Pyongyang: A Journey In North Korea
BOOK REVIEW
Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea - Guy Delisle
Wry musings on life from the surreal showcase city
Pyongyang is an eerie place. There's something chilling in the air that is hard to pinpoint. It might be partially psychological, as visitors are often well versed on the allegations of labour camps and reports of famines in countryside towns. Yet there is also a palatable omnipresent foreboding in a city whose singular theme is the smiling faces of grandfather Kim and papa Kim at every corner.
In Pyongyang, seeing colour itself is a rarity, except for Kim family murals or the posters calling for military triumph against imperialism. Thus it's fitting that this graphic novel doesn't stray beyond black and white in illustrating the author's stay in North Korea's capital while working for a French animation company.
From the imagery the reader senses the perpetual grip of control, exemplified by the constant accompaniment by a North Korean minder, even at the workplace. Ennui also settles in, with few activities available for foreigners and a stale routine of rotating between the same three restaurants to eat, each with an exasperatingly similar menu.
Guy Delisle recounts his experiences with graceful simplicity, enabling a high definition first person viewpoint for readers. He's also edifying on the country's history, weaving the contextual narrative around several critical episodes in North Korea's political development.
“In Pyongyang, seeing colour itself is a rarity. There is a palatable omnipresent foreboding.”
I'd never read a graphic novel before, and found it refreshingly breezy - despite its subject matter - and evocative, as daily Pyongyang life is a engrossing study in social humanity. Delisle is clearly bewildered by his observations, like "volunteers" whitewashing the stones around the base of trees. More disbelief arises when a guide insists that there are no disabilities because all North Korean are both completely healthy. I remember this feeling well, as my first visit to North Korea, aged 22, filled an entire notebook with commentary on what my eyes and ears witnessed.
This light but gripping read would satisfy any North Korea watcher. It is particularly topical against the backdrop of Kim Jong-Un's continued pursuit of geopolitical relevance, as the west contemplates its relations with another nuclear state.
- NP, May 2024