Since North Korean private university the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology is on the hunt for a new foreign English teacher, you may be interested in brushing up your knowledge on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
Luckily, there are an array of movies, both fictional and documentary, that can help with just that.
Defilada
One of the first documentaries about the DPRK, the Polish film Defilada (The Parade), was shot to during the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the state’s founding in 1988.
The film focuses the celebrations, the purpose of which was to eclipse the fact that the Olympics were being hosted in neighbouring South Korea.
While the movie contains an anti-totalitarian message, it initially received praise from the North Korean government, as it only contained approved footage.
But the government has since realised its message and has banned director Andrzej Fidyk from reentering the country.
The Red Chapel
2009 Danish documentary, The Red Chapel, features two Danish-Korean comedians, their manager/director, and their trip to North Korea to perform for then-leader Kim Jong Il.
Initially, they intend to perform satire mocking the country disguised as “mindless” slapstick.
It quickly becomes more than that: one of the comedians, Jacob Nussell, has spastic paralysis, and the news that the country is allegedly disposing of the disabled becomes almost too much to bear.
The Interview
When Seth Rogan’s The Interview was announced, it created unprecedented controversy.
The North Korean government threatened action against the United States if the film was released, as it contained “threats to their safety”, according to The Guardian.
Still, the movie — about two US journalists on a mission to assassinate Kim Jong-un — was released digitally by Sony after being re-edited.
Dennis Rodman’s Big Bang in Pyongyang
Current North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s love for basketball is no secret.
He’s been especially close to former Chicago Bulls basketball player Dennis Rodman.
So close that director Colin Offland decided to follow along as Rodman ventured for a third time to North Korea with other former NBA players to play a game against the North Korean basketball team.
Out of this came Dennis Rodman’s Big Bang in Pyongyang, a 93-minute documentary following the trip that was condemned by both the NBA and The White House.
