Correct me if I'm misunderstanding something, but isn't it common to not win many literary awards? I'm under the impression that it's very difficult to win awards for writing, and that it's...
Correct me if I'm misunderstanding something, but isn't it common to not win many literary awards? I'm under the impression that it's very difficult to win awards for writing, and that it's unfortunately difficult to make a living as a writer all over the world.
I assumed that awards are likely more common in North Korea on an (awards given / writers) basis, mostly because there appears to be a rather rigid career ladder for writers there. In the US, you...
I assumed that awards are likely more common in North Korea on an (awards given / writers) basis, mostly because there appears to be a rather rigid career ladder for writers there. In the US, you can become a writer and I believe are mostly self-employed but under contract with publishers (please correct me if I'm wrong - this is just a guess!). In North Korea, only approved people can become writers, and even then not all writers can write about all topics (No 1 works being the example given in the book). I assume awards are given out in a similar way promotions would be given out at a regular job.
An interesting piece, but I can't help thinking it reads a lot like a propaganda piece itself. Like, who takes a picture of some art and instead of describing it calls it a propaganda mural? Gonna...
An interesting piece, but I can't help thinking it reads a lot like a propaganda piece itself. Like, who takes a picture of some art and instead of describing it calls it a propaganda mural? Gonna go up to Washington DC, take a picture of the Lincoln Memorial and call it a propaganda statue? Putting things in terms like the Kims are gods and the elites live well, as if most people wouldn't be honored to meet the president of their country and as if their own rich didn't live much more luxurious lives than the poor. I'm not in favor of either "system", just pointing out the hypocrisy.
Also, the writer of the original book has a vested interest in making NK look as bad as possible, because by his own admission he was not getting any recognition in writing... except perhaps when it comes to writing about a country most people know nothing about.
Articles and works like this are obviously interesting and it's probably good to have them around, but I think it's worth taking the more shocking things with a grain of salt, no matter the country being talked about.
I don't think there's much complexity of argument on the fact that North Korea is one of the most oppressive regimes on the planet. I think the author was pretty generous with their depictions...
I don't think there's much complexity of argument on the fact that North Korea is one of the most oppressive regimes on the planet. I think the author was pretty generous with their depictions even. I'm not sure quite what your point is with this comment. Yes we should be skeptical of claims we read online. But I'm not so sure NK gets much benefit of the doubt anymore? I can take everything in this article at face value from decades of depictions painted by liberated people and human rights watch groups.
I think the fundamental difference in referring to that mural vs the Lincoln memorial as propaganda is one you can criticize. Mock. Protest in front of. And the other you can't. If a piece of state sponsored architecture or work is immune from criticism and conversation it is absolutely 100% propaganda.
My heart weeps for the people exploited by the tyrannical government of NK. I encourage you to read the stories of survivors, I think it would change some of your sentiment.
I can think of plenty. The key point is it's not punishable by death if you don't do it. Way to miss the point 🙄 I must have missed when the last president made us all put his photo in our house...
I can think of plenty. The key point is it's not punishable by death if you don't do it. Way to miss the point 🙄
I must have missed when the last president made us all put his photo in our house and wear a pin of him everywhere under threat of bodily harm. I mean give me a break! These are WILDLY different things.
The article contains translated excerpts from the book Tobenai kaeru: Kitachōsen sennō bungaku no jittai (The Frog that Couldn’t Jump: The Reality of North Korea’s Brainwashing Literature),...
The article contains translated excerpts from the book Tobenai kaeru: Kitachōsen sennō bungaku no jittai (The Frog that Couldn’t Jump: The Reality of North Korea’s Brainwashing Literature), written by Kim Ju-sŏng, a North Korean writer who has defected to South Korea.
I was trying to find a full translation of this out there but it doesn't appear to exist. I like his writing style and would love to read the full thing.
I was trying to find a full translation of this out there but it doesn't appear to exist. I like his writing style and would love to read the full thing.
Correct me if I'm misunderstanding something, but isn't it common to not win many literary awards? I'm under the impression that it's very difficult to win awards for writing, and that it's unfortunately difficult to make a living as a writer all over the world.
I assumed that awards are likely more common in North Korea on an (awards given / writers) basis, mostly because there appears to be a rather rigid career ladder for writers there. In the US, you can become a writer and I believe are mostly self-employed but under contract with publishers (please correct me if I'm wrong - this is just a guess!). In North Korea, only approved people can become writers, and even then not all writers can write about all topics (No 1 works being the example given in the book). I assume awards are given out in a similar way promotions would be given out at a regular job.
An interesting piece, but I can't help thinking it reads a lot like a propaganda piece itself. Like, who takes a picture of some art and instead of describing it calls it a propaganda mural? Gonna go up to Washington DC, take a picture of the Lincoln Memorial and call it a propaganda statue? Putting things in terms like the Kims are gods and the elites live well, as if most people wouldn't be honored to meet the president of their country and as if their own rich didn't live much more luxurious lives than the poor. I'm not in favor of either "system", just pointing out the hypocrisy.
Also, the writer of the original book has a vested interest in making NK look as bad as possible, because by his own admission he was not getting any recognition in writing... except perhaps when it comes to writing about a country most people know nothing about.
Articles and works like this are obviously interesting and it's probably good to have them around, but I think it's worth taking the more shocking things with a grain of salt, no matter the country being talked about.
I don't think there's much complexity of argument on the fact that North Korea is one of the most oppressive regimes on the planet. I think the author was pretty generous with their depictions even. I'm not sure quite what your point is with this comment. Yes we should be skeptical of claims we read online. But I'm not so sure NK gets much benefit of the doubt anymore? I can take everything in this article at face value from decades of depictions painted by liberated people and human rights watch groups.
I think the fundamental difference in referring to that mural vs the Lincoln memorial as propaganda is one you can criticize. Mock. Protest in front of. And the other you can't. If a piece of state sponsored architecture or work is immune from criticism and conversation it is absolutely 100% propaganda.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Korean_cult_of_personality I mean , we don't do this in the USA. Places with free people don't do this. It's beyond different. We are so much more free than them it's hard to compare.
My heart weeps for the people exploited by the tyrannical government of NK. I encourage you to read the stories of survivors, I think it would change some of your sentiment.
I can't think of any US president in recent memory that was/is praised as a savior, can you?
I can think of plenty. The key point is it's not punishable by death if you don't do it. Way to miss the point 🙄
I must have missed when the last president made us all put his photo in our house and wear a pin of him everywhere under threat of bodily harm. I mean give me a break! These are WILDLY different things.
The article contains translated excerpts from the book Tobenai kaeru: Kitachōsen sennō bungaku no jittai (The Frog that Couldn’t Jump: The Reality of North Korea’s Brainwashing Literature), written by Kim Ju-sŏng, a North Korean writer who has defected to South Korea.
I was trying to find a full translation of this out there but it doesn't appear to exist. I like his writing style and would love to read the full thing.