NK refugee content creators seek new narrative in US
A group of YouTubers originally from North Korea — who now live in South Korea — set out on a trip to the United States to inspire and be inspired by Americans, who share their concerns regarding the human rights violations in the reclusive and repressive country.
Six North Korean defectors, including Park Yu-sung, who promotes human rights and various other issues on their channels, will meet college students, give talks and visit some of the most interesting places in California for nine days, from Jan. 27, and create content out of their experiences.
The project was launched by Freedom Speakers International (FSI), a Seoul-based NGO that supports North Korean refugees in South Korea, as part of its effort to empower them.
The YouTubers will also participate in events organized to raise awareness about the rights abuses
through street performances and other activities, which they hope will connect them more deeply with the local people.
What they observe, learn and feel during the trip will undoubtedly be used in their future content for storytelling. Two of the participants said that they plan to create a documentary they can then to film festivals.
“Our trip to the U.S. West Coast is centered around inspiring North Korean refugee content creators based in South Korea to be more innovative with their contents,” Casey Lartigue Jr., co-founder and chairman of the group, told The Korea Times, Tuesday.
“This should be the start of them experimenting more with the types of content they create as they engage in public communication about North Korea.”
Ahead of the trip, each North Korean refugee content creator had a mentor to help develop their plans. A professional comedian, a former K-pop star, an influencer in Britain and movie directors were among those who helped them with their planning.
Lartigue said that the inspiration for the project came when he heard the song “Generation Wrekked” by Chuck D, a U.S. rapper best known for his work as frontman of influential 80s hip-hop group Public Enemy: “When I can’t change the people around me I change the people around me.”
“So I told Lee Eun-koo (FSI’s co-head), ‘let’s change the situation and people around North Korean refugees,” he added. “Our goal is to bring fresh perspectives to the narratives shared by North Korean refugees.”
“Our trip to the U.S. West Coast is centered around inspiring North Korean refugee content creators based in South Korea to be more innovative with their contents. ”