Clash Landing on You made it clear the story could not work if both leads were not from the highest classes in their respective countries.The male lead character, Ri Jeong Hyeok, was part of the highest class in North Korea as was the female lead, Yoon Seri, the highest class in South Korea. If she met any other soldier, Yoon Seri, would have died right away. So, the whole story was based on their privilege and how different they were from both North Koreans and South Koreans. This is why their relationship was possible to continue in Switzerland. CLOY also showed the poverty in North Korea and the big number of orphan children who struggled to survive. The drama tried to stay away from politics, because the two countries are still at war. They did a great job humanizing North Koreans who have been vilified just because of the dictatorship they live under. It showed how misinformed North Koreans were of South Koreans as well as how South Koreans were misinformed of North Koreans. But what I liked the most about this show is how it emphasized that North Koreans and South Koreans are one people divided by political powers. CLOY is so far the best advocate for unification of the Korean Peninsula.
The end deacription was wrong. They don't end up living happily in Switzerland. It is always only for two weeks a year when on "holiday" . For your other arguments, Yeonmi might have a better view on that. She is the ob that survived from escaping and knowing what NK is like.
@@goldenphoenix628 "The end deacription was wrong. They don't end up living happily in Switzerland. It is always only for two weeks a year when on "holiday" ." I'm a bit confused by your statement. Are you saying I said the leads live "happily in Switzerland"?
Honestly, how often do you really see North Koreans portrayed in ANYTHING in the west? I'll be amazed if you could name more than 5 fiction shows or movies that feature North Koreans
I'm going through the same right now. I just finished the show last night. Tell me why I couldn't sleep because it was on my mind the whole night 😭 I've literally never felt like this after watching any other k-drama.
Actually a north korean girl was a adviser on the drama.. She gave an insight on the set for north korea setting... She's also a youtuber..her name is Nara
She apparently advised about the aesthetics and not the whole thing...it was a man from personal bodygaurd type ppl who defected because he came to know some confidential information who is actually the key adviser..
To be fair, Yoon Se-ri is also the complete opposite of the normal average woman in South Korea. She's like the Korean Paris Hilton lifestyle wise. So both main leads are the prince and princess of their nations basically, not representations of normal people. BUT I'm glad that apart from that, a lot of other details on DPRK are actually true! Those electricity blackouts were for me the biggest surprise. What I wanna know is how realistic Alberto Gu is! Are there really high class criminals who pay to secretly live in North Korea to escape persecution from other countries??? How insane do you have to be to pay to live there? ? And does Division 11 really exist lol?
@@rory6789 Well, the disclaimers says that any connections are fictitious. Obviously the organizations are not imaginary. Politburo, NIS, Division 11, KPA all exist in both the show & real world
I think whats interesting is that Ri jeong Hyuk lives a pretty modest life compared to the average south korean but even the modest little house he has may be considered a massive luxury in North Korea and his parents house is a straight up palace. so i think they were trying to show what privilege in north korea looks like. he has the privilege to leave north korea for two weeks every year but not everyone has that kind of power. and i think thats why his group of soldier friends are so important to the show. the friends and their backstories show what how the truly average north korean would react to arriving in Seri's giant luxury apartment. she's basically living like a literal queen by their standards.
This was a beautiful drama and fantasy but in reality they would all be executed. Sorry to ruin the mood for everyone but this is the reality. Thanks to CCP.
If you thought what you saw in this drama was bad, then I suggest you read Yeonmi's book. Her book is what opened my eyes to life in NK. It honestly made me sick a couple times. I couldn't finish a chapter at some points. This girl went through so much.
Did you know they had to consult a real North Korean Defector to do this show? That’s why a lot of those small details are quite accurate. Of course the whole show is dramatize, it’s a romantic comedy/drama anyway.
@@goldenphoenix628 yup but she’s only from a portion of NK. The production team of CLOY on the other hand, hired several NK defectors from different regions. There was even some from the elite class in Pyeongyang. The co-writer in fact, is also a NK defector from Pyeongyang.
@@veeveegem are you stupid? Most of the movies are more about lies than facts. No matter how much of the movie is facts majority of them are 80% lies. Yeonmi tells the truth, not the movie writers that earn millions
@@girlhappy6442 Well unlike you, I'm not dumb enough to ask anyone whether they're stupid. You're even harping about unrelated points to my comment, making your actual comment sound so stupid. But just in case you do not know, truth is relative. Yeonmi's truth may not be the truth of others. Like I said, Yeonmi came from just a portion of NK, not even Pyeongyang. She has visited the city for a few times so her comments in relation to Pyeongyang may not be reliable. Whereas the CLOY writer interviewed several NK defectors who came from several regions of NK. In fact, the assistant writer himself is a North Korean Defector from Pyeongyang who acquired a degree in Film in Pyeongyang before he defected to the South. I suggest you also watch other CLOY reaction videos by other NK Defectors so you have a grasp of other's truth, not just Yeonmi's before you place tags about who's been telling the truth and who's not.
@@veeveegem yeah sure the “truth” in that movie is as much as if Hollywood shot a movie about Bezos 😂 Over 90% of North Korea population is poor, the movie is as inaccurate as it could possibly be
Its trying to But UN & American Sanctions in place on importing & exporting goods & foods does not help the Korean People Kim Jong is actually trying to bring it to a more Modern Korea, with Disney & Pikachu shown to kids now Disney Songs sung at Concerts Western Food serviced at Restaurants
It will be forced to do so. It will have to accept foreign aid. I don’t like Trump but he opened up possible communication. Not just NK and the South but China and Japanese interests as neighbours.
This was an awesome show!!! I cried so many times in this love drama. I swear I fell in love with Captain Ri. The tension of Seri and Ri was 100% believable. Like your book, I couldn't stop watching till it was over. Awesome!
As an Indian I don’t know how accurate was the representation of North Korea in the show but I am sure about how madly I m in love with Hyun Bin !!! He is soooooo good looking ❤️
I think CLOY was a revelation to many non-Koreans lol. I only discovered Hyun Bin last year during quarantine. I’m a white American relatively new to K-dramas and it’s like discovering a new brand of fastfood or something. Addictive and you can’t get enough! (Just to be clear I hardly eat fast food not the stereotypical American haha)
omg that happened to me too. When I watched the show it was so good that it drained me so when it was over to fill the void it left I watched videos 😂. I was also pretty curious I read articles too. These days I don't watch shows until I have school breaks because my grades drop and there are so many I want to watch that I made a list so when I get winter break I'm binge watching everything.
@@dairyfree321 mine too!!!! I can't wait cause I'm suffering with school 😭😂 and also because, like you said, I have a lot of dramas to see and I'm gonna have time to do it (finally)😆
Thank you so much for making this video! I was so curious about your thoughts on this show! I agree that this CLOY did a really important thing--helped to humanize North Korean people. I think it's why the show was so so so popular. It's absolutely heartbreaking in so many ways and for so many unthinkable reasons but there's so much warmth in the *people* they portrayed. I remember reading that a south korean political organization filed a complaint against the show because it portrayed north korea too nicely. But I think they did a very good job of showing the inhumanity of the government compared to the humanity of the people.
What do you think about the ending? I still can't decide whether it was positive or negative. Yes, they get to meet and be together but only for 2 weeks of a year. They can't really be in each others lives and some day, quite soon, something will come up and their anual meeting may not even happen anymore. It was actually quite sad to imagine 😔 😞
In my head, he can't stay with her bc of the reproach it would bring on his parents, but after they croak... Maybe one trip to Switzerland he just doesn't go back to NK. 🤞
I chose to interpret it as this: the two weeks things can be temporary, it’s what works for them now. In the future they will likely come up with another solution so it’s not so sad. Possibly rjh can defect, or use division 11 as a route. So happy ending, hopefully with the kids they dreamed of! 💓
I stayed up to 4:00 am last night finishing CLOY. I’m super tired today, but have no regrets! lol It is such a CUTE show & incredibly funny. I laughed, I cried, and I learned more about Korean culture. I definitely hope there is a season 2!
Crash Landing is def my favorite show. Because of it I started googling North Korea to try to learn more about it. Your channel is the first time I have ever seen a North Korean person talk about their life there so I'm really happy I found it.
it’s why i always hesitate to watch kdramas where main characters are rich, because it’s not relatable I originally didn’t want to watch CLOY for that reason as well but i liked the romance the only relatable kdrama for me where the main character is rich is “i’m not a robot” because i also have trust issues
@@FruityHachi there's plenty of historical/period/costume kdramas out there that can be fun to watch but by your standard, aren't relatable to anyone alive today. maybe, it's not the rich people that turns you off. maybe it's the complete lack of reality when it comes to the way relationships are portrayed.
@@cheezyridr where did that come from? i didn't say historical/period/costume kdramas cannot be fun to watch or relatable to anyone alive today, i was talking about myself, and what characters *i personally* can relate too "maybe, it's not the rich people that turns you off. maybe it's the complete lack of reality when it comes to the way relationships are portrayed." nope and not everyone watches movies/tv shows just for fun, some people want to watch something where they can relate to the characters because they have a high need for emotional connection maybe research personality needs
@@cheezyridr also, historical/period/costume is a setting, i was talking about characters so even if the story is set in history but if the character/s display some characteristics i can relate to, i enjoy it on a deeper level than just "a fun watch"
Thanks for sharing your perspective! You have a good point that the show can romanticize north korea at times for example with showing how happy the village people were. But they did do a good job showing the many restrictions on the ppl and how life is hard there. I didn't know any thing about north korea before watching the show and it's crazy to me that ppl live life under so many restrictions
I guess it was over the top sometimes. But maybe when you live in such environment all your life you can't be depressed all the time.....It also seemed like a "wealthy" village near the boarder where the military devision is stationed ....so maybe that why it was so kinda happy.....
I speak for close friends from childhood that I met in Brazil, friends that were able to leave Yemen, one thing they said, is that their people have happy times and live life to the fullest... Since they don’t know when it can end. They don’t have internet, and phones, and they have a life with family and friends dying all the time. But when they get to enjoy times with those people, they LIVE those times. They are, to this day, the happiest people that party the hardest. Humans will find a way to find happy things at every moment In life.
Yeomni, I watched Crash Landing on You because you mentioned it. I did not watch it right away, but listened to you for quite awhile first, so I understood the class privilege that enabled this story to happen and also understood that it didn't really show the extreme oppression and lack that the majority of North Koreans endure. I did really enjoy the series though! The acting was excellent, the characters lovable and the story was engaging - VERY cute all of it! I'm glad I watched it. Listening to the Korean language was a pleasure and I learned several words! :D My take away is how devastatingly sad and how cruel it is that the North Korean people are held hostage within the borders of their country. I hope someday not too long from today that they will be free. Live well, stay healthy and be happy.
Such an interesting analysis- I've never seen the show, but now I definitely plan on watching it!! I'll have to make sure I keep your notes in mind though:) Keep up the amazing videos!!!
Imagine that the son of second in command in NK in a Korean drama only gets to be with his love couple of days in a year when escorting kids to a competition that she setup just to meet him...how plausible that is in real life for an NK SK relationship...
I think that was a fair assessment of the show. I just finished watching it recently and very much enjoyed it. Having read a lot and heard North Korean refugees speak, I was very aware of what North Korea was like. The life of villagers seemed to be portrayed closely to reality. One of the things that shocked me was how long North Korean men have to serve in the military compared to South Korean men. The disinformation about South Korea (and the US) being the "imperialist empire" seemed pretty accurate as well. Of course some of it is going to be stretching the truth, that is to be expected for TV. The people behind the program did a good job balancing the use of propaganda while at the same time not over doing it. I thought the series was very well done.
I just finished it right now and it's so well done, shed some tears and got so into all the stories 😢 Korean actors are so good I'm so impressed and this is now in the top of my favorite dramas ever 😍 Even though it is clearly unrealistic compared to real life, I was surprised by how they managed to make it seem like they were actually in Pyongyang...
Very well spoken! It is amazing you can balance the awareness of such inhuman hardship such as yourself and your people endure with a generous opinion upon how the world currently stands. Your spirit is AMAZING - STAY HUGE!! I hope you get the Nobel Prize!!
I am not Korean, but it's one of the best series I have seen! I think it is a special gift to be an actor and director and producer. So we'll done I love it so much ♥️
The advisors on the production of the first half of CLOY based in North Korea, were three North Korean defectors. I read somewhere that they made the story 65% accurate so that CLOY wouldn't start another war between the two Koreas. I shudder to think how the story would develop, if they made it 100% accurate!!😮
Great review, Yeonmi! I finished watching it yesterday. What I liked is that there is not much focus on politics, but in the human point of view. This k-drama shows all the struggles that north koreans have to deal in their daily life, but also shows that they are all people like us, lovely, kindly, helpful, despite of the Kim dictators. They show both the poverty and lack of freedom on the north side, but also focus on the luxury and selfishness from the southern. And the ending was pretty nice, too: I thought Jeong Hyeok would stay on South Korea, but he managed to nurture the relationship on Switzerland, a neutral country for both of them. Good and respectful to both countries!
I saw a few episodes of this show and knew it was showing a romanticized, non-political version of North Korea. It was so valuable to hear Yeonmi discuss it in detail here and bring all her perspectives into it. My first worry immediately upon watching the show was that it would widely promote a falsely wholesome and well-to-do image of regular life in the DPRK.
Kindly check other YT defectors who are from the different regions of NK. They really loved CLOY as it is a close to accurate representation of their lives in NK, especially in the elite class of Pyeongyang and the village people.
Just found this video. One great thing about CLOY is it peaked my curiosity about North Korea. I have always been curious, but I used that motivation to do quite a bit of reading and learning. Eventually even bought Yeonmi’s book and followed this channel. So Crash Landing inspired this American to learn something.
Love getting your unique perspective and insight. When you say being an individual is bad there, I can't even imagine it. I've always been proud of being my own person. Life in North Korea is like an alternate universe. Something you would see in an episode of Black Mirror or Twilight Zone. Happy you got out! Keep the videos coming!
Crash Landing actually made me curious on North Korea which led me to your channel and now that I am a subscriber, I am learning a lot about NK! Thank you for your channel and amazing insight you bring. I look forward to more videos
My wife is a Korean Drama addict and she insists that I must watch the shows with her. Crashlanding on you was one series we watched together. I found the show improbable especially how people seemed to come and go from Nth Korea to the rest of the world and how one of the show's characters who was 'hiding' in Nth Korea because of a crooked deal he made with Se Ri Yoon's brother in Seoul. Never the less I did enjoy the show to an extent. The drama part was a bit too much though. All the tears that were shed!!! It was a river but it also had very funny parts in it too. Thank you for your wonderful RUclips show. I watch your episodes religiously and I really wish that one glorious day that North and South Korea can reunite into one democratic country and live together joyfully and in peace.
Just finished the drama and I was really pleased with it! Actually, when I was watching it, I assumed that there was some restrictions to how truthful they could be about North Korea- they probably didn't want to create any tension my making the drama show all the poverty etc.
I’ve worked with nurses from the north in Libya 2 decades ago, and yes they were in between commenting few things fr n.k and i witnessed that they were cautious & guarded. Some of them became closed to me during those days, i wander how they are now & hope they were all okay 🙏🏻❣️
When my dad was studying in Geneva he was invited by a North Korean fellow student to the birthday of a leader of North Korea in the embassy. My dad did not go...still I found this interresting. Thank you for your vidéos!
omg im so happy you reviewed this🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽☺️i love this show and watched it with subtitles for hours 🙈🤓 do you know if a season 2 is coming??? hugs & kisses from london uk, love your channel 🥰
Wow. I am halfway through this series, and while watching it, I thought of your channel and what your perspective of the show would be. I am excited to watch this video after I finish the show. Thanks for sharing your experience with us!
I loved that Drama I watched it and it was amazing, I wondered how accurate they were. Thank you for reviewing this, I couldn't help but laugh at some of the things that went on, but the blockade thing with the roads, after hearing other North Korean's stories, I realized how real that actually was and it's scary...
I loved the show!! I was wondering too how captain was a “privileged “ person. He had his stuff at home, decent supplies, food..etc. is it true about the car license plates? That several registrations are from top people from the city?
I have recently become addicted to the Korean dramas. The quality of storytelling is awesome, something sorely lacking in Hollywood and other American movies. I am currently watching Crash Landing on You and immediately noticed that it took place in a privileged military community. I wondered how the movie would have differed if she had landed in an ordinary N. Korean town. But even in that privileged military community there were children living on the street struggling to survive, random house searches, monitoring of activities, etc. Thanks for your bringing some rational perspective into this.
Dear Yeonmi, great to watch your videos! Would you please talk about your view on the German reunification? Its 30th anniversary will be on 2020-10-03, so now would be a good time for that. Some think it might serve as a model for Korean reunification, since there are a lot of similarities.
Hello Yeonmi . I just got your book the other day and it's so good and inspiring. I'm still on chapter 4 but it breaks my heart to see how many Nort Koreans have to bear such hard laws and do hard work just for so they can put food on their family's table. I'm so heartbroken for the life you had to go through and other people still go through it. I pray to god that it ends soon. Thank you so much for your great story.
When you were talking about sleep overs in America I thought of another topic you could discuss. Are there still any things we do here related to individualism or the way that the people interact with the government that you still can't rationalize or have trouble navigating? Or maybe disagree with?
I see CLOY as a way to humanize Koreans and to empathize with the people of the North, I loved that even within the youth (Se-ri and her friends) there were multiple cultural shocks like the way to prepare 김치, rice and even drinking soju, also when doing gestures, well, things that people normally do in a daily basis. But what I see the most is the multiple wishes of reunification of some. I love that love is a thing in Korea and because of this they prefer to put themselves under risk before their families lives. My favourite actors were Son Ye-Jin, Hyun Bin and Oh Man Seok.
What confuses me is the end. They did not end up living happily together. The end was that they only can neet two weeks in secret in Switzerland every year. So he stays in North Korea all the time and only come to Switzerland for two weeks a year like her? As far as I understood. But tgat is not so important. Tank you so much for clearing up what is a rather true level about the things shown in the show regarding in North Korea and being so brave to talk about it. Please stay healthy and all the good wishes for you, Yeonmi 🍀☀️
Well as long as the two Koreas are separated they cannot live happily ever after together. Ri cannot leave North Korea for more than 2 weeks per year as if he did his whole family would most probably be executed or at least imprisoned. And Seri would end up in prison of she went to North Korea probably by being accused of being s spy. They got as much happy ending as it gets.
I haven’t watched this k drama yet. I have watched a lot of drama from Korea, Japan, Taiwan and China and a few from Thailand. I watch them on VIKI and Netflix. Park Bo Young in Strong Woman Do Bong Soon was hilarious, Go Ara in Black I am watching now. 😆 Puff Kuo in Just You, Annie Chen in Love Now, Tia Lee in Fall in Love With Me also a series called Oh My Ghost which has a Korean and Thailand version . All so much fun to watch.
Hi Yeonmi, could you also explain the language part of the series ? Did they speak in South Korean during the whole show? As you said the word ‘love’ doesn’t exist in North Korea; but in the show North Koreans are using the word love (e.g the North Korean fiancé of the officer uses it). Thank you! Also did the actors playing North Koreans characters try to have a North Korean accent or do they all speak with their South Korean accent? Thank you!
I didn’t get it in CLOY they didn’t end up living together. They just go every year for few weeks to meet each other. I guess. Correct me if i am wrong.
I got the same understanding and even tho it's nice they can see each other for two weeks ever year, it still pains me they can't be together for real. I hope they continue the story.
@@cindymoblo6008 no one has pushed though. Considering the A-list actors and the notable writer, I highly doubt they’d want a season 2. CLOY ended on a very good note.
Thank you so much for this video! I enjoyed watching this drama but was dying to know how accurate it really is. It's so great to hear your perspective! ❤️ xoxo
Never would have thought about the sleepover thing. I just assumed that since it was such small countryside town where everyone probably knows each other and suddenly a stranger appears is good reason enough to arrest and interrogate her
Thank you for your insights! What was in my mind is the accuracy of some points. There are the electricity blackouts in the village, but is electricity a thing there? I often see documentaries say, that there is no electricity in the countryside. And is Dan‘s lifestyle realistic in North Korea? Would love to hear from one of you. I really enjoy the show lately and want to learn more about korea.
I got the impression that their travel to Switzerland can only happen once per year when he can leave North Korea for the orchestra. Sad but seemed more realistic
To think that you would have to go to a magistrate and ask for permission to stay at a friend's house. The simple things we in the West take for granted. Thank you for this video!
I enjoyed the show for the first half but I found it dragged towards the end. Thank you for talking about it! It's really nice to be able to hear about it from the point of view of a North Korean. I remember watching it and wondering how accurate it really was.
I'm reading your book at the moment. And I was wondering if I can ever watch or enjoy Crash Landing on You again. That's why I was looking for this video. It was nice to hear your opinion about it. In case I'll rewatch the show again some day I'll keep in mind it's not the real north Korea. Wish you all the best ❤
![[Behind the Scenes] Hyun Bin & Son Ye-jin rehearse their first kiss | Crash Landing on You [ENG SUB]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/UsdJUv60VsQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Clash Landing on You made it clear the story could not work if both leads were not from the highest classes in their respective countries.The male lead character, Ri Jeong Hyeok, was part of the highest class in North Korea as was the female lead, Yoon Seri, the highest class in South Korea. If she met any other soldier, Yoon Seri, would have died right away. So, the whole story was based on their privilege and how different they were from both North Koreans and South Koreans. This is why their relationship was possible to continue in Switzerland.
CLOY also showed the poverty in North Korea and the big number of orphan children who struggled to survive. The drama tried to stay away from politics, because the two countries are still at war. They did a great job humanizing North Koreans who have been vilified just because of the dictatorship they live under. It showed how misinformed North Koreans were of South Koreans as well as how South Koreans were misinformed of North Koreans. But what I liked the most about this show is how it emphasized that North Koreans and South Koreans are one people divided by political powers. CLOY is so far the best advocate for unification of the Korean Peninsula.
True .
You worded this so well. Without either of their positions it would not have worked.
Indeed ♥️
The end deacription was wrong. They don't end up living happily in Switzerland. It is always only for two weeks a year when on "holiday" .
For your other arguments, Yeonmi might have a better view on that. She is the ob that survived from escaping and knowing what NK is like.
@@goldenphoenix628 "The end deacription was wrong. They don't end up living happily in Switzerland. It is always only for two weeks a year when on "holiday" ."
I'm a bit confused by your statement. Are you saying I said the leads live "happily in Switzerland"?
i like how they portrayed north koreans as humans with lives and relationships and not mindless robots like i often see in western movies and shows
Honestly, how often do you really see North Koreans portrayed in ANYTHING in the west? I'll be amazed if you could name more than 5 fiction shows or movies that feature North Koreans
@@riorio745
Chinese, not that much.
You know how much Hollywood needs China so their movies can earn so much.
I don't think I'll ever be able to move on from this show
I'm going through the same right now. I just finished the show last night. Tell me why I couldn't sleep because it was on my mind the whole night 😭 I've literally never felt like this after watching any other k-drama.
Same here! I cried so much while watching the last episode and I don't usually cry for movies/TV series
@@silviacorallo8719 I did the ugly cry lol
Same here.. !
I cried like an effin baby watching the last episode, now I feel empty hahahahaha
Actually a north korean girl was a adviser on the drama.. She gave an insight on the set for north korea setting... She's also a youtuber..her name is Nara
Kang Nara
She apparently advised about the aesthetics and not the whole thing...it was a man from personal bodygaurd type ppl who defected because he came to know some confidential information who is actually the key adviser..
The writer of the show is a North Korean defector.
Kang nara has a superb channel, that along with sao documentary has amazing content on north korea
@@npc9207 SAO are chinese tourists
To be fair, Yoon Se-ri is also the complete opposite of the normal average woman in South Korea. She's like the Korean Paris Hilton lifestyle wise. So both main leads are the prince and princess of their nations basically, not representations of normal people. BUT I'm glad that apart from that, a lot of other details on DPRK are actually true! Those electricity blackouts were for me the biggest surprise. What I wanna know is how realistic Alberto Gu is! Are there really high class criminals who pay to secretly live in North Korea to escape persecution from other countries??? How insane do you have to be to pay to live there? ? And does Division 11 really exist lol?
