North Korea has recently added Chinese movies and dramas to its list of prohibited media, alongside South Korean songs, movies, and dramas.
According to Radio Free Asia (RFA), North Korea designated Chinese films and dramas as impure recordings and banned internal lectures on Chinese historical perspectives. While South Korean songs and films have been subject to crackdowns in the past, this is the first time Chinese media has been included on the ban list.
A resident source from Hamgyong-namdo reported that the list of impure recordings, announced in late May to early June, included South Korean songs and films, such as Kim Yeon-ja’s performance songs in North Korea, as well as dozens of Indian, Russian, and Chinese TV series and movies.
Prohibited Chinese media included various dramas or movies such as “The Butterfly Lovers” which were popular productions in North Korea from Hong Kong or China.
The source noted that this is the first time Chinese recordings have been banned and expressed surprise that Chinese movies and series, previously thought acceptable, are now deemed impure.
Additionally, it was confirmed that central authorities issued orders to prevent residents from listening to or distributing recordings related to China’s historical perspectives, believed to have been personally approved by Kim Jong-un.
This directive reportedly stemmed from discussions among military committee officials about China’s historical distortions, particularly China’s Northeast Project, which has claimed since the 1990s that the Goguryeo Kingdom was a regional government of an ethnic minority within China.
A source from Rason city mentioned that many ordinary residents, including factory managers, are now aware of the historical distortions by China regarding the Korean Peninsula, although they may not know the exact details.
