Short Story

To the point of unhealthy obsession, not unlike a cult. If Kim Il-sung had asked for her life, she would have given it gladly. At the other end of the spectrum, Jun-sang “lived with a fear that was so internalized that he wasn’t able to articulate it, but it was ever-present” (35). His parents has insured that he knew to keep his mouth shut about personal beliefs. When Kim Il-sung died-“he had been contemplating his own reaction, or lack thereof, with an intellectual detachment, but suddenly he was gripped with fear. He was alone, completely alone in his indifference- The revelation was followed quickly by another, equally momentous: his entire future depended on his ability to cry. Not just his career and his membership in the Workers’ Party, his very survival was at stake” (pg. 98). Junsang like many North Koreans had to accept his position in life without question lest he risk massive consequences for himself and his family. Jun-sang could not have been the only North Korean to have been indifferent to the death of Kim Il-sung, but any likeminded individuals would never be able to publically show anything but desperate

In this work, Kang’s family is living in North Korea when he and his family are sent to Yodok prison camp for the supposed crimes of his grandfather. It is important to note that Kang was only nine years of age at the time. He, his young sister, his grandmother, his father, and his uncle were sent to Yodok where they were placed in a cold hut and immediately forced to learn how to survive without the amenities they were accustomed to in

The narrator doesn’t want to marry his girlfriend Kim at the time. The narrator thinks “The whole idea of marriage makes me want to pull a dry cleaning bag over my head”(XXX). Stating “maybe I’m just a typical guy, don’t want to pay for the cow if I can get the milk for free”(XXX). Wanting to hold on to the past “ I miss our punk rock days, Kim and me and our loser friends playing in bands, hawking spit at guys in BMWs, shooting drugs… and living in basements with anarchy tattoos poking through the rips in our clothing”(XXX). Unaware that Kim is having an affair with a cavemen in the basement, where she also spends a lot of her time in. Kim got tired of waiting for the narrator to man up. Kim finally had enough, having no choice but to leave him. The narrator was left having no knowledge, understanding on what happened to his

Jun-sang lived a better quality life than most North Koreans. His family lived in a freestanding house with a garden to grow vegetables. In addition, the family also owned five wooden wardrobes containing quality clothing and quilts from Japan. In North Korea, a household with more wardrobes meant the family was prosperous. Jun-sang’s family possessed more appliances than their neighbors. These appliances included: a television, sewing machine, electric fan, and a refrigerator. Jun-sang had a pet dog which was unusual in North Korea. Dogs served the purpose as a meal rather than a companion. Although Jun-sang’s family was prosperous, they were lumped into the hostile class because they were Japanese Korean. There was also a constant fear within Jun--sang that his family would be sent to the gulag. Jun-sang’s father is not hesitant to beat his children with a stick if he thinks it will instill fear in his children to get higher scores in school (Demick, 18). high goals of attending the most prestigious university (Kim Il-sung Uni) are the main goal of Jun-sang and his father (Demick, 18). Rigorous studies and career oriented path leaves no time for girls or dating (Demick, 19). Both of Jun-sang’s parents were born in Japan (Demick, 32). They were part of “a cross section of Korean society” made up of people who were forced to support Japan in war efforts, high ranking people that have gone there to study, or immigration workers (Demick, 32). Propaganda stirred up an image

Both of their backpacks were inspected, flipped upside down and shaken empty by a third cop. Spray cans tumbled to the ground in a heap of steel and aluminum, but the officers didn’t bother to examine them. Behind him sat an unfortunate garage door which he and Jimin utilized as an art canvas; apparent evidence of their wrongdoing. Arbitrary words were sprayed across the ribbed metal garage in various fonts, with shapes and doodles filling in every blank corner. It had all collided into one magnificent landscape; one Taehyung was fairly proud of.