It says at the start of the series that all organisations are imaginary...so i dont think division 11 exists...maybe something like it exists tho.....
@@rory6789 Well, the disclaimers says that any connections are fictitious. Obviously the organizations are not imaginary. Politburo, NIS, Division 11, KPA all exist in both the show & real world
You pointed out a lot of good points.
Lower/middle class South Koreans have much higher standard of living than NK soldiers
I think whats interesting is that Ri jeong Hyuk lives a pretty modest life compared to the average south korean but even the modest little house he has may be considered a massive luxury in North Korea and his parents house is a straight up palace. so i think they were trying to show what privilege in north korea looks like. he has the privilege to leave north korea for two weeks every year but not everyone has that kind of power. and i think thats why his group of soldier friends are so important to the show. the friends and their backstories show what how the truly average north korean would react to arriving in Seri's giant luxury apartment. she's basically living like a literal queen by their standards.
She's living like a queen by South Korean standards too!
@@chizzieshark definitely!
This was such a good drama, hope it’s somewhat accurate bc it opened my eyes to life in N. Korea
I have a feeling all the defectors are Sagittarius 😂. Freedom is like oxygen to a Sagittarius.
This was a beautiful drama and fantasy but in reality they would all be executed. Sorry to ruin the mood for everyone but this is the reality. Thanks to CCP.
Actually NK is way worse.
If you thought what you saw in this drama was bad, then I suggest you read Yeonmi's book. Her book is what opened my eyes to life in NK. It honestly made me sick a couple times. I couldn't finish a chapter at some points. This girl went through so much.
Ofcourse it's not true. Its worst
Did you know they had to consult a real North Korean Defector to do this show? That’s why a lot of those small details are quite accurate. Of course the whole show is dramatize, it’s a romantic comedy/drama anyway.
Yeonmi is a real North Korean Defector.
@@goldenphoenix628 yup but she’s only from a portion of NK. The production team of CLOY on the other hand, hired several NK defectors from different regions. There was even some from the elite class in Pyeongyang. The co-writer in fact, is also a NK defector from Pyeongyang.
@@veeveegem are you stupid? Most of the movies are more about lies than facts. No matter how much of the movie is facts majority of them are 80% lies. Yeonmi tells the truth, not the movie writers that earn millions
@@girlhappy6442 Well unlike you, I'm not dumb enough to ask anyone whether they're stupid. You're even harping about unrelated points to my comment, making your actual comment sound so stupid.
But just in case you do not know, truth is relative. Yeonmi's truth may not be the truth of others. Like I said, Yeonmi came from just a portion of NK, not even Pyeongyang. She has visited the city for a few times so her comments in relation to Pyeongyang may not be reliable.
Whereas the CLOY writer interviewed several NK defectors who came from several regions of NK. In fact, the assistant writer himself is a North Korean Defector from Pyeongyang who acquired a degree in Film in Pyeongyang before he defected to the South. I suggest you also watch other CLOY reaction videos by other NK Defectors so you have a grasp of other's truth, not just Yeonmi's before you place tags about who's been telling the truth and who's not.
@@veeveegem yeah sure the “truth” in that movie is as much as if Hollywood shot a movie about Bezos 😂
Over 90% of North Korea population is poor, the movie is as inaccurate as it could possibly be
Spoiler alert: SKIP 10:27-10:40 if you're still watching the show. The rest is safe.
thank you! 💕
I should have see this comment first before watching the video 😭
Thank you 🤗
thank you so much
Too late for me to read the comment.
Imagine illegally buying some South Korea dramas and it's about North Korea :D
Hope your motherland is able to get itself more into this world.
Love the courage you showed.
You are a source of my motivation
Its trying to
But UN & American Sanctions in place on importing & exporting goods & foods does not help the Korean People
Kim Jong is actually trying to bring it to a more Modern Korea, with Disney & Pikachu shown to kids now
Disney Songs sung at Concerts
Western Food serviced at Restaurants
It will be forced to do so. It will have to accept foreign aid. I don’t like Trump but he opened up possible communication. Not just NK and the South but China and Japanese interests as neighbours.
This was an awesome show!!! I cried so many times in this love drama. I swear I fell in love with Captain Ri. The tension of Seri and Ri was 100% believable. Like your book, I couldn't stop watching till it was over. Awesome!
As an Indian I don’t know how accurate was the representation of North Korea in the show but I am sure about how madly I m in love with Hyun Bin !!! He is soooooo good looking ❤️
I think CLOY was a revelation to many non-Koreans lol. I only discovered Hyun Bin last year during quarantine. I’m a white American relatively new to K-dramas and it’s like discovering a new brand of fastfood or something. Addictive and you can’t get enough! (Just to be clear I hardly eat fast food not the stereotypical American haha)
These days I click every single video with title North Korea 🇰🇵
Cloy made me so curious.....
omg that happened to me too. When I watched the show it was so good that it drained me so when it was over to fill the void it left I watched videos 😂. I was also pretty curious I read articles too. These days I don't watch shows until I have school breaks because my grades drop and there are so many I want to watch that I made a list so when I get winter break I'm binge watching everything.
@@dairyfree321 same in everything you said
@@Yami-ss4xi oh yay I’m not alone. My winter break starts in 2 days and I’m excited
@@dairyfree321 mine too!!!! I can't wait cause I'm suffering with school 😭😂 and also because, like you said, I have a lot of dramas to see and I'm gonna have time to do it (finally)😆
Same here! Totally relate!!
Thank you so much for making this video! I was so curious about your thoughts on this show!
I agree that this CLOY did a really important thing--helped to humanize North Korean people. I think it's why the show was so so so popular. It's absolutely heartbreaking in so many ways and for so many unthinkable reasons but there's so much warmth in the *people* they portrayed.
I remember reading that a south korean political organization filed a complaint against the show because it portrayed north korea too nicely. But I think they did a very good job of showing the inhumanity of the government compared to the humanity of the people.
That's a great way of putting it. 'Inhumanity of the government compared to the humanity of the people.'
