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More articles by 'Tatiana Gabroussenko'
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
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
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
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
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
International affairs: How North Korean films portray cross-cultural romance
North Korea remains an ethnocentric state in which a person of non-Korean blood can never be an equal member of society
Why animal cruelty is commonplace in North Korean popular culture
While violence against humans is rare in DPRK art, films show animals as soulless creatures whose pain does not matter
How North Korea is embracing more entertaining propaganda for the TikTok era
Mini documentaries and flashy missile launch videos show Pyongyang can adapt delivery, though messages remain the same
City boy, country girl: How one North Korean film tackles the urban-rural divide
The story of a rich Pyongyang heir who falls for a patriotic girl from the provinces frankly showcases social inequality
No god but the supreme leader: North Korea’s crusade against Christian boogeymen
The DPRK views missionaries as a threat to state ideology, which functions like a religion centered on the Kim family
