North Korea

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when someone mentions North Korea? Starvation? Malnourishment? Evilness? Or maybe even people who are so brainwashed that they’re almost robot-like? For me, it’s isolation or maybe the movie TheInterview. With all the negative information sometimes it’s hard to imagine that North Koreans have a culture.

It’s obvious that North Koreans have extremely limited freedom. So, how does that impact their culture?

In Western society, technology plays a major role in almost everything. In North Korea technology is a luxury. There are 4 main TV channels:

• Central TV Channel is for politically important news.

• Mansudae Channel for foreign country news (which probably doesn’t show much).

• Sports Channel is for sports.

• Cable line Channel, well, it’s basic cable TV.

Also, there is internet, not highly advanced but it is there. Additionally, it’s really hard to get ahold of. You have to go through several steps. First, you would have to buy a computer on your $25-$30 a month budget. Then once you get the computer, you have to get a license. Like how Americans need a license to get a car? Yeah, you need one of those to get a computer. And on top of all those troubles, you have to get permission from the government. So, internet at home?? Probably a no. Soooo, cell phones?? Yes, they are there but once again, they are highly controlled by the government and can’t make any calls outside of the country.

Education seems as if it’s high up on the list. The education is free from the ages of 5-7. Everyone studies very hard so they don’t have to pay tuition at the university. Technically, North Koreans speak the same language as South Korea, Korean. It’s very important for men to be educated because to marry you must be educated or in the army. “When can I eat your cold noodles?” That’s what you say if you want to join a wedding party.

Meat soup and white rice used to symbolize a sense of wealth. Visitors are often well feed but it is becoming obvious to the outside world that many North Koreans are suffering from starvation due to the lack of food that the country is able to provide. Also, North Koreans are not accumstomed to having spicy foods or many seasonings. Another important point, candy or sweets are not provided *cries*. All the food is regulated, just like everything else.

Though North Korea claims they are a classless society, there is a CLEAR divide between the politically important and the politically unimportant. Your rank in the country strongly depends on your family’s involvement with the leader or military involvement.

Overall, the government controls and regulates everything. The culture is based off of traditional Korean culture. What makes it so unique is because it is so isolated. Many times when the world hears from North Korea it’s a war threat. Though, many people try to get out of North Korea and explore new things, it’s next to impossible.

 Fun Fact, Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea has the largest stadium in the world. It is able to hold 150,000 people. The third largest stadium in the world belongs to The Pennsylvania State University with being able to hold 107,282 people.

Thank you for reading! J