saluki's review against another edition
4.0
The kidnapping of film director Shin Sang-ok and his ex-wife actress Choi Eun-hee on the orders of Kim Jong-Il, future dictator and Dear Leader, is a remarkable journey in a strange isolated land. Paul Fischer provides figures, from various nations, of the ritual abduction and kidnapping of useful people to serve the North Korean regime and the numbers are mind-boggling.
Little is known about closed North Korea, the "hermit kingdom", and accounts from escapees and refugees are few. Fischer researched the famous movie couple and their story in depth, verifying sources and facts, and develops a narrative that covers the personal experience, the North Korean regime, and the unusual insight into Kim Jong-Il's personal nature.
It's Kim Jong-Il's fanaticism with film and the power of stories that sets the stage for North Koreans in a never-ending production of the young dictator's vision. The reality is harsh... a country brain-washed, at least by outward appearances, and living under a stark regime of absolute obedience. It's almost unfathomable. Exhausting occupations, starvation, abuse, violence and torture are everyday norms for people. Shin Sang-ok and Choi Eun-hee's experiences are heartbreaking. Fischer does show Kim Jong-Il's admiration and desire to be liked by Shin and Choi but he never loses sight of the fact that anyone within North Korean borders is living a captive existence irregardless of the few materials and supposed comforts the select few receive. It's a carefully manipulated, staged, and choreographed existence directed and produced by Kim Jong-Il and his propaganda films the vehicle to produce himself a Dear Leader and supreme being.
An unforgettable book that's fascinating and appalling in equal measure. Truth can truly be stranger than fiction!
elinacre's review
4.0
whaaat the eff! north korea is bonkers. well researched, super interesting. i did feel like it didn't get to the point (or, what i thought the point was) until the last quarter of the book... but i enjoyed the ride anyway!
dom_millennium's review
5.0
THE GOOD: What's there not to love about this book? I primarily read about North Korea because, as an anthropology graduate, I love to learn about different cultures. Especially ones that are so extremely unique such as this one (which, as sociopolitical experts keep telling us, won't be able to stick around that much longer.... but who knows. They've been saying that forever). So I was pleasantly surprised to learn about all kinds of stuff I didn't previously know about Kim Jong-Il and the North Korean regime.
Not only do you learn about how the government runs society in North Korea, but you also get one hell of a story to go with that as well. A true story so exciting that could have been made into a movie (just don't ask Kim Jong-Un to direct it). It's also incredible to think about the two people who were kidnapped and how it helped shape the rest of their lives....
THE BAD: You get to learn about the human right woes that have plagued this country since it's creation. Not necessarily bad to learn about, but not always pleasant to read about.
THE UGLY: Some people argue that facts have been changed or made-up in order to create a more entertaining book.
6pminhell's review
4.0
A fascinating true story of how Kim Jong-Il kidnapped one of South Korea's most famous directors and actresses and forced them to make propaganda films for North Korea. It's crazy how much of a cinephile Kim Jong-Il was, apparently he would get every major movie release smuggled in secretly and personally dubbed for his collection. Equally brutal and insightful, this book painted a vivid, unique portrayal of the North Korean regime with a focus on their desire to be an international film hub. I wish there was more about Pulgasari, Shin Sang-Ok's North Korean Godzilla rip-off, but the story remained ingested bff throughout. Surprisingly, the guy who was kidnapped went on to direct 3 Ninjas once he escaped the North Korean regime so that's something. Worth a read if you're interested in offbeat film history or a unique look inside of day-to-day North Korea.
bisexual's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
sad
slow-paced
4.0
VERY dense writing style
avora's review
4.0
Fascinating subject. Picked this up because I knew very little about North Korea. This was an accessible introduction to how North Korea came to be, how Kim Jong-Il rose to power, and it delves into Kim's fascination with film. Would definitely recommend to anyone, especially as NK continues to publicly threaten the Western world and as the US and South Korea broadcast more military drills.
canadianoranges's review
5.0
A great history of not only this story, but of North Korea and Kim Jong-Il's rise to power as a whole.
good_quiet_kitty's review
4.0
A very accessible history of the DPRK and examination of Kim Jong-Il's bent towards propaganda and production. Also, a nonfiction political thriller. The author did incredible research and anyone interested in modern Korean history will likely enjoy this book.