Short Synopsis
Drawing on deeply personal interviews with North Korean defectors from all walks of life, ranging from propaganda artists to diplomats, Jieun Baek tells the story of North Korea's information underground.

Full Synopsis
One of the least understood countries in the world, North Korea has long been known for its repressive regime. Yet it is far from being an impenetrable black box. Media flows covertly into the country, and fault lines are appearing in the government's sealed informational borders. Drawing on deeply personal interviews with North Korean defectors from all walks of life, ranging from propaganda artists to diplomats, Jieun Baek tells the story of North Korea's information underground—the network of citizens who take extraordinary risks by circulating illicit content such as foreign films, television shows, soap operas, books, and encyclopedias. By fostering an awareness of life outside North Korea and enhancing cultural knowledge, the materials these citizens disseminate are affecting the social and political consciousness of a people, as well as their everyday lives.

"[An] engrossing audio recording . . . The defectors’ incredible stories of daily tyranny and harrowing escapes are related by McLaughlin with only
subtle, yet effective, distinctions in her tone, allowing the impact of the defectors’ own words to deliver their messages
without undue embellishment." ---Foreword Reviews

"A truly interesting read for all people interested in North Korea.” ---Andrei Lankov, author of The Real North Korea

"A fascinating and intelligent overview of the ways that information is liberating North Koreans' minds." ---Robert S. Boynton, author of The Invitation-Only Zone

"A fascinating, important, and vivid account of how unofficial information is increasingly seeping into the North and chipping away at the regime's myths--and hence its control of North Korean society." ---Sue Mi Terry, former CIA analyst