Film Reviewed: Frontline-Secret State of North Korea
While not a film, it’s a documentary episode of PBS Frontline which I am planning to use at least in part in my World History Summer School class this year. I think while there may still be bias, the fact that there is footage that has been secretly filmed and smuggled out of the country can be really telling/informative.
We are often given only one story of North Korea in textbooks that I actually think really focuses more on the politics and foreign relations more than the consequences on the people of North Korea. I specifically went to look at the textbook we use at our school, and it covers the war and a brief paragraph or two on the after effects. I think this Frontline documentary episode actually helps to understand more in depth about life in North Korea under an incredibly strict totalitarian regime.
I think this in combination with a lesson that focuses on the aspect of how North Korea got to this point would be really fascinating for students.
Hi Courtney,
Your approach to using Frontline: Secret State of North Korea is fantastic for diving deeper into the human side of North Korean history and politics. I love your idea of pairing the documentary with a lesson on the historical development of the North Korean regime. (I would also check out the work that Liberty in North Korea has been doing!) Here are some additional activities one might find useful in the classroom: