YouTube channels on North Korea are gaining popularity in South Korea after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has become a familiar face on domestic news after three summit meetings with South Korean President Moon Jae-in this year.

Producers of the North Korean content are mostly those who fled North Korea in the past. One of the popular YouTubings on North Korea is run by former North Korean defector dubbed “North Korean Man TengGo.” He talks about his direct experience in the North, and his channel has more than 6,000 subscribers and has received over 870,000 views since the opening in 2015.

Another YouTube channel “BeNaMu TV” broadcasting group talks about a subject related to North Korea since 2014 has drawn over 95,000 followers with almost 65 million views.

Some video clips had drawn over 1 million views.

“Rising YouTube content about North Korea shows the growing interest in the North among South Koreans," said Yang Moo-jin, professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul. “The latest trend will help South Koreans have a better understanding of the North.”

Outside South Korea, there are also 10 YouTube channels featuring the North.

Interest in the video blogging on North Korea has rapidly grown since South Korea and North Korea re-engaged in dialogue to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula early this year. The young leader of the world’s most reclusive country Kim Jong-un debuted on the world stage through his first summit with South Korean counterpart President Moon Jae-in in April and posing as a confident leader instead of merciless and erratic dictator through several meetings with world leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping and the U.S. President Donald Trump since then.

By Kim Jung-beom and Lee Ha-yeon

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