Workers Changing into New Clothes to Take Photos... North Korean Daily Life Photo Series Popular in France

Year-End Gift: Photo Book on Daily Life in North Korea Gains Popularity
Shift from 'Dangerous Country' Stereotypes
Kim Jong-un Appeals as a 'Normal State' on the International Stage

Cover of Stephan Gladieu's photo book

A photo book capturing everyday life in North Korea is gaining popularity as a year-end gift in France.

According to the KOTRA Paris Trade Center on the 23rd, a photo book by French photographer Stephan Gladieu, which depicts the daily lives of North Korean residents, is receiving favorable reviews and attracting attention locally.

Gladieu, who has long been interested in North Korea, visited the country five times as a tourist and photographed the daily lives of its people. He planned a North Korea photo exhibition at the Arles Photography Festival in August 2020, but it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, two months later in October, he published the photo book through the well-known French publisher Actes Sud.

In an interview with local media, Gladieu said, "During my stay in North Korea, I could not work independently due to surveillance and a fixed program," adding, "I reflected that environment in my photos." He also mentioned, "When photographing factory workers, I had to ask them not to change into new clothes." Gladieu noted, "There is a will for perfection everywhere in North Korea," explaining, "At construction sites, they clean and organize the sand every evening."

His photos have been praised for exquisitely capturing everyday life in North Korean society despite strict surveillance by the North Korean authorities. Major French media outlets have recommended Gladieu’s photo book as a year-end gift item.

KOTRA explained, "In France, there is a culture of exchanging gifts among family members during Christmas at the end of the year," and added, "In the publishing industry, there is a trend to release photo books and art books as premium editions targeting the year-end season."

On the 11th (local time), the daily newspaper Le Monde selected and introduced Stephan Gladieu’s photo book in an article titled "A Beautiful Photo Book Chosen by Le Monde."

Le Monde stated, "Looking at photos from one of the world’s worst dictatorships brings a smile," describing the rigid frames under the North Korean regime’s surveillance but highlighting the astonishing images within. Le Monde said, "Through artificial poses and costumes, one can confirm the absence of individualism and the perfection of totalitarianism, but also feel the changing atmosphere among the residents." The daily newspaper Le Soir and the publishing platform Geo also selected this book as a recommended year-end read.

The popularity of a photo book depicting everyday life in North Korea in France is seen as reflecting changes in French people’s interest and curiosity about North Korea.

KOTRA stated, "For the French, who have a strong interest in the Third World, North Korea has become a major focus following Africa and the Middle East," and explained, "North Korea has long been perceived by the French as a 'dangerous country,' but as the daily lives of its residents are frequently introduced through media, perceptions are gradually changing."

North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un stepped onto the international diplomatic stage through a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in June 2018. It was the first time in 53 years that the top North Korean leader appeared outside the socialist bloc on the international stage. Experts cite the characteristics of the Kim Jong-un era, distinct from the Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il eras, as a "normal state" and an "ordinary country." In April 2019, the constitution was amended to officially define Kim Jong-un as the "representative of the state," and he has been steadily exchanging letters and other communications with foreign leaders.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.