North Korea’s Curious Embrace (and Rejection) of "Squid Game"
The global phenomenon that is "Squid Game" has permeated nearly every corner of the internet, sparking conversations and analyses from all walks of life. Perhaps unexpectedly, this reach extends even to the isolated realm of North Korea, where the series has garnered attention not for entertainment value, but as a propaganda tool.
A North Korean propaganda website, Arirang Meari, has published commentary praising "Squid Game" for its supposed exposé of South Korean society. The article, unsurprisingly aligned with the North Korean regime’s perspective, claims the series accurately depicts the rampant corruption, societal inequality, and exploitation inherent in South Korean capitalism. It paints a picture of a system where "people are treated like chess pieces," a narrative consistent with North Korea’s critiques of the South.
This isn’t the first time North Korea has used South Korean art to further its propaganda efforts. In 2020, when Bong Joon-Ho’s "Parasite" won the Oscar for Best Picture, North Korean media similarly lauded the film for its portrayal of class disparities within South Korean society. This strategy raises the question: who is the intended audience for these pronouncements?
North Korea lacks widespread internet access. While some citizens own smartphones, their connectivity is limited to a state-controlled intranet called "kwangmyong," effectively isolating them from the global internet. Unrestricted internet access is a privilege reserved for a select few with special permission. Therefore, the average North Korean citizen is highly unlikely to have seen "Squid Game," rendering the propaganda seemingly ineffective within its own borders.
This leads to the conclusion that the intended audience might be external. Perhaps the propaganda is aimed at provoking South Korea and the international community, a kind of ideological jab designed to undermine the South’s perceived prosperity and stability. However, it’s questionable whether such pronouncements have any real impact on global perceptions of capitalism or South Korea. The international community generally disregards North Korean pronouncements as biased and unreliable.
There’s a possibility, however slim, that "Squid Game" might eventually find its way into North Korea. Activists have a history of sending balloons carrying leaflets and USB drives containing K-dramas across the border, seeking to expose North Koreans to outside information. This is a risky endeavor. Individuals caught consuming South Korean content face severe penalties, including imprisonment, labor camps, and even execution. A chilling example occurred in 2014, when reports indicated that at least 50 people were publicly executed for watching South Korean dramas, including ten officials from Kim Jong-Un’s own party.
The North Korean regime’s fear of South Korean culture is palpable. Kim Jong-un has recently denounced K-pop as a "vicious cancer," highlighting the growing popularity of South Korean pop culture, including shows like "Squid Game," among younger North Koreans. This cultural influence poses a direct threat to the regime’s control over information and ideology.
"Squid Game" also presents specific challenges to North Korea’s narrative. One of the series’ most compelling characters, Kang Sae-byeok, is a North Korean defector who participates in the deadly games to earn money to bring her family to South Korea. The character’s journey humanizes North Korean defectors, challenging the regime’s portrayal of them as traitors. Sae-byeok’s attempts to conceal her North Korean accent and the derogatory labels she faces ("commie," "spy") expose the prejudices faced by North Koreans in the South, while also highlighting the inherent dangers and desperation that drive many to defect. The series also depicts arbitrary violence and executions, further undermining the North Korean regime’s claim of upholding justice and order.
The situation is rife with irony. North Korea, a nation built on suppressing freedom of expression and information, is using a South Korean drama that critiques capitalism to advance its own agenda. It’s a case of remarkable hypocrisy, potentially unintentional, if the propagandists haven’t even watched the show they are commenting on.
This situation reveals several key aspects of North Korea’s relationship with the outside world. It highlights the regime’s obsession with maintaining ideological control over its population and its fear of external influences, particularly South Korean culture. It also demonstrates the regime’s willingness to exploit any perceived weakness or contradiction in the South to bolster its own narrative, however flimsy or inconsistent that narrative may be. Ultimately, the North Korean propaganda surrounding "Squid Game" speaks volumes about the regime’s anxieties and its desperate attempts to stay relevant in an increasingly interconnected world. The very act of commenting on a South Korean drama underscores the power and influence of South Korean culture, even within the isolated confines of North Korea. It’s a paradoxical situation where the regime simultaneously denounces and engages with the very culture it fears, revealing the cracks in its carefully constructed facade of ideological purity.
