The Korean Peninsula has not seen a major conflict for over seven decades, but that’s hardly obvious when looking at North Korean popular culture.

Militaristic images and themes dominate the books, movies, TV and music of the DPRK, which routinely present the country as on the verge of war against enemies standing at the gates — or worse, already in its midst.

Much of this focus dates back to the so-called Songun, or “military first,” campaign of the 1990s, which prioritized the army in all spheres of North Korean life. Though Songun brought no changes to real military policy, it