No doubt a large part of the reason North Korean authorities recently cracked down on foreign media is the influx of South Korean entertainment, a.k.a. the “Korea Wave.”

North Korean defector “A” could sense changes back home when she got in touch with her nineteen-year-old daughter she left behind in the North. While updating her, the daughter suddenly said, “Send me a CD copy of the ‘Jewel in the Palace” (a hit Korean drama). She told her mother that she could make money by copying the CDs and selling them. She added that the CD would be much more conducive to her livelihood than cash.

[. . .]

It is not uncommon to see North Koreans secretly enjoying South Korean dramas, movies and pop songs. Reports have it that karaoke bars, video watching rooms and internet cafes – also known as “South Korean entertainment facilities” – which first appeared on the border adjacent to China, have popped up all across North Korea.

The South Korean Wave has penetrated to North Koreans of all ages. Last year in Hamgyeongnamdo (Hamkyeongnam province), 12 elementary students were charged with watching South Korean videos in a public trial. In an attempt to eradicate any anti-socialist activities, the authorities punished the students’ teacher as they were too young to take any responsibilities. The case once again illustrates the popularity of the South Korean Wave.

Giving teachers all over North Korea strong motivation for policing their students. What about the parents?

In case you were wondering, it is the right of Koreans everywhere to have access to the lifeblood of Korean culture, as represented by the Korea Wave:

It is simply absurd that North Koreans are punished for tasting South Korean culture while their leader Kim Jong Il is indulging in South Korean movies and dramas. The day will come when the authorities will no longer be able to suppress their people’s cravings for the South Korean Wave. (emphasis added)

And food.