“I am often asked, “Which Korea do you come from? North or South?” It is a nonsensical question. The chance of me or any Korean out and about in the world being from the North is almost nil. Virtually no one gets out of North Korea.”

Suki Kim spent six months teaching the sons of the North Korea’s elite, at the university of Pyongyang University of Science & Tech. She is in the country under the guise of being a missionary and English teacher, all while collecting notes to offer a glimpse inside the strangeness that is North Korea. 

This was a fascinating read and a rare opportunity to hear stories from a different class of citizens (the sons of the elite) versus the stories of commoners which are more readily available. Typically the memoirs around North Korea are from defectors and escapees trying to flee the country. Kim takes a different approach and is actively trying to get into North Korea. 

For many, North Korea appears so backwards and it’s hard to imagine and truly grasp the claustrophobic censorship because it is not a reality we experience. There are glimpses of outside influences sneaking through the cracks, these kids know who Bill Gates is, but have never heard of Steve Jobs. A country hell bent on isolation to maintain its regime, all the while students need to learn English to be successful. They are taught to believe America is the enemy but getting American cigarettes is a status symbol. It’s a constant push and pull of conflicting duality. 

One part of the memoir that stuck with me is how the students speak and act as a collective, even from their youth there is no individuality and the rampant lying as a whole is almost encouraged. Students easily lie to cover for one another in any instance, and there is no “I” only “we”. I found this absolutely fascinating and can’t help but wonder if it’s a survival technique (think Zebra’s herding together so predators can’t isolate one out of the herd) and if lying and truth telling are one in the same when you know no difference. 

Overall a worthwhile memoir about a teacher’s time in a prison, hidden behind an academic facade and an opportunity to peek into a not quite real not quite dystopian country.