What do you think about the ending? I still can't decide whether it was positive or negative. Yes, they get to meet and be together but only for 2 weeks of a year. They can't really be in each others lives and some day, quite soon, something will come up and their anual meeting may not even happen anymore. It was actually quite sad to imagine 😔 😞
In my head, he can't stay with her bc of the reproach it would bring on his parents, but after they croak... Maybe one trip to Switzerland he just doesn't go back to NK. 🤞
@@joannabananaboat lmfaoo after they croak 🐸 I laughed harder than I should have😢
I chose to interpret it as this: the two weeks things can be temporary, it’s what works for them now. In the future they will likely come up with another solution so it’s not so sad. Possibly rjh can defect, or use division 11 as a route. So happy ending, hopefully with the kids they dreamed of! 💓
Exactly. For many people that was a happy ending but not for me. It doesn't change the fact that I love CLOY and it's my favorite kdrama ever
@@dianabyelyanska7545 I was also satisfied with the ending. If felt like the most logical 'happy' ending given their situation and his personality.
I stayed up to 4:00 am last night finishing CLOY. I’m super tired today, but have no regrets! lol It is such a CUTE show & incredibly funny. I laughed, I cried, and I learned more about Korean culture. I definitely hope there is a season 2!
I hope not. Love how bitter sweet the ending was!
Crash Landing is def my favorite show. Because of it I started googling North Korea to try to learn more about it. Your channel is the first time I have ever seen a North Korean person talk about their life there so I'm really happy I found it.
To be fair k-dramas also romantizes live in South Korea and focus on rich people
hence, the movie parasite
it’s why i always hesitate to watch kdramas where main characters are rich, because it’s not relatable
I originally didn’t want to watch CLOY for that reason as well but i liked the romance
the only relatable kdrama for me where the main character is rich is “i’m not a robot” because i also have trust issues
@@FruityHachi there's plenty of historical/period/costume kdramas out there that can be fun to watch but by your standard, aren't relatable to anyone alive today. maybe, it's not the rich people that turns you off. maybe it's the complete lack of reality when it comes to the way relationships are portrayed.
@@cheezyridr where did that come from?
i didn't say historical/period/costume kdramas cannot be fun to watch or relatable to anyone alive today, i was talking about myself, and what characters *i personally* can relate too
"maybe, it's not the rich people that turns you off. maybe it's the complete lack of reality when it comes to the way relationships are portrayed." nope and not everyone watches movies/tv shows just for fun, some people want to watch something where they can relate to the characters because they have a high need for emotional connection
maybe research personality needs
@@cheezyridr also, historical/period/costume is a setting, i was talking about characters
so even if the story is set in history but if the character/s display some characteristics i can relate to, i enjoy it on a deeper level than just "a fun watch"
Thanks for sharing your perspective! You have a good point that the show can romanticize north korea at times for example with showing how happy the village people were. But they did do a good job showing the many restrictions on the ppl and how life is hard there. I didn't know any thing about north korea before watching the show and it's crazy to me that ppl live life under so many restrictions
I guess it was over the top sometimes. But maybe when you live in such environment all your life you can't be depressed all the time.....It also seemed like a "wealthy" village near the boarder where the military devision is stationed ....so maybe that why it was so kinda happy.....
I speak for close friends from childhood that I met in Brazil, friends that were able to leave Yemen, one thing they said, is that their people have happy times and live life to the fullest... Since they don’t know when it can end. They don’t have internet, and phones, and they have a life with family and friends dying all the time. But when they get to enjoy times with those people, they LIVE those times. They are, to this day, the happiest people that party the hardest. Humans will find a way to find happy things at every moment In life.
Yeomni, I watched Crash Landing on You because you mentioned it. I did not watch it right away, but listened to you for quite awhile first, so I understood the class privilege that enabled this story to happen and also understood that it didn't really show the extreme oppression and lack that the majority of North Koreans endure. I did really enjoy the series though! The acting was excellent, the characters lovable and the story was engaging - VERY cute all of it! I'm glad I watched it. Listening to the Korean language was a pleasure and I learned several words! :D My take away is how devastatingly sad and how cruel it is that the North Korean people are held hostage within the borders of their country. I hope someday not too long from today that they will be free. Live well, stay healthy and be happy.
Such an interesting analysis- I've never seen the show, but now I definitely plan on watching it!! I'll have to make sure I keep your notes in mind though:) Keep up the amazing videos!!!
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Suggestion for your next videos, which American or South Korean shows suprised you the most. That might be interesting to watch
I just watched the last episode today. I never wanted this show to end. I can watch this forever.
I felt the same way. I cried the last 10 minutes
Imagine that the son of second in command in NK in a Korean drama only gets to be with his love couple of days in a year when escorting kids to a competition that she setup just to meet him...how plausible that is in real life for an NK SK relationship...
I actually didn't like the ending much...it kinda felt incomplete.
I think that was a fair assessment of the show. I just finished watching it recently and very much enjoyed it. Having read a lot and heard North Korean refugees speak, I was very aware of what North Korea was like. The life of villagers seemed to be portrayed closely to reality. One of the things that shocked me was how long North Korean men have to serve in the military compared to South Korean men. The disinformation about South Korea (and the US) being the "imperialist empire" seemed pretty accurate as well. Of course some of it is going to be stretching the truth, that is to be expected for TV. The people behind the program did a good job balancing the use of propaganda while at the same time not over doing it. I thought the series was very well done.
Crash landing on you is my favorite show ever
From US: Thank you so much for your insight! Really good!!
I just finished it right now and it's so well done, shed some tears and got so into all the stories 😢 Korean actors are so good I'm so impressed and this is now in the top of my favorite dramas ever 😍 Even though it is clearly unrealistic compared to real life, I was surprised by how they managed to make it seem like they were actually in Pyongyang...
Very well spoken! It is amazing you can balance the awareness of such inhuman hardship such as yourself and your people endure with a generous opinion upon how the world currently stands. Your spirit is AMAZING - STAY HUGE!! I hope you get the Nobel Prize!!
I am not Korean, but it's one of the best series I have seen!
