North Korean citizens executed for watching South Korean series. A study conducted on a sample of 25 people who fled the country.

A research group conducted 25 in-depth interviews with North Koreans, including 11 who fled between 2009 and 2020. Most of the interviewees were between 15 and 25 years old at the time of their escape. They reported that watching South Korean dramas and listening to K-Pop can lead to severe punishments, including executions. Those without financial resources face the harshest consequences, while wealthy families can bribe officials for leniency. For example, Kim Eunju, 40, recounted the public executions she witnessed in her adolescence. In 2020, the Anti-Reactionary Law was adopted, which prohibits the consumption of South Korean content, establishing penalties of forced labor of up to 15 years for those caught. A UN report highlighted the increase in surveillance and control over citizens, and Amnesty International warned that these dystopian laws most affect those without wealth or connections.