By Brian Pham
North Korea is a very closed off and controlled country. This control extends to even the media they consume, which is government produced. These movies often have themes that praise the government and are usually propaganda films. While it may seem impossible to ever see these movies, some are actually available to see on YouTube!
“Pulgasari”
This movie was directed by Shin Sang-ok, who was abducted by the North Korean government to produce movies for them. This story is loosely based on the legend of the Bulgasari, a metal-eating monster. This movie takes place in feudal times and revolves around a blacksmith who summons the monster to overthrow the King of this time. After defeating the king, the monster oppresses the people and eats their metal, and in the end, the daughter of the blacksmith sacrifices herself to kill it.
“The Schoolgirl’s Diary”
‘The Schoolgirl’s Diary” revolves around a girl in conflict with her father. She doesn’t understand his devotion to the North Korean state, but in the end, comes to the “realization” that she is being “selfish” and she ends up praising her father for his devotion.
“The Flowergirl”
This movie was based on a play written by Kim Il-Sung during his imprisonment by the Japanese during the 1930s. It is set in the 1930s and revolves around a girl who collects flowers to support her family and blind mother. When the girl gets imprisoned by her landlord who has sent her sister away to be frozen and killed, her brother organizes villagers to overthrow the landlord.
