Kim Jong Un: An Unauthorized Biography

In this 2016 North Korea documentary we get to see behind the public image as the real Kim Jong Un is revealed by those who know him best. The third generation North Korean leader has control of nuclear weapons yet seems to the outside world scantly qualified with only a bloodline placing him in power. So who is the real Kim Jong Un ? This documentary tries to fill the gaps.

Watch the full documentary now on Documentary Fans Release Date: 2016 Duration: 53 Minutes.

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Kim Jong-Il's Comedy Club

Under he guise of a Danish theatre troupe two comedians and a journalist travel to North Korea to uncover living standards under then dictator "The Dear Leader Kim Jong-il". They want to bring comedy to the DPRK and they also want to see how one of the comedians Jacob Nossell who is handicapped is accepted with rumors of North Korea's handicapped children being maltreated.

The trio are chaperoned everywhere they go as we have come to expect in North Korea documentaries and their efforts to stage a play is also censored and changed at every turn. While the two other protagonists Mads Brügger (The journalist and film maker) and Simon Jul Jørgensen seem unperturbed Jacob becomes frustrated with his mother like treatment from one of the Korean chaperons.

Watch the full documentary now on Documentary Fans Release Date: 2009 Duration: 59Mins.

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North Korean Motorcycle Diaries

In December 2013 Bikers Gareth Morgan his wife Joanne and some friends travelled across Korea north and south on their Motorcycles. No mean feat considering how strict North Korea is about people travelling in their country. Alas as in other North Korea Documentaries we have they were escorted everywhere they went so again we don't get to see anything the North Koreans did not want us to. We do however see more of the scenery such as the magnificent Baekdudaegan mountain range. An entertaining documentary short showing some of the rural parts of DPRK.

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North Korea Undercover BBC Panorama

We have covered North Korea in previous documentaries this time experienced investigative journalist John Sweeney visits North Korea in the guise of a tourist (they never reveal they are journalists or they would not get visas). Sweeney wants to see what really goes on in the worlds most secretive nation. North Korea has been accused of crimes against humanity with it's people living in poverty and is still recovering from famine all the while they claim to have nuclear weapons that would cost billions.

As with other DPRK documentaries journalists that visit the country are extremely limited as to what they can film. Visitors are escorted by guides at all times and all trips are pre-planned, you see what they want you to see. However Sweeney and the Panorama team do manage to get some footage the Kim Jong-un government would rather not be seen.Sweeney also seems more determined to ask questions even if answers are not forthcoming, hardly surprising with reports that speaking ill of the Supreme leader and the country comes with a death sentence.

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Inside North Korea

Inside North Korea follows Shane Smith of Vice as he; after giving up on getting a visa to visit North Korea flies to South Korea. His plan is to check out the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and at least get a look across the border at the North.But while in South Korea a chain of events lead to Smith getting one of the extremely few visas issued and he's on his way to Pyongyang the North Korean capital.

The documentary shows the bizarre way Smith and his camera man are treated while there.Constantly chaperoned; visitors are on a bus tour of sorts to pre-determined landmarks and points of interest.If Smith thought he was going to get some kind of expose on people or reported living conditions in DPRK the strict schedule and escort put paid to that.

Nonetheless it's fascinating seeing the crew man-managed, visitors strictly prohibited from even leaving the hotel unescorted. There is a seemingly god like status of not only the current "Supreme Leader" Kim Jong-un but also former leaders his Farther Kim Jong-il and Grandfather Kim Il-sung.Absolute anti American rhetoric is in place since the Korean war, Yanks seem to be the fault for all bad.Smith also brings some humour to the process which by the end is turning into anger.

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Money And Power In North Korea

A very interesting North Korean Documentary  made by a Japanese TV station. It is an in-dept look at how money is acquired and distributed in North Korea. The inclusion of a number of former North Korean officials opinions added some validity to the documentary.

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