Monday, November 21, 2011

North Korean celebrities are struggling because of the Hallyu Wave @ 7:31 PM

Radio Free Asia (RFA), a non-profit organization that operates a radio station and internet news source, recently published a story about North Korean celebrities being forgotten due to the Hallyu Wave. Apparently, South Korean movies and dramas are spreading like wildfire inside the isolated country and are devouring low-quality North Korean films.

According to an insider in North Korea, “I don’t know anything about new North Korean songs or movies that have been released. There are only 3-4 [North Korean] films that are produced each year, but since there are so many South Korean movies laying around, no one pays attention to our [North Korean] films.”

Not only are North Korean films low in quality due to insufficient budgets, they lack creativity and are considered boring because all the material only praises Kim Il Sung‘s family. Thus, it was reported that citizens and young people completely ignore films and entertainment produced by their country.

North Korean celebrities are suffering significantly due to the Hallyu Wave, mainly because South Korean celebrities are gaining much popularity, while North Korean celebrities are becoming forgotten. Multiple insiders state, “People related to the North Korean entertainment business ignore the demands of the people and solely focus on Kim Jong Il‘s propaganda. People can expect to see the end of North Korea’s entertainment industry“.

North Korean youths who defected from the country were able to name several South Korean films including ‘Stairway to Heaven‘ and ‘Scent of a Man‘, while they were unable to recall any names of actors/actresses from a particular North Korean film.

It’s not just North Korean movies and dramas going down the drain — the music industry is declining as well. An insider explained, “All songs, including new ones, involve chants and praises for Kim Jong Il or the Worker’s Party. No one wants to listen to them.”

South Korean netizens were quite amused by the news and commented, “Aren’t all North Korean songs practically hymns that praise that dictator pig?“, “There are celebrities in North Korea? That kind of occupation exists? Wow“, and “I can feel the end of North Korea nearing..“.

Check out this clip to get a taste of North Korean music.