I think it is a special gift to be an actor and director and producer. So we'll done I love it so much ♥️
The advisors on the production of the first half of CLOY based in North Korea, were three North Korean defectors. I read somewhere that they made the story 65% accurate so that CLOY wouldn't start another war between the two Koreas. I shudder to think how the story would develop, if they made it 100% accurate!!😮
Great review, Yeonmi! I finished watching it yesterday. What I liked is that there is not much focus on politics, but in the human point of view. This k-drama shows all the struggles that north koreans have to deal in their daily life, but also shows that they are all people like us, lovely, kindly, helpful, despite of the Kim dictators. They show both the poverty and lack of freedom on the north side, but also focus on the luxury and selfishness from the southern. And the ending was pretty nice, too: I thought Jeong Hyeok would stay on South Korea, but he managed to nurture the relationship on Switzerland, a neutral country for both of them. Good and respectful to both countries!
Saw you on Value Entertainment. Your story is incredible.
I saw a few episodes of this show and knew it was showing a romanticized, non-political version of North Korea. It was so valuable to hear Yeonmi discuss it in detail here and bring all her perspectives into it. My first worry immediately upon watching the show was that it would widely promote a falsely wholesome and well-to-do image of regular life in the DPRK.
Kindly check other YT defectors who are from the different regions of NK. They really loved CLOY as it is a close to accurate representation of their lives in NK, especially in the elite class of Pyeongyang and the village people.
This is interesting.
I encourage you to continue making videos.
You are good at explaining things.
Just found this video. One great thing about CLOY is it peaked my curiosity about North Korea. I have always been curious, but I used that motivation to do quite a bit of reading and learning. Eventually even bought Yeonmi’s book and followed this channel. So Crash Landing inspired this American to learn something.
Love getting your unique perspective and insight. When you say being an individual is bad there, I can't even imagine it. I've always been proud of being my own person. Life in North Korea is like an alternate universe. Something you would see in an episode of Black Mirror or Twilight Zone. Happy you got out! Keep the videos coming!
Crash Landing actually made me curious on North Korea which led me to your channel and now that I am a subscriber, I am learning a lot about NK! Thank you for your channel and amazing insight you bring. I look forward to more videos
I saw your review on the show. I can't stop watching it. To see some of the things you talk about happen on here is wild. Love you & the show!!!!
My wife is a Korean Drama addict and she insists that I must watch the shows with her. Crashlanding on you was one series we watched together. I found the show improbable especially how people seemed to come and go from Nth Korea to the rest of the world and how one of the show's characters who was 'hiding' in Nth Korea because of a crooked deal he made with Se Ri Yoon's brother in Seoul. Never the less I did enjoy the show to an extent. The drama part was a bit too much though. All the tears that were shed!!! It was a river but it also had very funny parts in it too. Thank you for your wonderful RUclips show. I watch your episodes religiously and I really wish that one glorious day that North and South Korea can reunite into one democratic country and live together joyfully and in peace.
Just finished the drama and I was really pleased with it!
Actually, when I was watching it, I assumed that there was some restrictions to how truthful they could be about North Korea- they probably didn't want to create any tension my making the drama show all the poverty etc.
Haha I thought you were going to do this, it's amazing you did! You are very humble!!! Thank you for making these videos 😊❤
“The other side of the goodness” you are so sweet! 😂
That was the most beautiful series I’ve ever seen. It was real hard to watch it though.
I can’t watch it again :( breaks my heart.
I’ve worked with nurses from the north in Libya 2 decades ago, and yes they were in between commenting few things fr n.k and i witnessed that they were cautious & guarded. Some of them became closed to me during those days, i wander how they are now & hope they were all okay 🙏🏻❣️
What were they doing in Libya?
@@mademoiselledauphine hospital employment as Nurses 👍they were all competent & approachable.
Damn, from starving in a North Korean rural town to becoming a famous RUclipsr in the Democratic U.S. Just think about that. Life is crazy.
Sound is perfect now ♡ Thank you for hearing my feedback ♡
I binge watched “Crash landing unto you!” 🥰😍🤣
When my dad was studying in Geneva he was invited by a North Korean fellow student to the birthday of a leader of North Korea in the embassy. My dad did not go...still I found this interresting. Thank you for your vidéos!
I enjoyed your show this morning. Blessings to you and your family.
omg im so happy you reviewed this🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽☺️i love this show and watched it with subtitles for hours 🙈🤓 do you know if a season 2 is coming??? hugs & kisses from london uk, love your channel 🥰
Loved this video! Thank you! Much love from the US!
Wow. I am halfway through this series, and while watching it, I thought of your channel and what your perspective of the show would be. I am excited to watch this video after I finish the show. Thanks for sharing your experience with us!
I loved that Drama I watched it and it was amazing, I wondered how accurate they were. Thank you for reviewing this, I couldn't help but laugh at some of the things that went on, but the blockade thing with the roads, after hearing other North Korean's stories, I realized how real that actually was and it's scary...
First Drame i ever watched, sooo good, still listen to the soundtrack
I loved the show!! I was wondering too how captain was a “privileged “ person. He had his stuff at home, decent supplies, food..etc. is it true about the car license plates? That several registrations are from top people from the city?
Yes, there are special car licenses that only reserved to elite members of the army/ruling class
Yup. Check out other yt reactors who are from the elite class in Pyeongyang. They said the elite class representation was kinda spot on.
I have recently become addicted to the Korean dramas. The quality of storytelling is awesome, something sorely lacking in Hollywood and other American movies. I am currently watching Crash Landing on You and immediately noticed that it took place in a privileged military community. I wondered how the movie would have differed if she had landed in an ordinary N. Korean town. But even in that privileged military community there were children living on the street struggling to survive, random house searches, monitoring of activities, etc. Thanks for your bringing some rational perspective into this.
Dear Yeonmi, great to watch your videos! Would you please talk about your view on the German reunification? Its 30th anniversary will be on 2020-10-03, so now would be a good time for that. Some think it might serve as a model for Korean reunification, since there are a lot of similarities.
Omg can't believe my eyes, I saw just now on my Netflix this show has hindi dubbing as well, I'll definitely gonna watch this❤️
Loved your book and love your videos ❤️ stay strong, healthy and safe, you are for sure one of the strongest people out there
This drama was so good and had me crying 😭😭❤️❤️
Hello Yeonmi . I just got your book the other day and it's so good and inspiring.
I'm still on chapter 4 but it breaks my heart to see how many Nort Koreans have to bear such hard laws and do hard work just for so they can put food on their family's table. I'm so heartbroken for the life you had to go through and other people still go through it. I pray to god that it ends soon. Thank you so much for your great story.
