Tuesday, June 03, 2008

North Korean Toddler Colonies

Over the past few days Stanford has rekindled my fascination with North Korea. Ever since Mayumi turned me on to an atrocious video done by the BBC depicting the devastation and political propaganda of this bizarre country I've been intrigued; with their monuments, the way they present themselves, the ghost-town Pyongyang, the "non-existent" Ryugyong Hotel and the phenomenal spectacle of their shows. 




Who they're meant for (the few visiting journalists or the North Korean denizens themselves) is anyone's guess. I imagine the performers believe they are presenting the awe that is their nation. 




And indeed they have. But is their intention to bewilder? The enormity of the production is staggering. But the truth behind the facade is a too monstrous to forget.

Watch this.

I wish I could link you to the original bit I saw but I'm beginning to watch the Vice expose found below.




1 comment:

Beth Mattson said...

I feel that the number 32 is a slightly more appealing number than 24, but you have rocked my party with Vice's explorations of many nations. I can't stop!