Summary
Highlights
The documentary crew arrives in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, after a stopover in Beijing. They experience strict searches of their belongings upon entry, with laptops and phones scanned and suspicious books confiscated. Two members of the Ministry of Culture, Mr. Ham and Mr. Pak, are assigned to perpetually monitor and control the film crew's activities, dictating what can be filmed and observed. They are not allowed to leave their hotel without their minders. The initial impression of Pyongyang is one of limited lighting and a requirement for cars to slow down for statues of the leaders. The city is a privileged place to live, with the government controlling who resides there.
The crew observes "Motivational Brigades" cheering workers and notes that spontaneous interviews are forbidden. Contact between North Koreans and foreigners is generally not permitted. A permitted interview with a volleyball player reveals the nationalistic rhetoric promoted through sports, where physical fitness is linked to defending against Americans. The prominence of portraits of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, alongside the Arch of Triumph dedicated to the "eternal president," showcases the pervasive cult of personality. The regime champions sports, science, and economy, promoting the idea of North Korea as a global power.
The documentary highlights new sports facilities like the Icedome, where figure skaters train, considered North Korea's best chance for international success. Athletes express their desire to achieve victories for the Marshal, underscoring that sports serve the nation and its leader rather than individual careers. A coach's frustration over international age rules in figure skating is shown, along with a firm rebuke for a question deemed "off target," emphasizing the controlled narrative.
The crew visits the Pyongyang Metro, noting its depth designed for air raid shelter and its propaganda-filled environment. The Metro cars, repurposed from West Berlin, still bear traces of their past. Travelers are only allowed one stop, and access to outside information is severely restricted, with the internet banned and only state-controlled newspapers available. Foreigners can purchase expensive SIM cards for international calls, but locals rely on a national intranet, which is described as a controlled and limited source of information.
The Kyongsang kindergarten is presented as a privileged institution for the future elite of the country. Children are disciplined and focused, even during a blackout, which is a common occurrence. A gifted five-year-old performs classical music, showcasing the nurturing of talent that serves national pride. The emphasis is on children flourishing to make the country prosper. Children learn to be disciplined and to serve their country.
A new science center, designed in an atom structure by Kim Jong-un, is showcased, emphasizing the leader's dedication to science, which is strongly linked to weapons technology and national defense. The crew is shown the national intranet, distinct from the banned global internet, which offers limited, innocuous content. An unexpected incident occurs when the crew attempts to film a convoy of nuclear program scientists being celebrated; they are forced to stop filming, but a colleague secretly records from the hotel, leading to demands for footage deletion and a warning about their safety.
The documentary visits the Ryuwon shoe factory, highlighting the impact of international sanctions on North Korea's previously thriving clothing industry. Workers operate in cold, unheated rooms without protective gear, dealing with hazardous adhesives. They report that careers are state-assigned, with every citizen deployed where needed, receiving an apartment and a monthly income of about $110 USD. Despite the harsh conditions, a sauna and pool area are shown, though unheated due to energy shortages, portraying a benevolent government facade.
Pyongyang's leisure facilities, including the Munsu Water Park, are presented as proof of the regime's benevolence. Workers from the countryside are brought to marvel at these achievements, reinforcing the message that hard work will lead to similar prosperity. An interview with a visitor reveals rehearsed praise for Marshal Kim Jong-un. The water park also features an array of approved haircuts for men and women, symbolizing loyalty to the regime. The documentary also highlights the country's unique Juche calendar, starting from Kim Il-sung's birth.
The Mirim Riding Club, equipped with expensive foreign horses, is shown as a facility theoretically open to all but practically accessible only to the country's elite. This illustrates the regime's efforts to maintain an image of an ideal country. The widespread presence of uniforms and soldiers, reflecting North Korea's massive army, is noted during the return to the hotel, underscoring the militarized nature of the society.
The crew attempts to visit the Masikryong ski resort, a flagship project, but is denied entry due to alleged "electricity problems," which is suspected to be a flimsy excuse. This unexpected hitch forces an overnight stay in Wŏnsan, a provincial capital, highlighting the strict travel controls and the difficulties faced by both foreign and domestic travelers without prior permits. The hotel in Wŏnsan is unheated, and other amenities are limited due to sanctions.
In Wŏnsan, the crew meets Pak Song-ho of the People's Committee, who discusses the city's aspirations to become a tourist capital. He acknowledges the impact of sanctions, such as the halted shipping traffic with Japan and stories of "ghost ships" but dismisses the latter as engine failures, not starvation. He also emphasizes North Korea's resilience, stating that sanctions will only strengthen their resolve to build their own production sites and grow stronger under Kim Jong-un's leadership.
At the Maebongsan factory, the crew observes workers producing shoes for the domestic market, as exports have ceased due to sanctions. Propaganda posters promoting productivity and anti-enemy sentiment are ubiquitous. The manager downplays health concerns for workers handling adhesives without protection, and a worker expresses pride in her assigned role. The continuous indoctrination shapes North Koreans' lives from childhood through adulthood.
The documentary visits a soccer academy, an elite school where a select few children are trained. The assistant principal recounts Kim Jong-un's personal involvement in the school's development, highlighting the dictator's image as a caring leader. Children practice in challenging weather conditions, showing dedication. A brief, controlled interview with a boy reveals a rehearsed answer about his pride in the school built by the Great Leader, underscoring the lack of spontaneity and individuality permitted.
The crew is granted a rare, unobserved walk around the city, though without permission to interact with locals. They observe few passersby and note improvements in food supply, particularly in Pyongyang, partly due to farmers selling produce locally (although filming is prohibited there). At the Pothonggang department store, filming restrictions and the high cost of goods, especially imports, reveal economic challenges. Apartments, even in Pyongyang, are often unheated and lack consistent electricity.
The city's first gym, opened by Kim Jong-un, is luxurious but cold due to energy shortages. Employees act as guests for the film crew, with the gym instructor reiterating the need to strengthen bodies for socialism and war against the U.S. The documentary concludes with a visit to the apartment of Mrs. Kim Mi-ran, whose family, including a professor grandfather rewarded for loyalty, lives in a large, rent-free space. This visit, with ever-present minders, underscores the upper-class privilege in North Korea and the pervasive surveillance, ultimately showing a population outwardly loyal to the Kim dynasty.