North Korean Defectors Aim to Tell Their Own Stories
2020-11-02
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1Kang Nara is in her Seoul, South Korea studio preparing to record a YouTube program.
2The 23-year-old fled North Korea six years ago.
3Today, her YouTube channel has 20 million views.
4In her videos, she shares personal stories about life in North Korea.
5She talks about things such as women's rights, clothing choices, and people who flee the country.
6She says she is trying to show South Koreans a side of North Korea they may not have seen before.
7In recent years, YouTube has seen a major rise in North Korean defector channels.
8North Koreans in the South have become more involved in telling their own stories.
9And they are getting lots of followers, said Sokeel Park.
10He is with the group Liberty in North Korea.
11"There's an appetite for broader stories, including about North Korean people, how they live their lives in a place which is so close to here but which is completely shut off," he said.
12This growing interest has also affected the film industry.
13Movies and shows have often represented North Koreans as dangerous or simple-minded.
14More recently, the wildly popular television program "Crash Landing on You" tells of a North Korean soldier who falls in love with a South Korean girl.
15Many saw it as an unusually full image of the North.
16In Seoul, a lighthearted play tells the story of a separated family.
17Members accidentally meet each other at the border separating the two Koreas.
18Director Kang Je-kwon said that in the past, South Koreans may have looked down on North Koreans or made fun of the way they speak.
19But now more shows are trying to inform people about North Korea.
20Tae-ho Lee was one of the performers in Kang's play.
21The actor said, "It's not just about some political sides arguing about certain things. It's not about that ... people are people, and I think people in the South have generally really accepted that."
22But that acceptance only goes so far.
23And although defectors are getting more attention in the media, the attention is not always good.
24Oh Jin-ha is an artist who defected from North Korea.
25He said many film producers in the South represent North Koreans as creatures different from other humans.
26Back in her Seoul studio, Kang Nara is hopeful that can change.
27She said that since North and South Korea have been separated for so long, it makes sense they would feel distant from each other.
28But, she said, she wants to narrow that gap with her YouTube channel.
29She and other North Koreans in the South are choosing to take control of and share their stories as they know them.
30I'm Ashley Thompson
1Kang Nara is in her Seoul, South Korea studio preparing to record a YouTube program. The 23-year-old fled North Korea six years ago. Today, her YouTube channel has 20 million views. In her videos, she shares personal stories about life in North Korea. She talks about things such as women's rights, clothing choices, and people who flee the country. 2She says she is trying to show South Koreans a side of North Korea they may not have seen before. 3In recent years, YouTube has seen a major rise in North Korean defector channels. North Koreans in the South have become more involved in telling their own stories. And they are getting lots of followers, said Sokeel Park. He is with the group Liberty in North Korea. 4"There's an appetite for broader stories, including about North Korean people, how they live their lives in a place which is so close to here but which is completely shut off," he said. 5This growing interest has also affected the film industry. Movies and shows have often represented North Koreans as dangerous or simple-minded. 6More recently, the wildly popular television program "Crash Landing on You" tells of a North Korean soldier who falls in love with a South Korean girl. Many saw it as an unusually full image of the North. 7'People are people' 8In Seoul, a lighthearted play tells the story of a separated family. Members accidentally meet each other at the border separating the two Koreas. 9Director Kang Je-kwon said that in the past, South Koreans may have looked down on North Koreans or made fun of the way they speak. But now more shows are trying to inform people about North Korea. 10Tae-ho Lee was one of the performers in Kang's play. The actor said, "It's not just about some political sides arguing about certain things. It's not about that ... people are people, and I think people in the South have generally really accepted that." 11But that acceptance only goes so far. And although defectors are getting more attention in the media, the attention is not always good. 12Oh Jin-ha is an artist who defected from North Korea. He said many film producers in the South represent North Koreans as creatures different from other humans. 13Back in her Seoul studio, Kang Nara is hopeful that can change. 14She said that since North and South Korea have been separated for so long, it makes sense they would feel distant from each other. But, she said, she wants to narrow that gap with her YouTube channel. 15She and other North Koreans in the South are choosing to take control of and share their stories as they know them. 16I'm Ashley Thompson 17William Gallo reported this story for VOA News. Ashley Thompson adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. 18__________________________________________________________ 19Words in This Story 20studio - n. the building or room where an artist works 21views - n. the number of people who have watched a (usually online) video 22defector - n. a person who leaves their country, political party, organization, etc., and go to a different one that is a competitor or an enemy 23appetite - n. a desire or liking for something 24lighthearted - adj. not serious 25gap - n. a difference between two people, groups, or things