Artistic Freedom in NKorea

[JackLuis]

What happens in a repressive society when you cross the line?

Bizarre report claims Kim Jong Un's ex-girlfriend executed

A shocking and unconfirmed report out of South Korea alleges that an ex-girlfriend of North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un has been executed by a firing squad.

The bizarre story ran in South Korea's English-language newspaper Chosun Ilbo — a daily paper with a circulation of more than 2.3 million. The report has not been confirmed by NBC News or other media outlets.

Chosun Ilbo reported that Hyon Song-Wol, a singer best known for her 2005 pop hit "Excellent Horse-Like Lady" and a woman rumored to be the former lover of the North Korean leader, was one of 12 "well-known North Korean performers who were executed by firing squad on Aug. 20."

Machine gunned for porn!

 

[sr71plt]

Maybe and maybe not. Korean political propaganda is really something--from both sides.

 

[Handley_Page]

Maybe and maybe not. Korean political propaganda is really something--from both sides.

I love the idea of a pop-hit called "Excellent Horse-Like Lady"
I get the impression that something may have been lost in the translation.

 

[sr71plt]

I love the idea of a pop-hit called "Excellent Horse-Like Lady"
I get the impression that something may have been lost in the translation.

I understand that the production title was "Excellent Horse-Hung Man."

 

[ishtat]

Maybe and maybe not. Korean political propaganda is really something--from both sides.

Agree with your cautionary thinking, but I notice that a number of major circulation Chinese papers have also reported this - South China Morning Post for example. I don't know their sources.

The mainstream Chinese newspapers are frequently quite reticent to report negatively about North Korea but maybe party HQ in Beijing is a bit fed up with the new man in NK. Ultimately I suppose, the Chinese have to decide whether Kim Jong Un is an asset in that he irritates the West, or whether he is so embarrassing they could do without him.

If of course China allowed Korean reunification some day it would be a massive economic problem for the South and a political one too in that how can an essentially military oligarchy be absorbed. Maybe a continued stand off is the better option.

 

[3113]

According to the report, most were executed with Bibles in hand. Seem like mixed messages here. I'm not saying that North Korean porn stars couldn't also be Christians, just that the story seems to be trying to play to several sides here. (1) Killed his ex-girlfriend, (2) Killed porn stars, (3) Killed Christians.

Might all be true, but I'm going to remain a tad skeptical

 

[emap]

Heck for all we know they said something bad about him so out comes the firing squad like his dad did. Course it could just be bullshit to get people to look at him instead of something they are doing.

Politics is so like magic, look at this hand not that hand and you are happy, watch both and it sucks.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Given what totalitarian states have done in the past, it's plausible. But given the details of the story (porn actors with Bibles?), it sounds like SK propaganda.

 

[TE999]

Oh, Kim Jong Un, you so crazy! Nice to know an unstable fuck like this has nukes. This story smells of fish; I mean Christian pornographers?? "Hey Kim, you want hand job with my Bible?"

 

[StrangeLife]

Actually I can think of one or two ex girlfriends where this method of breaking up would have fitted perfectly...