Rebranding North Korea: Changes in the Consumer Culture and Visual Media

Speaker: Immanuel Kim, Korea Foundation and Kim-Renaud Professor of Korean Literature and Culture Studies, George Washington University

Moderator: Noël Um-Lo, Ph.D. Candidate, Applied Anthropology, Department of International and Transcultural Studies, Teachers College, Columbia University

Immanuel Kim is the Korea Foundation and Kim-Renaud Professor of Korean Literature and Culture Studies at The George Washington University. He is a specialist in North Korean literature, cinema, and culture. His first book Rewriting Revolution explores the complex and dynamic literary culture, and his second book Laughing North Koreans traces the ways in which humor has been an integral component of everyday life. His third book Rebranding North Korea: Changes in the Consumer Culture and Visual Media examines creative aesthetic changes in recent television dramas and media productions. Dr. Kim has also translated a North Korean novel called Friend by Paek Nam-nyong, and an anthology of North Korean short stories called Hidden Heroes.

North Korea has undertaken significant efforts to elevate the standard of living for its citizens since the death of Kim Jong Il. 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 modernizing North Korea for its citizens and the world to see as the country strives to participate in global technological advancements and improved living standards. Kim traces two parallel trajectories illustrating the most significant changes in North Korean consumer culture: the expansion of modern urban development projects with increased social amenities and technologically advanced aesthetic qualities of visual media. North Korea's complete "rebranding" of its corporate image is to contrast the long-standing image of a starving and dilapidated nation.

Immanuel Kim will be delivering his lecture on Thursday, April 16 at 4PM.

PLEASE NOTE: For non-Columbia guests, registration is required to access the Morningside campus 24 hours prior to the event. After registering you will receive an email with a QR code that must be presented along with a government-issued ID (your name must match exactly the name registered for the event) at either the 116th Street & Broadway or 116th Street & Amsterdam gates for entry. Please register using a unique email address (one email address per registrant) by 12:00 PM on Wednesday, April 15 for campus access.

Names will be submitted for QR codes 1-2 days prior to the event and subsequently reviewed. Registrants will receive an email from CU Guest Access with the QR code before or on the day of the event.

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Host or Publisher Center for Korean Research