Nothing to Envy

Nothing to Envy is structured around Mi-ran and Jun-sang’s romance. How does their love frame the events that follow? What do details about dating and sex in North Korea contribute to the book? How does the resolution of their romance effect the book’s arguments about North Korea?

Mrs. Song and Dr. Kim are both “true believers” for most of their lives. What factors change their minds? What convinces them to defect? How do their new lives in South Korea compare to each other’s, and what accounts for their different levels of satisfaction?

Choose one piece of North Korean propaganda contained within the book: a song, a lesson plan, a poster, or a press release. Then, analyze its effect. Was it meant for a foreign audience, or a domestic audience? What does it intend to teach that audience about North Korea? How is it used by Demick within the text? Could it be interpreted differently?