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

Emman Atienza Reason for Demise: Social Media Star Passes Away at 19

Emman Atienza Reason for Demise: Social Media Star Passes Away at 19

Studying Time: 2 minutes Beloved influencer Emman Atienza has been discovered lifeless in Los Angeles. She was simply 19 years…

By Editorial Board 2 Min Read
The 2025 Denim Playbook: The Finest Denims and Manufacturers for Each Type | Fashion
The 2025 Denim Playbook: The Finest Denims and Manufacturers for Each Type | Fashion

We independently consider all advisable services. Any services or products put ahead…

6 Min Read
Santa Rosa police arrest suspects in Condor Membership supervisor’s killing
Santa Rosa police arrest suspects in Condor Membership supervisor’s killing

Santa Rosa police have arrested a person and lady from Dublin within…

2 Min Read

Oponion

Train Robberies Are a Problem in Los Angeles, and a Blame Game Has Ensued

Train Robberies Are a Problem in Los Angeles, and a Blame Game Has Ensued

Michelle Wilde bought a piece of sand art during a…

January 23, 2022

What the Media Missed: The place’s Pete Hegseth hiding?

New yr, new format! I like…

January 6, 2025

Diddy Virtually Murdered in Jail by Armed Assailant

Studying Time: 4 minutes Somebody almost…

October 23, 2025

Ford, Toyota, Igloo coolers, cucumbers spotlight Could 2025 remembers

Report: 184M+ passwords uncovered in information…

May 30, 2025

FAA to proceed capping flights at Newark airport by means of finish of yr

Actual SLX founder and Chairman Kenny…

June 9, 2025

You Might Also Like

Jackson Duggar: My Life on Actuality TV is ‘Loopy to Assume About’
Entertainment

Jackson Duggar: My Life on Actuality TV is ‘Loopy to Assume About’

Studying Time: 3 minutes Jackson Duggar is likening his expertise to The Truman Present. That’s bleak — but it surely’s…

5 Min Read
Erika Kirk Posts Heartbreaking Video of Daughter Reacting to Charlie Kirk Signal: ‘I See Daddy!’
Entertainment

Erika Kirk Posts Heartbreaking Video of Daughter Reacting to Charlie Kirk Signal: ‘I See Daddy!’

Studying Time: 2 minutes It’s been six weeks for the reason that capturing dying of Charlie Kirk, and for the…

4 Min Read
Ana de Armas DUMPS Tom Cruise Following ‘Uncomfortable’ Fling: Report
Entertainment

Ana de Armas DUMPS Tom Cruise Following ‘Uncomfortable’ Fling: Report

Studying Time: 3 minutes Effectively, the romance between Tom Cruise and Ana de Armas could not have been a stunt…

4 Min Read
Robyn Brown to Potential Sister Wives: Cease Hitting On My Man!
Entertainment

Robyn Brown to Potential Sister Wives: Cease Hitting On My Man!

Studying Time: 3 minutes Will the title Sister Wives ever be applicable once more? As TLC viewers know effectively at…

5 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?