Body
This week, a reader passed along news on an interesting new work that we missed from the Summer. Frequent North Korea traveler Mark Fahey has put together an interactive e-book called “Behind the Curtain” which focuses primarily on propaganda, media, and popular culture in the DPRK.
Mashable has a good rundown of the project complete with a number of exhibits from the book. Fahey had to gather much of his material, including radio broadcasts and propaganda murals, covertly by smuggling in recording tools or temporarily evading his minders. Other gems – like an intense Moranbong Band performance featuring the Death Star-like destruction of the world (and that’s only at the 4:20 mark!) – he simply bought from the gift shop.
“Behind the Curtain” certainly looks like an intriguing window into that weird nexus between state propaganda and pop culture. You can get the whole thing yourself when it comes out later this year.