March 28, 2024

About the author

Jin

Jin is a pseudonym for a North Korean defector writer. She was born and raised in North Korea and lived there until she defected in 2014. She now resides in South Korea.

More articles by 'Jin'

Ask a North Korean: How do North Koreans interact with nature?

Ask a North Korean: How do North Koreans interact with nature?

An escapee writes about the devastation of the DPRK environment and why few people think about conservation

Ask a North Korean: How do North Koreans interact with nature?
Jin March 13, 2024
Ask A North Korean: Are there private academies and tutors in the DPRK?

Ask A North Korean: Are there private academies and tutors in the DPRK?

North Koreans are passionate about education, and like in South Korea, a fever for private instruction has taken hold

Ask A North Korean: Are there private academies and tutors in the DPRK?
Jin December 8, 2023
Ask a North Korean: What did you think when you saw Kim Jong Un’s daughter?

Ask a North Korean: What did you think when you saw Kim Jong Un’s daughter?

The young girl has joined her father at multiple events, and it’s clear that she’s far from a normal North Korean child

Ask a North Korean: What did you think when you saw Kim Jong Un’s daughter?
Jin October 5, 2023
Ask a North Korean: What is it like to be a musician in North Korea?

Ask a North Korean: What is it like to be a musician in North Korea?

Artists have little say over what they perform, and they must make immense personal sacrifices to practice their craft

Ask a North Korean: What is it like to be a musician in North Korea?
Jin September 4, 2023
Ask a North Korean: What’s different about food in North and South Korea?

Ask a North Korean: What’s different about food in North and South Korea?

Most in DPRK worry about whether they can eat rather than what, but some dishes still elicit nostalgia for defectors

Ask a North Korean: What’s different about food in North and South Korea?
Jin August 7, 2023
Ask a North Korean: Do teenagers deal with issues like bullying and drug use?

Ask a North Korean: Do teenagers deal with issues like bullying and drug use?

Juvenile delinquency appears far less common than in other countries, but this doesn’t mean DPRK youth have it better

Ask a North Korean: Do teenagers deal with issues like bullying and drug use?
Jin June 9, 2023
Settling in Seoul: What is it like to speak to South Koreans about North Korea?

Settling in Seoul: What is it like to speak to South Koreans about North Korea?

People in the DPRK are curious about the far wealthier South, but the interest doesn’t always go in the other direction

Settling in Seoul: What is it like to speak to South Koreans about North Korea?
Jin May 22, 2023
Ask a North Korean: What is it like to raise a child in the DPRK?

Ask a North Korean: What is it like to raise a child in the DPRK?

Mothers do the best they can for their children but face challenges ranging from poor health care to paying for school

Ask a North Korean: What is it like to raise a child in the DPRK?
Jin April 13, 2023
Settling in Seoul: A North Korean surfs the internet for the first time

Settling in Seoul: A North Korean surfs the internet for the first time

Online world can be overwhelming at first, but defectors quickly discover value of access to a world of information

Settling in Seoul: A North Korean surfs the internet for the first time
Jin March 23, 2023
Ask a North Korean: What snacks are most popular in the DPRK?

Ask a North Korean: What snacks are most popular in the DPRK?

The state gives out low-quality sweets on major holidays, but what people really covet are imported treats from abroad

Ask a North Korean: What snacks are most popular in the DPRK?
Jin February 24, 2023