Sookan and her family had just gotten news from her father, saying that him and his four eldest sons were safe in Seoul. Sookan was ecstatic to know that they were safe and well, but wondered why her family that was left behind in North Korea hadn’t been the first priority. “Mother stretched out her arms and Inchun and I ran to them.How good it was to know that father was alive and well, and that my three brothers were safe in Seoul. And how wonderful to know that father would be coming to take us to the South. Yet I wondered how it was that he had left us here so long. I wish that he had come for us earlier, as he had for his sons. Why had he left us for last?”(118) Sookan was the only daughter, and the second youngest in the household. Growing up, family is a very important part to anyone's life, and it’s extremely rare for you to questions your parents judgement or actions when you are growing up. But Sookan did just that when she asked herself if her fathers decisions on saving the eldest boys first was really the right thing to

By the same person that announced his arrival seconds before Mr. Kwon did two months ago. Scrunching his brows with confusion, he looked up from his wrist to Jimin's face. Not sure why the sudden gesture, but he stared straight into Jimin's eyes while a brow raised up in question. Whatever it was the boy wanted or had to say, Taehyung hoped for it to end fast, given that he had an agenda and it would be great if he could finish it before the lunch period

Shin Dyong-Hyuk demonstrates his committed loyalty to his beliefs, while trying to survive in a society where love means punishment and faithfulness means

Shin Dong-Hyuk’s earliest memory was of the sound of gunshots and an execution. Underneath Shin Dong-Hyuk’s clothes, he bears numerous burn scars on his lower body from being held over a fire, dangling by a hook. This was after his mother and brother were caught trying to escape Camp 14 in North Korea. There was no such thing as love or mercy in the world Shin was born into. His mother was publicly hung and his brother was shot by the firing squad. As Shin watched his mother die, he felt no remorse. She deserved it and with her gone there was less competition for food. He could receive a bit more of a scarce helping of corn grown from the homemade fertilizer straight from the prisoners into the ground. This was the place Shin Dong-Hyuk called home. This is only one story from the few escapees out of the 80,000-120,000 inmates believed to still live in the prison camps. X

Shin was unsure what Sung’s intentions were and how much he should say to him. After risking everything to escape from Camp 14, Shin did not want this man to turn him in after explaining his story; especially since all his life, his instinct been to turn in criminals for privileges inside the camp (“North Korea Information”). Sung furrowed his thin gray eyebrows and began tapping his foot, waiting for more answers. “I am trying to figure out how to get somewhere, but I don’t have directions anymore. I’ve been wandering around for a while, but I was hungry and cold and needed to stop somewhere.” Shin was cautious with sharing information because Sung was a complete stranger and not someone who he considered trustworthy, especially after thinking that people were always “untrustworthy and abusive” (Harden

Jang is placed to work at the UFD which deals with international affairs by writing literature that is pro-North Korean. Jang’s first major assignment is to write an epic of a poem about how great Kim Jong-il was as a leader of the country. Jang has decided to use Kim Jong-il’s tears as a metaphor for happiness and self-restriction. The people at the UFD agreed with Jang and he is set to write the epic. The person in charge of the UFD allows him to go back to his hometown.

During the second visit from prosecutors, a man named Ke threatened to turn Yang into food for pigs or take him to an isolated place to die. He also threatened to tell the detention center to put three or four guys inside Yang’s cell to rape and torture him every night.

After the party, Nam was leaving the north guard house door open show a Lieutenant who was check on Jeong and Oh. The Lieutenant pulls his gun on Nam and forces his back into the guardhouse and Soo-hyeok pull his gun at the Lieutenant, which Oh tries to calm everyone down. However, Nam shot the Lieutenant and Jeong, who shot Soo-hyeok in the leg that led him to shot Jeong in the head and Oh shot the Lieutenant in the head. Than Oh, Nam and Soo-hyeok agree on the conspiracy that Soo-hyeok was kidnapped by the north and that Soo-hyeok entered the guard house start shooting at the three North Koreans without a reason. However, the more Sophie Jean investigate the more she realistic that both soldiers were lying to protect themselves and the other soldier. The character that I find interesting was Soo-hyeok because he was not scary to interact and cross the north border to befriend Oh and

Looking at the man whom he recognised to be Mark, the guy with Jihyo from the bar, he couldn’t help but die a little more inside. In the public eye, they were a couple. Heck, what if Jihyo was dating him now? Was Jungkook’s actions all going to waste? Was he really not worth it? Did he mess up that bad?

I stood up, my heart racing in my chest. “Hello? Baek? Are you there?” I waited for 3 seconds. 1. 2. 3. I could hear nothing from the other line. I cursed inwardly. I slammed my laptop shut and shoved it in my case. I grabbed all my things and burst out the door, startling Taeyon, a small girl with blonde hair, my secretary.