Re: [-empyre-] Cunnilingus in North Korea

[Alan Sondheim <sondheim@panix.com>]

Hi and thanks for replying.

Years ago when I was making 16mm films (along with a friend Andy Karp), I 
listened constantly to North Korea shortwave, stories like How the Great 
Leader Makes Plants Grow, and Why South Korea is a Great Big Jail (these 
were two of the titles). The voices made their way into a number of sound- 
tracks, and I think Andy even made a film called The Juche Idea. It was 
incredibly grim even then, and the broadcasts were literally unbelievable.

What fascinates me - and with your work as well - is how little N America 
knows about North Korea (or South for that matter). We "have" images of 
starvation, mass rallies, beautiful countryside, played against a concept 
of absolute paranoia and war. We are given images as well of a completely 
acquiescent population, fundamentally in agreement with Kim Sung Il (or 
whomever). From the outside, the writings of Kim Il Sung read like those 
of a madman - but Bush's speeches are just about the same.

The sexualization and tunes remind me of Wilhelm Reich's writings on 
fascism by the way - as well as Adorno's (and others) notions of the 
aestheticization of politics.

I'm beginning to wonder whether humanity will make it through the decade -

Alan


On Wed, 4 May 2005, YOUNG-HAE CHANG HEAVY INDUSTRIES wrote:

> Hi Alan,
>
> We've read your poetry on gatesofparadise.
>
> Yes, we're too scared to upload the Korean version of CUNNILINGUS. Bad
> things can happen. E-mail to us suggests this.
>
> How do we synch text to sound? Very slowly, and very carefully. Or rather,
> did you know that the actual frame-by-frame creation of American cartoon
> shows like "The Simpsons" is done in Korea?
>
> As for North Korean culture, there is essentially none to speak of down here
> in the South. North Korea remains the true Hermit Kingdom. There is a weekly
> late-night TV show here that presents what it can of North Korean culture
> and daily life. The slant is upbeat -- Sunshine Policy oblige -- but the
> meager footage suggests something sadder. The few images of North Koreans in
> "daily life" and "leisure" is very touching, if not heartbreaking. One
> cannot help but be drawn to the fringes of what's going on for a glimpse of
> the horrible reality up there.
>
> We recall vaguely a North Korean film retrospective at one of the several
> festivals here. But the movies were all propaganda. Everyone knows, by the
> way, that the Dear Leader is a great movie buff. It seems that the North
> Korean movie industry is a national priority, but for internal consumption
> only.
>
> On the other hand, South Korea is basically uninterested in North Korean
> culture.
>
> Young-hae and Marc
>
>
> On 5/3/05 11:55 PM, "Alan Sondheim" <sondheim@panix.com> wrote:
>
> > Are you really too scared to put the Korean version up?
> >
> > The work's terrific - I'm curious how you get your sound timing so
> > accurate.
> >
> > Btw is there _anything_ coming out of the PRK in terms of culture?
> > Anything going on? (beyond the stereotypically obviously and stupidities
> > between us and them)
> >
> > - Alan
> >
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>
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