september 2011
3 years after my first visit i came back in Chonsam farm, a place where thousands of tourist come each year. I found the same family, with the same houses. Nothing changed but the attitude of the kids, less shy than in 2008, like this one, pausing as a kung fu (or Tae Kwon Do ) fighter. Chonsam farm, Wonsan area
© Eric Lafforgue
www.ericlafforgue.com
Tags: 9689 inside north korea dprk north korea coree asia asie 북한 korea Corea del Nord Корея северная 朝鮮民主主義人民共和国 Corea del Norte Coreia do Norte เกาหลีเหนือ Nordkorea Βόρεια 北朝鮮 rpdc 조선민주주의인민공화국 Kim Jong-Un war Tae Kwon do 조선 Corée du Nord Coréia do Norte קוריאה הצפונית Korea Północna Korea Utara Kuzey Kore Північна Корея Северна Кореја Северна Корея Severní Korea Βόρεια Κορέα
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September 2011:
Pyongyang is changing so quickly! In few months, they have removed the traffic officers ladies to use Traffic lights in the center of the town. The cute ladies are still there, but they do not do their famous robotic dance!
© Eric Lafforgue
www.ericlafforgue.com
Tags: 6287 Traffic lights inside north korea dprk north korea coree asia asie 북한 korea Corea del Nord Корея северная 朝鮮民主主義人民共和国 Corea del Norte Coreia do Norte เกาหลีเหนือ Nordkorea Βόρεια 北朝鮮 rpdc 조선민주주의인민공화국 street feux rouges pyongyang kids children crossing Kim Jong-Un war 조선 Corée du Nord Coréia do Norte קוריאה הצפונית Korea Północna Korea Utara Kuzey Kore Північна Корея Северна Кореја Северна Корея Severní Korea Βόρεια Κορέα
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September 2011: I had the chance to visit (one more time) the Pyongyang Film Studio (that Kim Jong Il visited more than 600 times said my guides), and saw a local movie shooting with hundreds of actors. They use a big old 35 mm east german camera, and let me take pictures. Not sure i would have the same reactions on an Hollywood set!
I read a lot of articles saying that there was no more movies in this place, so i can say it is wrong.
Unless the film offer is quite poor, people of North Korea are very fond of cinema. And so is their charismatic cheerleader. General Kim Jong-Il pays a special respect to this medium, allegedly the “most powerful for educating the masses”. For that matter, the Guide wrote an essay called Theory of Cinematic Art where he says “it is cinema's duty to turn people into true communists” and sees it as “a means of eradicating capitalist elements”. It is actually an efficient means of diffusion of propaganda, especially towards the youth. That is why there exists a Studio in Pyongyang that is dedicated only to make films for Youngsters
Moreover he is said to have thousands of films in his personal library and to have had 7 cinemas built only for him in Pyongyang. Besides, the principal Studio (Korean Film Studio) is State-run. 93 km2-studios have been built in the periphery of the capital. Kim Jong-il realized a movie about founder of North Korea and father Kim Il-Sung and proclaimed himself a “Genius of cinema”! He even had famous South Korean director Shin Sang-Ok and his wife kidnapped in 1978 by North Korean secret service. Then he ordered the famous director from South Korea to make movies for him, providing him with all the money he needed to achieve it. He directed more than 20 movies, many of them being propaganda. The director was then jailed for having tried to escape. They managed to escape no sooner than 1986. One year later the Pyongyang Film Festival of Non-Aligned and Other Developing Countries kicked off. Facing the lack of participating countries, it opened later on to “aligned countries” like France, Germany and Great Britain.
Besides Famous actors are depicted on murals around the city and even on official currency. The entrance hall to the Korean Feature Film Studio contains a mural of current "Dear Leader", Kim Jong-il supervising the production of this film. North Korean films tend to portray communist and/or revolutionary themes. Among them, martyrdom for the Nation and sacrifice are notions that are very recurrent, patriots and heroes fighting real enemies such as Japanese people or monsters. The myth of a powerful nation lacking the leadership of an outstanding man to guide the masses through the darkness and build a strong Nation is a must.
© Eric Lafforgue
www.ericlafforgue.com
Tags: 7943 inside north korea dprk north korea coree asia asie 북한 korea Corea del Nord Корея северная 朝鮮民主主義人民共和国 Corea del Norte Coreia do Norte เกาหลีเหนือ Nordkorea Βόρεια 北朝鮮 rpdc 조선민주주의인민공화국 demonstration pyongyang movie shooting set tournage actors actress cinema Kim Jong-Un war 조선 Corée du Nord Coréia do Norte קוריאה הצפונית Korea Północna Korea Utara Kuzey Kore Північна Корея Северна Кореја Северна Корея Severní Korea Βόρεια Κορέα
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September 2011:Once you arrive in Pyongyang, the police still asks for your mobile phone, and looks carefully after your lenses, cameras, gps etc. But the Ipad is still unknown, and had a huge success with the local teens!
© Eric Lafforgue
www.ericlafforgue.com
Tags: 8648 inside north korea dprk north korea coree asia asie 북한 korea Corea del Nord Корея северная 朝鮮民主主義人民共和国 Corea del Norte Coreia do Norte เกาหลีเหนือ Nordkorea Βόρεια 北朝鮮 rpdc 조선민주주의인민공화국 ipad2 ipad apple dmz 한반도 비무장지대 Kim Jong-Un Woman Modernity Kim il sung Guide People General Color picture Asian ethnicity Real people Korean Demilitarized Zone Unrecognizable person Vertical One person only Nationalism Travel destinations Women only North korean Human being Portrait Protection Supreme leader Asian Photograph Kim jong il Wall war
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September 2011: Not really a Mc Donald, but not so far as you can order hamburger, cheesburger, french fries (too salted for my taste...), and soft drinks.
The restaurant is inside the brand new fun fair in Pyongyang.
When you order a hamburger, they provide some plastic gloves, as many people learn how to eat this junk food!
© Eric Lafforgue
www.ericlafforgue.com
Tags: 9338 inside north korea dprk north korea coree asia asie 북한 korea Corea del Nord Корея северная 朝鮮民主主義人民共和国 Corea del Norte Coreia do Norte เกาหลีเหนือ Nordkorea Βόρεια 北朝鮮 rpdc 조선민주주의인민공화국 hamburger food restaurant mcdo mac donald Kim Jong-Un war 조선 Corée du Nord Coréia do Norte קוריאה הצפונית Korea Północna Korea Utara Kuzey Kore Північна Корея Северна Кореја Северна Корея Severní Korea Βόρεια Κορέα
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