Talented N. Korean defectors testify about dire situation in the North

Channel A’s “Now on My Way to Meet You” introduces North Korean “survivors.” It features those who had enormous passion about the arts and sports but had to use their gifted talents in order to survive in the impoverished communist state. While people with artists or sports talents get public attention in North Korea, they will appear in the show to testify about the dire situation they face behind the publicity. They will also tell their stories about how they fled from North Korea.

A North Korean defector who majored in violin will perform spontaneously against songwriter Don Spike’s piano play. Another North Korean defector, whose nickname is “human copy machine” due to his extraordinary talent in painting, also appears in the show. He became a painting master to make a living, although he never had any formal education in painting. He tells his story about how he hand-drew a food ration card at age 7 when his family was on the verge of being starved to death. One woman defector who was a soccer player in North Korea for 10 years tells the reality about the North’s sports circles.


imi@donga.com