Kim Jong-il has risen to become propaganda chief under the rule of his father. Now, he hatches an audacious plan to turn North Korea into a filmmaking powerhouse. South Korea’s finest actress and leading director are kidnapped and find themselves on boats bound for the North. Elsewhere, Kim launches a charm offensive at the armed forces, readying the ground ... Show More
Apr 2023
Abducted and Enslaved: The Kidnapped Filmmakers Behind North Korean Cinema
Experience the incredible true story of the kidnapped South Korean filmmakers, Shin Sang-Ok and Choi Eun-Hee, who were forced to make propaganda films for North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il. This is a tale of courage, resilience, and the power of cinema in the face of oppression.
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53m 47s
Aug 2025
He Was Kidnapped and Forced To Make North Korean Action Movies - The Shin Sang-ok Story
Shin Sang‑ok, once hailed as the “Prince of Korean Cinema” for directing nearly 80 films in South Korea’s golden age, was kidnapped in 1978—along with his actress ex-wife Choi Eun‑hee—on the personal orders of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Il, who sought to elevate the country’s ... Show More
8m 35s
Mar 2022
South Korea’s incoming “anti-feminist” president
With its neighbor distracted by domestic culture wars, North Korea is making new moves.
This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Matt Collette, engineered by Efim Shapiro, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, and hosted by Noel King.
Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained
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24m 42s
Oct 2022
A fake billionaire in North Korea, part 2
Jim is deep undercover in North Korea — but will he find proof of illegal weapons deals...He'd been sent to the isolated country by a documentary film-maker called Mads Brugger, to pose as a fake investor interested in arms. Jim, Mads and the team had spent years infiltrating a N ... Show More
34 m