In 2021, 10,000 North Korean students reportedly confessed they’d watched South Korean dramas—hoping to avoid jail sentences of up to fifteen years. Although that punishment sounds severe, North Korean defector Kang Na Ra revealed that the actual punishment is much worse than anyone thought.
Since Kang Na Ra learned about South Korea’s unsaid rule of not writing someone’s name in red ink, she shared something about North Korea that would also shock South Korean Sang Hee.
Kang Na Ra confirmed that North Koreans aren’t allowed to consume media from any other country, especially their neighbors. She warned, “And you can’t watch South Korean shows.” There was a valid reason for the warning.
Rather than the jail sentence reported for such a crime in North Korea, Kang Na Ra revealed the punishment was so severe it could lead to death. She said, “You’ll get shot if you get caught watching South Korean shows.”
Reacting as many people would, Sang Hee asked if the punishment was true. Kang Na Ra confirmed it was, proving that North Koreans indeed “risk their lives to watch the shows.”
Though Kang Na Ra helped the writers of Crash Landing on You get the details right about North Korea, it appears that North Koreans won’t be able to check it out for themselves—unless they risk their lives to.
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