June 10, 2023
Evergreen

End of an era: Choe Chang Su, the North Korean “people’s actor,” passes away

Hailing from humble roots, Choe became a fixture of the DPRK silver screen under Kim Jong Il

When a distinguished artist passes at a ripe old age, people tend to respond with the nostalgic claim that “along with him, the whole era has gone!”

Usually this is merely a sentimental exaggeration -- the natural death of a particular person rarely signifies real social change.