The High Price of K-Drama: How North Korea Sentences Teens to Hard Labor for Watching South Korean Shows

North Korea, one of the most isolated and repressive countries in the world, has imposed harsh punishments on its citizens who watch or distribute South Korean shows, which are banned by the regime. 

A rare video footage, obtained by a South Korean research group, shows two teenage boys being sentenced to 12 years of hard labor for watching K-dramas, or South Korean TV shows. The video reveals the extent of the crackdown and the propaganda that the regime uses to deter and demonize the consumption of foreign media.

What are K-dramas and why are they popular?

K-dramas are South Korean TV shows that cover various genres and themes, such as romance, comedy, thriller, historical, and fantasy. K-dramas are known for their high production quality, captivating plots, attractive actors, and catchy soundtracks. K-dramas have gained a huge global fan base, especially in Asia, where they have influenced the culture and lifestyle of many people.

K-dramas are also popular among some North Koreans, who risk their lives to watch them secretly. According to defectors and activists, North Koreans watch K-dramas to escape from the harsh reality and the propaganda of their country, and to learn about the outside world and the South Korean society. K-dramas also offer a glimpse of hope and freedom for the North Koreans, who aspire to a better life and a different future.

How does North Korea punish and prevent K-drama viewers?

North Korea considers K-dramas as a threat to its ideology and system, and as a tool of infiltration and subversion by the South Korean government. North Korea has banned its population from watching or distributing any foreign media, especially South Korean media, and has imposed severe penalties for those who violate the ban.

In 2020, North Korea adopted the “Anti-reactionary Ideology and Culture Act,” which made watching or distributing South Korean media punishable by death. The act also stipulated that those who produce, smuggle, or store South Korean media could face up to 15 years of hard labor, and that those who sing, speak, or write in a South Korean style could face up to two years of hard labor.

North Korea also uses various methods and measures to prevent and detect K-drama viewers, such as:

• Installing surveillance devices and conducting inspections: North Korea has installed surveillance devices, such as cameras and microphones, in public and private places, such as markets, streets, and homes, to monitor and record the activities and conversations of the people. North Korea also conducts regular and random inspections, such as house searches, phone checks, and body scans, to confiscate and destroy any foreign media or devices.
• Enforcing loyalty and reporting systems: North Korea has enforced a system of loyalty and reporting, which requires the people to pledge allegiance to the regime and to report any suspicious or illegal behavior of others. North Korea also uses informers and spies, who infiltrate and expose the K-drama viewers and distributors. North Korea also rewards and punishes the people based on their loyalty and reporting records.
• Spreading propaganda and education: North Korea has spread propaganda and education, which aim to indoctrinate and brainwash the people with the regime’s ideology and values, and to denounce and vilify the foreign media and culture. North Korea also uses public trials and executions, which are broadcasted and displayed to the masses, to intimidate and deter the K-drama viewers and distributors. North Korea also uses ideological education and campaigns, which are conducted in schools, workplaces, and communities, to instill and reinforce the regime’s doctrine and rules.

What are the implications and challenges of K-drama viewership in North Korea?

K-drama viewership in North Korea has implications and challenges for the country and the region, such as:

K-drama viewership in North Korea has exposed and challenged the lies and the oppression of the regime, and has awakened and empowered the people with the knowledge and the desire for change. K-drama viewership in North Korea has also created and strengthened the ties and the understanding between the North and the South Koreans, and has fostered the hope and the potential for reunification.

K-drama viewership in North Korea has also contributed and influenced the development and diversity of the Korean culture and identity, and has enhanced the recognition and the reputation of the Korean wave.

K-drama viewership in North Korea also faces difficulties and dangers, such as:

• The risk and cost of watching K-dramas: North Koreans who watch K-dramas have to overcome many obstacles and risks, such as obtaining and hiding the foreign media and devices, finding and trusting the fellow viewers and distributors, and avoiding and evading the surveillance and inspections of the authorities. North Koreans who watch K-dramas also have to pay a high price for their actions, such as losing their money or property, facing imprisonment or torture, or even losing their lives.
• The gap and conflict between reality and fantasy: North Koreans who watch K-dramas have to cope with the gap and conflict between the reality and the fantasy of their lives, such as the contrast and comparison between the poverty and the prosperity, the oppression and the freedom, and the isolation and the connection of the two Koreas. North Koreans who watch K-dramas also have to deal with the psychological and emotional effects of their experiences, such as the frustration and dissatisfaction, the curiosity and longing, and the hope and despair of their situations.
• The uncertainty and complexity of the future: North Koreans who watch K-dramas have to face the uncertainty and complexity of the future of their country and the region, such as the possibility and the feasibility of change and reform, the opportunity and the challenge of dialogue and cooperation, and the prospect and the consequence of reunification and integration. North Koreans who watch K-dramas also have to prepare and adapt for the future of their lives and the society, such as the choice and the chance of staying or leaving, the role and the responsibility of participating or contributing, and the impact and the outcome of transforming or preserving.