About the author
More articles by 'Je Son Lee'
Leaving family behind in North Korea
Finally living in a free country, I'm still haunted by the things I can't share with my mom and dad
Ringing in a North Korean New Year
People maintain family rituals, friendly pastimes on Jan. 1, despite official emphasis on Seollal
What’s brewing: How to make and drink your own beer in N.Korea
Drinking is very popular in the North, so much so that strong alcohol is treated like a 'soft drink'
Do North Koreans gamble?
North Koreans like to pass the time playing cards, often because there's not much else to do
A (name) change is in the air in North Korea
Got a name like the Dear Leader's, or one that sounds Japanese? It has to change
North Koreans don’t hate America
Those who remember the Korean War tell stories very different from the propaganda, and American movies appeal to North Korean sensibilities
North Koreans’ nuclear pride
Knowing that other countries' look down on their poverty, Northerners embrace nuclear capabilities
In North Korea, sometimes the dead come back
No, not zombies – absence of medical care, standard funeral homes means some are declared dead prematurely
Is coffee popular in North Korea?
Coffee was once a luxury item in the capital Pyongyang – and even rarer everywhere else in the country
