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More articles by 'Tatiana Gabroussenko'
Tall tales: How Kim Il Sung’s wife became the paragon of North Korean womanhood
Kim Jong Suk is held up as the perfect mother, wife and revolutionary in state propaganda, despite her unassuming life
December 24, 2024
Why North Korea’s TikTok hit marks a win for Kim Jong Un’s globalization dreams
DPRK culture rarely resonates overseas due to focus on leader cult, but viral song provides a template for success
October 31, 2024
Lost in translation: When US and North Korean filmmakers made a movie together
‘The Other Side of the Mountain’ aimed to transcend politics, but was weighed down by a sappy plot and pro-DPRK message
August 15, 2024
A North Korean novel searches for meaning in the dramas and joys of family life
Ri Hui Chan expounds on centrality of family in way that is striking in a country that exalts leader as father of nation
April 25, 2024
Newest North Korean film mimics South’s violent cinema, to disastrous results
‘A Day and a Night’ attempts to distract youth from foreign films, but in the process undermines its propaganda message
January 8, 2024
How North Korean cinema betrays simmering resentment of country’s nouveau riche
2011 film uses story of a factory manager demoted to cobbler to critique rise of grassroots capitalism in country
October 25, 2023
Why North Korean films depict foreigners as ditsy Kim family worshipers
State narratives twist history to avoid glorifying outsiders, portraying even Soviet heroes as dependent on DPRK peers
July 17, 2023
Disappearing act: North Korea digitally scrubs lead actor from popular TV series
Digital recasting of Choe Ung Chol after 20 years may have been triggered by romantic escapades and political missteps
April 5, 2023
The clumsy propaganda of North Korean radio plays
Radio networks launched under Kim Jong Un try to win hearts and minds of South Koreans but are often comically inept
March 20, 2023
A kinder, gentler North Korea? How the DPRK’s popular culture embraced humanism
Amid unprecedented hardships, several films and dramas promoted a surprising spirit of acceptance and forgiveness
January 23, 2023
