Cultural Diplomacy
On Totalitarian Art: Interview with Morten Traavik
Norwegian artist Morten Traavik’s cultural engagement with North Korean, which includes plans to establish an art institute in Pyongyang, has provoked the ire of at least one German journalist. Adam Cathcart recaps and analyzes an interview with Travvik in the Suddeutsche Zeitung.
German Shepherds and German Musical Politics in North Korea
Among the elite music academies of Pyongyang, performances take place of German symphonic literature and avant-garde contemporary music; our editor-in-chief assesses the scene.
Spaces of Leisure: A North Korean (Pre-) History
In the first of three essays, Robert Winstanley-Chesters analyzes the disconnect between North Korea’s revolutionary culture and the existence of consumption space, uncovering a pre-history of leisure and entertainment in North Korea.
Of Eruptions and Men: Science Diplomacy at North Korea’s Active Volcano
Dr. Kayla Iacovino of the US Geological Survey was witness to a fascinating moment of scientific connection between North Korea and the wider world. Recalling her experiences getting to and working from the volcanic frontline at Mt. Baekdu, she considers the broader implications of cooperation and engagement with North Korea.
Sino-NK 2013 Rewind: Pop Politics and the Narrative of the Bizarre
Sherri L. Ter-Molen takes the “outside” tack on North Korean cultural production and media engagement in 2013. From Dennis Rodman to Jang Sung-taek via Angry Birds and the Samjiyon.
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