September 26, 2023
Ask A North Korean

Settling in Seoul: A North Korean defector discovers the concept of hobbies

DPRK society insists individuals live for collective, but people in the South can explore their own interests

“Settling in Seoul” is an NK News series in which North Korean defectors share their experiences adapting to life in South Korea.

This week, Sersong Han — who was born and raised in North Korea and lived there until he defected in 2014 — writes about discovering hobbies and the concept of individual interests after resettling in South Korea.