This website collects cookies to deliver better user experience. Cookie Policy
Accept
Sign In
The Wall Street Publication
  • Home
  • Trending
  • U.S
  • World
  • Politics
  • Business
    • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Markets
    • Personal Finance
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Style
    • Arts
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Reading: ‘Squid Game’ smuggler gets death sentence as North Korea cracks down
Share
The Wall Street PublicationThe Wall Street Publication
Font ResizerAa
Search
  • Home
  • Trending
  • U.S
  • World
  • Politics
  • Business
    • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Markets
    • Personal Finance
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Style
    • Arts
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
© 2024 The Wall Street Publication. All Rights Reserved.
The Wall Street Publication > Blog > Entertainment > ‘Squid Game’ smuggler gets death sentence as North Korea cracks down
Entertainment

‘Squid Game’ smuggler gets death sentence as North Korea cracks down

Editorial Board Published November 25, 2021
Share
‘Squid Game’ smuggler gets death sentence as North Korea cracks down
SHARE

In totalitarian North Korea, it’s not just the fictional characters competing in “Squid Game” who are in mortal danger.

An unnamed smuggler who distributed videos of the dystopian South Korean-made megahit series has been sentenced to death by firing squad by the regime of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, according to reports this week by Radio Free Asia.

Citing what it said were sources inside North Korea, the U.S.-funded RFA reported that a North Korean student who purchased a banned USB flash drive of the series and shared it with friends now faces a life sentence, and others caught watching the show face lengthy sentences at hard labor.

The harsh crackdown has an ironic element, as the grim premise of “Squid Game” itself is that down-on-their-luck contestants compete in a shadowy competition for a life-changing cash prize, while those who are eliminated along the way are killed.

The Pyongyang regime has stepped up efforts to keep out South Korean and other foreign media content, recently passing a law calling for the death penalty for selling or watching “reactionary thought and culture” from capitalist countries, in particular the U.S. and South Korea.

The “Squid Game” arrests were the first time the new law had been invoked, according to RFA.

South Korea’s growing cultural clout — including the recent Oscar-winning movie “Parasite,” the global fan base for K-pop and now “Squid Game” — has posed a particular problem for Mr. Kim’s propagandists, who have long dismissed the South Korean system as inferior and unequal.

After a slight cultural thaw coinciding with then-President Trump’s diplomatic outreach in 2018 and 2019, North Korea has reverted to a heavy censorship campaign against outside media and culture as relations with both Seoul and Washington have cooled.

Mr. Kim earlier this year denounced K-pop as a “vicious cancer” that could undermine his regime’s philosophy of extreme self-reliance if not checked.

The runaway success of “Squid Game” poses yet another challenge, as the South Korean series is the top-ranked show in nearly 100 countries around the globe.

The smuggled USB flash drives that led to the recent arrests may have come from one of the dozens of streaming sites in China running pirated versions of the show.

China itself is struggling to control the deal with the loss of cultural control online that its Communist leaders fear is infecting the nation’s youth.

The Cyberspace Administration of China announced Tuesday new regulations to regulate the presence of Chinese and foreign celebrities and their fan bases online after accusing them of promoting “extravagant pleasure.”

Celebrities can no longer flaunt their wealth online, and web personalities and their fans must “follow public order and good customs, adhere to correct public opinion orientation and value orientation, promote socialist core values, and maintain a healthy style and taste,” the CAC said in a statement.

For its part, North Korea is condemning “Squid Game” and citing its popularity as another instance of how the U.S. exploits its South Korean ally. A recent Pyongyang commentary noted complaints in South Korea itself that U.S. streaming site Netflix was claiming the lion’s share of the show’s profits at the expense of its Korean creators.

“Numerous South Korean works, including films and TV series, are being shown on Netflix and earning billions of dollars, but the South Korean film production companies only receive about 10% of their production cost,” Meari, Pyongyang’s main propaganda arm, said in a statement late last month.

“They are only filling the stomachs of American companies,” the statement said.

