Video & Audio

A State of Mind (DVD)

The film dramatically conveys how an authoritarian regime has shaped the minds of its people. The film provides images of Pyongyang and the way of life of the people who reside there. Interviews reveal that North Koreans are very interested in our war in Iraq and convinced that the United States is an imperialist threat to their way of life and that our economic sanctions are the source of their hardships.
The film focuses on two delightful teenage girls who are selected to train for the Mass Games and whose lives revolve around a daily routine to prepare for the Games in hopes that the Dear Leader will be there to see them perform and know that they are good communists. The shots of the actual Mass Games where 100,000 people participate in an elaborately choreographed exhibition of dazzling colorful, perfectly synchronized routines will stay in your mind forever. Highly recommended for junior and senior high students.
DVD/ 94 minutes. Amazon.com ( $29.95).

Arirang 1 & 2

The documentary has two parts, “The Korean American Journey,” which covers Korean American history from 1903 to about 1960, and “the Korean American Dream,” which continues the story through the present. The first part details the story of the first Korean American immigrants who became laborers on Hawaiian sugar plantations. It also explains the role Koreans in America played in supporting the independence movement to liberate Korea from Japan. Part 2 of the documentary covers the WWII period and the impact of the Korean War and the immigration reforms of the 1960s on the growth of the Korean American community. A segment examines the Los Angeles riots of 1992 when many Korean businesses were burned and looted. The concluding segment looks at a community in transition and looks ahead with optimism.

Parts 1 and 2 are 60 minutes each.
Cost (total for both Parts 1 & 2): $29.95 for individuals, $49.95 for educational institutions
To order the DVD of the two hour documentary or the CD/DVD with interactive classroom lessons about the Korean American experience, go to the website: www.arirangeducation.com

Ch’unhyang

Im Kwon-Taek’s film is based on one of Korea’s most famous folk tales. The film includes beautiful cinematography, traditional costumes, and the hauntingly beautiful sounds of p’ansori. Released in 2001. English subtitles. Available Amazon.com. It is also available through Netflix.

Interactive Classroom on the Korean-American Experience

This website includes a remarkable collection of memorable images, sound and historical information to educate teachers and their students about the Korean American experience. A CD/DVD was released in 2005 that includes lesson plans, four short films and nine extended interviews with well-known Korean Americans.
Cost: $19.95 for individuals, $39.95 for educational institutions
To order the DVD of the two hour documentary or the CD/DVD with interactive classroom lessons about the Korean American experience, go to www.arirangeducation.com

Nuclear Nightmare: Understanding North Korea

This is an exceptional documentary that provides an overview of Korean history from the early 20th century to the Clinton and Bush administrations. It provides coverage of the hardships of life in North Korea, the leadership of Kim Jong Il, attitudes of North and South Koreans towards the United States and the challenges of the Bush administration. You may Google to access this documentary.

P’yongyang Diaries

A remarkable film simply for the fact of being made. It provides a much needed counterbalance to the available print and film resources on Korea which are almost entirely devoted to South Korea and usually ignore the one third of the Korean population who live North of the DMZ. 52 minutes. Distributed by First Run Icarus Films, 1998. Visit this title on icarusfilms to learn more or to purchase.

Phone: (800) 876-1710
Purchase: $390.00
Rental: $75.00

Sop’yonje

This is the first internationally recognized Korean film. I introduced my students to this film; the impact was stunning. Sop’yonje opened their world to the human experience of being Korean in the twentieth century. Each one of my students professed love for the film. The story takes place during the 1950s and 1960s and introduces viewers to p’ansori, the traditional music of Korea. (117 minutes)
For a copy, send a blank video and money for postage to:
Korean Cultural Service, The Embassy of the Republic of Korea, 2370 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20008

Tales of Korea I and II Podcast

Download from the Korea Society. Suitable for particularly for elementary students. Cathy Spagnoli’s captivating voice and her readings of Korean folk tales will charm all audiences. An excellent teaching technique for understanding of Korean society and culture. Highly recommended story is “The Naughty Green Frog.”