thanks subby! i've watched all the ones on netflix already. it was time for something new.

Fascinating. Amazing. And the moment it was published, every Korean that talked to this guy was sent to a re-education camp.

The part with the children performing was chilling.

The smiles on the little boy guitarists will haunt my dreams.

interesting. through it i found documentary.net. looks like i have a place to browse for other interesting documentaries.

It reminds me a lot of the former Warsaw Pact countries. I had a chance to see East-Germany (many, many times) and Poland before things came apart, and Latvia and a tiny part of Russia right after.

Before we commence the bombing, maybe we should remind ourselves that the majority of the folks over there are just simple families, trying to live their lives as best as they can, not much different from you, me and the other guy.

Every time he mentioned Mr Jim, I couldn't help but think of this.

Is there a dating site for female soldiers and police women in North Korea?

/loves me a uniformed Asian lady in a position of authoritah.

Thanks, subby

_{/not a bookmark}

Always fascinating. North Korea is such an interesting place. My fave doc on the subject is when Vice went. Shane Smith seemed hellbent to get in trouble there. Its also very interesting how they react to Americans and non Americans
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24R8JObNNQ4

Just watched it all.. simply awesome.

As a sucker for Best Korea documentaries, I enjoyed it.

I have to take issue with the comments by the former ambassador from down under though.  I think he's a litte naive in thinking a sit down and fewer war games is all it will take to make NK play nice.

At 43:30 in the video the guide tells him why the number three is lucky for North Koreans.  Kim Il Song said there were 800 persimmons in a tree, and they then found 803, so the three is lucky for some reason.

I wonder if they recognize the irony in that the lucky ones were the ones that escaped dear leader's notice?

John Nash: At 43:30 in the video the guide tells him why the number three is lucky for North Koreans.  Kim Il Song said there were 800 persimmons in a tree, and they then found 803, so the three is lucky for some reason.

I wonder if they recognize the irony in that the lucky ones were the ones that escaped dear leader's notice?

Great observation. Don't forget Kim Il-sung's Juche ideology teaches self-reliance and that "man is the master of everything and decides everything", yet they have no say in anything and survive on rations.

I don't think they understand irony.

ItchyMcDoogle: Always fascinating. North Korea is such an interesting place. My fave doc on the subject is when Vice went. Shane Smith seemed hellbent to get in trouble there. Its also very interesting how they react to Americans and non Americans
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24R8JObNNQ4

That was a really nice bit with the Tea Girl.  Wow.

Why are only the unwashed hippies getting into NK? Every documentation was by some dude like this, worst was the guys from gumball or whatever that douchetour of rich guys is called.

lucksi: Why are only the unwashed hippies getting into NK? Every documentation was by some dude like this, worst was the guys from gumball or whatever that douchetour of rich guys is called.

I'd say the Norks have figured out that those guys are the real deal, not some pretentious shmuck, all dressed up to disguise his true self.

lucksi: Why are only the unwashed hippies getting into NK? Every documentation was by some dude like this, worst was the guys from gumball or whatever that douchetour of rich guys is called.

Unwashed hippie=most liberal and open minded of youth=most likely to travel without offending=most welcome

and probably has the best weed.

mrbach: lucksi: Why are only the unwashed hippies getting into NK? Every documentation was by some dude like this, worst was the guys from gumball or whatever that douchetour of rich guys is called.

Unwashed hippie=most liberal and open minded of youth=most likely to travel without offending=most welcome

and probably has the best weed.

Wrong.

ItchyMcDoogle: Always fascinating. North Korea is such an interesting place. My fave doc on the subject is when Vice went. Shane Smith seemed hellbent to get in trouble there. Its also very interesting how they react to Americans and non Americans
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24R8JObNNQ4

Thank you for posting that even though it totally ruined my day. My heart broke when the tea lady was waving goodbye to Shane. I feel what is probably an unhealthy level of empathy for these people who are slaves to a brutal dictatorship. I wish I could do something to help them.

Death Eats a Cracker: ItchyMcDoogle: Always fascinating. North Korea is such an interesting place. My fave doc on the subject is when Vice went. Shane Smith seemed hellbent to get in trouble there. Its also very interesting how they react to Americans and non Americans
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24R8JObNNQ4

Thank you for posting that even though it totally ruined my day. My heart broke when the tea lady was waving goodbye to Shane. I feel what is probably an unhealthy level of empathy for these people who are slaves to a brutal dictatorship. I wish I could do something to help them.

The part that I can never figure out with these documentaries are the guides.  They clearly know that their job is to control the message, and not to allow the Westerners to see the real Best Korea.  They must at least have some knowledge of how much their government is a sham, yet they continue to parrot the party line.  This must be such a heavy burden to carry.

Close2TheEdge: Death Eats a Cracker: ItchyMcDoogle: Always fascinating. North Korea is such an interesting place. My fave doc on the subject is when Vice went. Shane Smith seemed hellbent to get in trouble there. Its also very interesting how they react to Americans and non Americans
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24R8JObNNQ4

Thank you for posting that even though it totally ruined my day. My heart broke when the tea lady was waving goodbye to Shane. I feel what is probably an unhealthy level of empathy for these people who are slaves to a brutal dictatorship. I wish I could do something to help them.

The part that I can never figure out with these documentaries are the guides.  They clearly know that their job is to control the message, and not to allow the Westerners to see the real Best Korea.  They must at least have some knowledge of how much their government is a sham, yet they continue to parrot the party line.  This must be such a heavy burden to carry.

I have no doubt that a substantial portion of the BK population believes what their government tells them, and the rest just play along so they don't get sent to a labor camp.

I agree that some of these minders are very brave, they're risking their life and most likely the lives of their families.

I felt bad for these people before, but tea girl was a real gut punch.

This was incredibly fascinating, as was the VICE one.  THANKS, ItchyMcDoogle and subby--it will be hard to forget this stuff.  The tea girl and the tablet girl will haunt me in particular.

I would really love to go on one of these things and ask endless questions to anyone who could speak English, including the minders.  I'd probably disappear in the first couple of hours and wind up being served in several of those 50 dishes to a future visitor.