The BBC made a documentary about the North Korean Mass games, which I remember was the first thing to spark my interest in taking this course. It is a very different experience to watch the film now that I have a better understanding of the context surrounding the issues that this film presents. It may be a little bit out-dated now, but you may still find it interesting. Although it certainly gives us a Western perspective, I couldn't help noticing some contrasts between this film and the "undercover" piece with Lisa Ling that we saw in class. For one, our reporter is much less invasive -- only appearing in the voice-over, rather than physically in the scene itself. I've posted a link to the clip that specifically addresses the Korean War, but the whole film can be found in ten pieces on YouTube.
After the part about the Korean War (which is only a few minutes long), we see some footage of the Mass Games and our narrator tells us about the ideology behind them. It seems to me that for the children portrayed in the film, "The Great Leader" or "The General" isn't just a reference to individual political leaders, but also serves as a reflexive reference back to themselves. These girls actively participate in the Mass Games, and just like the other 80,000 gymnasts, understand that their individual role in the mass spectacle is crucial to its success. Individuals are not lost in numbers (as the protagonist of War Trash suggests), but are celebrated parts of a bigger whole (which would not be whole without them).
--Sarah T.
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