When you were talking about sleep overs in America I thought of another topic you could discuss. Are there still any things we do here related to individualism or the way that the people interact with the government that you still can't rationalize or have trouble navigating? Or maybe disagree with?
So interesting !!! Thank you for sharing this. I loved the show.
Who had the most realistic North Korean accent? Kang Nara said Yang Kyung-won did the best job, is that right?
I see CLOY as a way to humanize Koreans and to empathize with the people of the North, I loved that even within the youth (Se-ri and her friends) there were multiple cultural shocks like the way to prepare 김치, rice and even drinking soju, also when doing gestures, well, things that people normally do in a daily basis. But what I see the most is the multiple wishes of reunification of some. I love that love is a thing in Korea and because of this they prefer to put themselves under risk before their families lives.
My favourite actors were Son Ye-Jin, Hyun Bin and Oh Man Seok.
What confuses me is the end. They did not end up living happily together. The end was that they only can neet two weeks in secret in Switzerland every year. So he stays in North Korea all the time and only come to Switzerland for two weeks a year like her? As far as I understood. But tgat is not so important.
Tank you so much for clearing up what is a rather true level about the things shown in the show regarding in North Korea and being so brave to talk about it. Please stay healthy and all the good wishes for you, Yeonmi 🍀☀️
Well as long as the two Koreas are separated they cannot live happily ever after together. Ri cannot leave North Korea for more than 2 weeks per year as if he did his whole family would most probably be executed or at least imprisoned. And Seri would end up in prison of she went to North Korea probably by being accused of being s spy. They got as much happy ending as it gets.
You are a really strong woman ❤️❤️💕💕
I felt very good of listening to you.. so nicely explain with sweet voice you got❤️
So insightful. Thank you Yeonmi 💞
You are serving the wrong Korea
@SoliDeoGloria 07 you need camp for re educate
‘Crash Landing on You’ is one of the best Korean Dramas ever!!!
I haven’t watched this k drama yet. I have watched a lot of drama from Korea, Japan, Taiwan and China and a few from Thailand. I watch them on VIKI and Netflix. Park Bo Young in Strong Woman Do Bong Soon was hilarious, Go Ara in Black I am watching now. 😆 Puff Kuo in Just You, Annie Chen in Love Now, Tia Lee in Fall in Love With Me also a series called Oh My Ghost which has a Korean and Thailand version . All so much fun to watch.
CLOY is the best ever K Drama.... Still cant move on
i'v been watching korean show's or soap's i think there called, its like a drug haha once you watch one you want to see more
Hi Yeonmi, could you also explain the language part of the series ? Did they speak in South Korean during the whole show? As you said the word ‘love’ doesn’t exist in North Korea; but in the show North Koreans are using the word love (e.g the North Korean fiancé of the officer uses it). Thank you! Also did the actors playing North Koreans characters try to have a North Korean accent or do they all speak with their South Korean accent? Thank you!
i have the same questions!
Captain Ri is so handsome 😍 love that show I watched it 3 times already!
I didn’t get it in CLOY they didn’t end up living together. They just go every year for few weeks to meet each other. I guess. Correct me if i am wrong.
each year, they meet for 2 weeks. It is sad but something id better than nothing. They make the most of the time they have together.
There's a huge push right now for Netflix to film a season 2 of CLOY, so maybe the story will change into a happier ending...
@@cindymoblo6008 how do you know there is a push?
I got the same understanding and even tho it's nice they can see each other for two weeks ever year, it still pains me they can't be together for real. I hope they continue the story.
@@cindymoblo6008 no one has pushed though. Considering the A-list actors and the notable writer, I highly doubt they’d want a season 2. CLOY ended on a very good note.
"Pachinko" by min jin lee is a really good read to learn more
Your skin is so beautiful! Can you please do a skincare routine video!? 🙏🥰
Thank you so much for this video! I enjoyed watching this drama but was dying to know how accurate it really is.
It's so great to hear your perspective! ❤️ xoxo
Since you crash landed on Americans, I think we all want to just hug you and love you. You're an awesome Asian flower!
You deserve all the success in the world due to your bravery! : D
I hope your channel becomes very popular.
Never would have thought about the sleepover thing. I just assumed that since it was such small countryside town where everyone probably knows each other and suddenly a stranger appears is good reason enough to arrest and interrogate her
I just put this on my Netflix queue immediately lol
Thank you for this video!
What things do you not like about South Korea and the West? Many suicides in the south of Korea due to the intense pressure to succeed.
When I saw the show I immediately thought of you and wondered what you thought 💭 about it. Finally now I know your thoughts. Thanks for the video !
Thank you for your insights! What was in my mind is the accuracy of some points. There are the electricity blackouts in the village, but is electricity a thing there? I often see documentaries say, that there is no electricity in the countryside.
And is Dan‘s lifestyle realistic in North Korea?
Would love to hear from one of you. I really enjoy the show lately and want to learn more about korea.
You’re so pretty. Thanks for this interesting video. 😊
I got the impression that their travel to Switzerland can only happen once per year when he can leave North Korea for the orchestra. Sad but seemed more realistic
I've heard of this show but have never watched it. Anyway, I hope I may get a taste of the North Korean custom watching this!
Luv ya! Stay safe!
Understand it was a romcom, but the female lead should have been terrified instead of sassy.
Because of this kdrama, my family is now aware of North Korea.
To think that you would have to go to a magistrate and ask for permission to stay at a friend's house. The simple things we in the West take for granted. Thank you for this video!
In order to avoid spoilers I watched the whole show from start to finish, what an emotional rollercoaster 😭 before listening to this.
I enjoyed the show for the first half but I found it dragged towards the end. Thank you for talking about it! It's really nice to be able to hear about it from the point of view of a North Korean. I remember watching it and wondering how accurate it really was.
Great Perspective, Yeonmi
I'm reading your book at the moment. And I was wondering if I can ever watch or enjoy Crash Landing on You again. That's why I was looking for this video. It was nice to hear your opinion about it. In case I'll rewatch the show again some day I'll keep in mind it's not the real north Korea.
Wish you all the best ❤
I Love the Show! I just found your Channel Today and I watched a lot of your videos