`"Nothing To Envy"`

She states that she had met many North Koreans that had learned to love the darkness. Though, it was the story of a teenaged girl and her boyfriend that impressed her the most. She was 12, and he was 15.  Her family was of a low ranking society while he had it totally different. It didn't matter, The cadence of life in North Korea is much slower. It took them 3 years before they held each others hands, touch and stuff.. and another 6 to kiss. Even though it was only a peck on the cheek. The peck ripened with time. 

 Mi-ran had left her children behind in order to cross safely across the border. She not only abandoned her husband and kids, she never succeeded in bringing them over. Her husband later crosses the border and secretly lives in South Korea for a year. Tracking her, later giving up after he found out she was married.  With a healthy baby. They soon meet up for an interview given by Barbara, where her narrative tell tale ways pull you into chapter 14, 

 In this photo you see North Korea as a dark landscape, surrounded by neighboring lights from Russia, China and South Korea.

For the past 60 years of having been split into two, the Northern area of Korea had fallen out of time with the South. For example the South Koreans who had access to the fast food chain had grown 5 inches taller than the average North Korean. Their language is peppered with words borrowed from the English,whereas the North Koreans still spoke the same language they all had once spoken back in the 1960's. While most of the Koreans were unaware of the existence of the internet. South Korea already had a higher percentage of homes with broadband than the United States, Japan, and most of Europe.  Food for thought! ^_^

-Confucius

        We begin this script with a summary of what this book is about. Basically, Barbara Demick (a news journalist)  follows the lives of six people: a couple of teenaged lovers courting in secret, an idealistic woman doctor,  a homeless boy, a model factory worker who loves Kim Il Sung more than her own family and her rebellious daughter. The book does not follow an interview format. She personally interviewed each individual and used their personal stories to fabricate a well detailed and narrative form of writing.   The six refugees, whose lives are chronicled throughout the book , include: Kim Hyuck.  Mrs. Song, a housewife, Dr. Kim, a female doctor, Oak-Hee, a rebellious daughter, Mi-Ran, a daughter of a South Korean POW, Jun-Sang. These are ordinary people living ordinary lives under the oppressive thumb of a fascist dictator.  While it's easy to judge a country based on news feed and media, many of the real news is muddled with lies and cover ups. It's fascinating to see it as a commoner , enabling us to better understand and sympathize the violent changes North Koreans underwent.