Rebranding North Korea: Changes in Consumer Culture and Visual Media

＂Everything for the people, everything according to the people!＂ --Kim Jong Un

Under Kim Jong Un, North Korea has undertaken significant efforts to elevate the standard of living for its citizens. This shift has led to notable advancements in production and the quality of visual media, teaching North Koreans the ＂language＂ of consumerism and new methods of consumption. In Rebranding North Korea, Immanuel Kim delves into the implications of a thoroughly modernized North Korea for its citizens and the world as the country strives to participate in global modernity and technological advancements.

Kim traces two parallel trajectories illustrating the most significant changes in North Korean consumer culture: the expansion of modern urban development projects and increased social amenities, alongside the technologically advanced aesthetic qualities of visual media. These changes reveal the transition from the politics-centric society of the Kim Jong Il regime to the consumer-centric one under Kim Jong Un. The country’s revamping of visual culture--as seen in the move from celluloid to digital formats, improved filmmaking techniques, advanced editing, drone usage, and artistic photographic renditions, coupled with an emphasis on digital literacy--highlights North Korea’s attempts to educate itself and rebrand the DPRK. Its revamped cityscapes, gentrified living conditions, fashionable consumer goods, and transformed film and television industries signal a strong and stable economy where citizens are not just getting by but actively customizing their consumerist lifestyles according to the images portrayed in visual media.

Immanuel Kim is Korea Foundation and Kim-Renaud Associate Professor of Korean Literature and Culture Studies at George Washington University.