This two-hour special reveals the complicated history, extreme politic, and rigid societal standards that have created a legacy of internal oppression and external aggression. As the North Korean people suffered famine, labor camp and public executions, the Kim regime spent three generations relentlessly pursuing nuclear ambitions. They operate as a criminal syndicate, using counterfeit money, drugs and cyber espionage to fund their war machine. Now, with weapons rivaling the world’s superpowers, their aggressive rhetoric has pushed the world to a crisis point.
So, 95% is pure lies, 4% is exaggerations, and 1% is actually true.
Gave it 3 stars because of still keeping the 1% and a solid production effort.
Some of the facts:
No, North Koreans do not starve to death. The only time this happened is in the Great North Korean Famine of 1994; even then, the government is at least to blame. First, the debilitating sanctions imposed by the West (yes, the US), has caused food shortages on a mass scale. Second factor - because of that, and its natural leaning towards USSR, when the latter broke, they were left without their main supplier of the food items. Coupled with the raising population, there was just not enough food to feed the people. And third, not least important though, there were great and devastating floods that year that essentially annihilated the domestic crops.
In fact, the only reason why North Koreans do not starve caused by sanctions is the food rations given by their government.
No, the government does not murder everyone and anyone. In fact, the vast majority of officials reported brutally murdered by the western media have in fact "resurfaced" some time later, alive and healthy, in their previous positions and capacity. Google it.
No, the North Koreans do not massively oppose their government. In fact, they are pretty content with it, for the reasons mentioned above. They live normal everyday lives, including going to work, vacations, cultural events, sports events, etc.
The vast majority of defectors have actually been exposed as being paid (mostly by South Korea, but we know who else is funding this, yes, the US), to invent incredible stories of prosecution and terror. Goes well for them, as they become kind of superheroes, and fill their pockets. Also Google it.
Reviewed by
/ 10
Reviewed by kirk7815 / 10
Misses the mark somewhat
The first half of this documentary was quite interesting when it was detailing the lives of North Korean leaders, defectors,and life under the regime in general. However, in the second part, they just go off on a tangent about a possible North Korea - USA war that is quite tangential to the plot and in my opinion, is ultimately wasteful(since instead of telling history you are wildly speculating).
It would have been much better had they told more about the country's history and added more context. More archival footage would have been better too. Ultimately, this documentary starts off quick enough, meets the facts but goes into 'what if' scenarios that frankly, bored me.
