Variety shows such as ‘Infinity Challenge‘ and ‘Running Man‘ are reportedly becoming more popular in North Korea.
In a report titled ‘Hallyu Becoming North Korea’s Mainstream Culture’, Saenuri Party’s Yoon Sang Hyun
who is also a member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea,
Foreign Affairs, Trade, & Unification Committee remarked, “According
to the government authorities and other North Korean sources, the
citizens of North Korea enjoy programs such as SBS ‘Running Man’, KBS
2TV’s ‘1N2D‘, MBC’s ‘Infinity Challenge’, amongst other variety and music programs.”
According to assemblyman Yoon Sang Hyun, the citizens are able to
obtain Korean dramas, and they are also tuning into some American
programs as well.
As Hallyu becomes more mainstream in North Korea, top celebrities such as Jang Dong Gun, Kim Nam Joo, Shin Min Ah, Yoo Jae Suk, Kang Ho Dong, amongst other stars are also growing popular in the local area.
Yoon continued, “In North Korea, teens are alienated and left out
of conversations if they are not familiar with South Korean dramas, and
because of young military soliders who are unable to quit watching
Korean videos even after enlisting in the army, they are now
implementing moral education.”
