Life in North Korea: Everyday Life in the Juche Country

Methodology and Conclusions

In his book, Andrei Lankov skillfully combines personal observations, interviews with defectors, and rare testimonies from foreigners who have visited North Korea with a deep analysis of official documents and propaganda materials. His research methodology is based on painstakingly comparing scattered fragments of reality, extracted from under the weight of total censorship, and on a careful study of the everyday lives of ordinary North Koreans. Lankov does not settle for superficial descriptions but penetrates to the very core of daily life, customs, and the mentality of Juche country residents, revealing hidden survival mechanisms, internal contradictions, and subtle nuances of social adaptation. His conclusions are free from sensationalism: the author, with restraint and respect for human fate, shows that behind the façade of ideological monolithism lies a complex, multilayered world where people, despite severe restrictions, find paths to personal happiness, display ingenuity, and preserve their dignity. Lankov's book is not only a detailed chronicle of life in a closed society but also a profound reflection on the nature of human resilience and the ability to adapt in the most unusual circumstances.