Key Concept 1: Life in North Korea.  

North Korea is a country known for its extreme isolation and repressive policies. From birth, North Koreans are indoctrinated to believe that their country is the best in the world, but the reality is far from that. Society is divided into three songbun or castes, with lower songbun individuals facing significant challenges to education and employment. Many people struggle to make ends meet, and poverty and hunger are widespread.

Yeonmi Park and her family were no strangers to this reality. They lived in Hyesan, a town located near the border with China, which was one of the coldest and poorest parts of North Korea. The town would often go without electricity and running water for months, making winters particularly brutal.

Despite these challenges, Yeonmi’s father, Park Jin Sik, was determined to provide his family with a better life. He built a trading business by smuggling illegal products from China into North Korea and bribing the authorities to turn a blind eye. This venture provided Yeonmi’s family with access to better food, clothes, and even a vacation to Pyongyang.

Living in Hyesan also gave Yeonmi a glimpse of the outside world. China was visible across the Yalu River, and Yeonmi could see how different life was on the other side. China had access to electricity, lively festivities, and delicious food, all of which were rare in North Korea.

Hyesan’s proximity to China also made it easier for Yeonmi to be exposed to foreign media. She could watch Chinese TV channels and obtain pirated Hollywood movie tapes and South Korean soap operas, which broadened her worldview even further.

Despite these small glimpses of the outside world, life in North Korea remained grim and oppressive. Yeonmi and her family dreamed of a better life, but they knew that escaping from North Korea would be a dangerous and challenging journey.