logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2019
33m 12s

The American Soldiers Who Defected to No...

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

Often described as one of the most isolated countries in the world, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has been ruled by the Kim dynasty since 1948. And while most reports of defectors focus on harrowing stories of North Koreans escaping to freedom in China or South Korea, a handful of people actually traveled in the other direction, defecting to North Korea. Listen in to learn more about the strange journeys American soldiers took, away from the military and straight to the forefront of North Korea's film industry.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Yesterday
The Dumbest Mobster Ever Tried To Steal Ruby Slippers
There are few pieces of film history more iconic than Dorothy's magic ruby slippers from 1939's The Wizard of Oz. Yet, at first, the studio had no idea how valuable these would become. The multiple pairs of slippers languished in obscurity until costume department worker named Ke ... Show More
40m 23s
Oct 7
The Ridiculously Disturbing History of North Korea
As one of the most isolated countries on the planet, it's no surprise the Democratic People's Republic of Korea remains mysterious in the modern day. So, how did it become a thing? In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the bizarre origin story of the "Hermit Kingdom," a t ... Show More
48m 25s
Oct 4
CLASSIC: The Forty Elephants: London’s All-Female Jewel Thieves
For at least 200 years, part of London’s criminal underground was ruled by a gang of brilliant, all-female jewel thieves. In this week's classic episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the rise and fall of the notorious Forty Elephants.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati ... Show More
42m 7s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2017
What life is like in North Korea
The most important story in the world right now is how real the chance of war with North Korea is — and how cataclysmic such a war would be. Part of the reason the risk of war is so real is that our understanding of North Korea is so sparse. "The Hermit Kingdom" is a world unto i ... Show More
52m 20s
Apr 2020
NEW: Kim Il-sung Pt. 1: North Korea
We are thrilled to bring you a brand new episode of Dictators today and for the foreseeable future. We thank you for your patience during this unprecedented time. He rose from anti-Japanese freedom to the leader of a Soviet-led puppet government in North Korea. But just as North ... Show More
40m 58s
May 2023
North Korea Truth & Lies: Challenging the Propaganda, w/ Ju-Hyun Park
In the U.S. we’re taught that North Korea is a horrible backwards dictatorship where every person is captive to an evil regime run by a mad man who has an inexplicable hatred of the U.S., freedom and democracy – and is always on the edge of launching a nuclear missile to destroy ... Show More
48m 33s
Jun 2020
Kim Jong-il Part 1: Birth of North Korea
Kim Jong-il built a rogue state with nuclear missiles trained on its enemies – all while living a life of the utmost luxury. In the first episode of Real Dictators, we piece together the early life of this tyrant and that of the country he came to rule. Kim Jong-il is born during ... Show More
53m 49s
Apr 2021
North Korea
The world's most elusive country, Billy's 12th lyric, and the first of four on Korea. Dr Sojin Lim from The University of Central Lancashire takes Katie and Tom back to the 1950s to find out why this tiny Asian peninsular was split in two and how North Korea became North Korea. I ... Show More
47m 42s
May 2024
North Korea’s Propaganda Mastermind
For six decades, one man has been largely responsible for creating North Korea’s propaganda machine: Kim Ki Nam. He served all three North Korean dictators and is the architect of many of the myths that have helped to keep the Kim family in power. Last week, Kim Ki Nam died at th ... Show More
18m 56s
Sep 2021
#95: Kidnapped By North Korea Part 1 (Case of Choi Eun-hee)
She couldn’t believe it. They wanted her to write a letter to her kidnappers thanking them for all that they have done for her.  Are these people out of their minds? She missed her old life in South Korea - she had been a famous movie actress, her children, freedom, she missed it ... Show More
1h 18m
Feb 2022
The Future of the Kim Regime: North Korea Expert Sue Mi Terry
In this episode of Intelligence Matters, host Michael Morell speaks with Sue Mi Terry, former senior CIA analyst and current Director of the Hyundai Motor-Korea Foundation Center for Korean History and Public Policy at the Wilson Center, about North Korea's record-breaking spate ... Show More
42m 2s
Jul 2021
Patriots, Traitors, and Empires: The Korean War and Korea's Struggle for Freedom
Stephen Gowans joins Breht to talk about his book "Patriots, Traitors, and Empires: The Story of Korea's Struggle for Freedom". They discuss the history of Korea, Japanese colonial occupation of Korea, WW2 and the Cold War, The Korean War, Kim Il-Sung and guerrilla warfare, South ... Show More
1h 39m