TAGGED:EntertainmentWall Street Publication
Share This Article
Twitter Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article Alex Rodriguez shows how rebranding a cheater is done Alex Rodriguez shows how rebranding a cheater is done
Next Article Turks Abandon the Lira for Dollars as Currency Crisis Deepens Turks Abandon the Lira for Dollars as Currency Crisis Deepens

Editor's Pick

Alyssa Farah Griffin: ‘The View’ Co-Host is Pregnant With Child #1!

Alyssa Farah Griffin: ‘The View’ Co-Host is Pregnant With Child #1!

Studying Time: 3 minutes The View co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin is pregnant! On ‘The View,’ Alyssa Farah Griffin breaks the…

By Editorial Board 3 Min Read
Man fatally shot throughout argument over lady at gathering at Tuscaloosa storage unit; suspect jailed
Man fatally shot throughout argument over lady at gathering at Tuscaloosa storage unit; suspect jailed

One individual was killed and a number of other others injured in…

2 Min Read
Amy Duggar Describes Studying Grandfather Was a ‘Predator’
Amy Duggar Describes Studying Grandfather Was a ‘Predator’

Studying Time: 4 minutes Amy Duggar King grew up figuring out and…

6 Min Read

Oponion

Dan Snyder and team still dogged by past, new name notwithstanding

Dan Snyder and team still dogged by past, new name notwithstanding

Like Michael Scott stepping out on “The Office” and shouting,…

February 1, 2022

Sizzling mic catches Trump instructing Fox Information host find out how to cowl him

TRUMP: Lawrence. Take a look at…

February 27, 2025

Past the Smoke: Stunning Information About Hashish You Didn’t Know

Hashish, generally referred to as marijuana,…

March 27, 2025

Pam Oliver’s Well being Has Followers Involved: Will She Retire This Yr? 

American sportscaster Pam Oliver is beloved…

September 23, 2024

Biden Rule Would Add More Gig Workers to Company Payrolls

The Biden administration is proposing a…

October 11, 2022

You Might Also Like

Wendy Osefo, Husband Break Silence on Federal Fraud Prices
Entertainment

Wendy Osefo, Husband Break Silence on Federal Fraud Prices

Studying Time: 3 minutes Wendy Osefo and husband Eddie Osefo are in deep trouble with the legislation. As beforehand reported,…

4 Min Read
Taylor Swift Loses Near 1 Million Instagram Followers Amid Disastrous Album Rollout, Sources Declare
Entertainment

Taylor Swift Loses Near 1 Million Instagram Followers Amid Disastrous Album Rollout, Sources Declare

Studying Time: 3 minutes That’s often the case when she releases a brand new album, however this time, there’s a…

4 Min Read
Hilaria Baldwin ‘Misplaced It’ in Backstage ‘DWTS’ Tantrum [Report]
Entertainment

Hilaria Baldwin ‘Misplaced It’ in Backstage ‘DWTS’ Tantrum [Report]

Studying Time: 3 minutes Disney Evening noticed Hilaria Baldwin eradicated on Dancing With The Stars. She’d nailed her dance strikes.…

4 Min Read
Mandy Moore ‘Unrecognizable’ to Followers After Debuting New Face
Entertainment

Mandy Moore ‘Unrecognizable’ to Followers After Debuting New Face

Studying Time: 4 minutes Mandy Moore has followers scratching their heads. This isn’t about her GoFundMe controversy earlier this 12…

6 Min Read
The Wall Street Publication

About Us

The Wall Street Publication, a distinguished part of the Enspirers News Group, stands as a beacon of excellence in journalism. Committed to delivering unfiltered global news, we pride ourselves on our trusted coverage of Politics, Business, Technology, and more.

Company

  • About Us
  • Newsroom Policies & Standards
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Careers
  • Media & Community Relations
  • WP Creative Group
  • Accessibility Statement

Contact

  • Contact Us
  • Contact Customer Care
  • Advertise
  • Licensing & Syndication
  • Request a Correction
  • Contact the Newsroom
  • Send a News Tip
  • Report a Vulnerability

Term of Use

  • Digital Products Terms of Sale
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Settings
  • Submissions & Discussion Policy
  • RSS Terms of Service
  • Ad Choices

© 2024 The Wall Street Publication. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?