y agohttps://www.washingtonpost.com/world/prominent-n-korean-defector-shin-dong-hyuk-admits-parts-of-story-are-inaccurate/2015/01/17/fc69278c-9dd5-11e4-bcfb-059ec7a93ddc_story.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/prominent-n-korean-defe...
- lovemenot 11y agoI met a lady of Korean origin on a flight from Dalian (China) to Tokyo. She was on her way home, after visiting siblings in North Korea. She had Japanese citizenship, so it was allowed. She told me that when her sister spoke privately of the good weather, she would thank the Dear Leader for his grace. On a previous visit, her host had proudly presented a bag of emaciated sesame seeds as a gift. On this visit the gift was reciprocated with a bag of lush Japan-grown seeds. Nothing was said, but at that moment her sister's face showed realisation.