Dear Comrade

Dear Comrade Leader, Episode 182

interlude. The Republic’s First Christmas (2)

When Ryu Hae-il, who was supported by evil, confronted him, Goatbeard did not stand still, his face blushed and pointed at him.

If it’s a different charge, or at another time, I don’t know. Currently, Hyun Young-sook, the head of the censorship committee, who is an executive of the Central Committee and one of his direct superiors, is sitting right next to him.

If he doesn’t properly address the corruption allegations that have just been publicly raised, the dreadful anti-corruption bureaucracy’s blade may fall on his neck.

In an instant, the meeting room of the censorship committee, which had been quiet and tense with tension, was transformed into a large-scale street where grown-ups couldn’t afford a night out.

“back… … look back? What nonsense are you talking about now? I clearly looked up to heaven and followed the guidelines and guidance of the Party, without a single point of shame, the people knew that I had faithfully engaged in the censorship work, and the Party knew, and the current comrade here… … .”

“… … And the workers at the Swiss hand watch (watch) Rolex store in Pyongsong were well acquainted with it! Who among the businessmen in the distribution business in the Republic of Pyongyang doesn’t know that every time a foreign currency hangs at a theater in Pyongyang, the Swiss hand clock in the closet of the living room of the councilor’s house increases by one? Not long ago, Rolex was bitten and you changed your line to Cartier? How admirable that skill is!”

“this… … !! Where the hell are you spreading rotten rumors! If you don’t close that snout right away, you’ll get a great price… … .”

“Stop it. comrades. Director Kim Young-il will not punish whoever gives or receives the bribe. Of course, so am I.”

“… … !”

When Hyun Young-suk, the absolute ruler of this position, interrupted the two people who seemed to be grabbing their neck at any moment, Ryu Hae-il, goat beard, and even the other members of the committee froze and shut their mouths.

They got excited about each other and confessed their crimes without knowing who was here.

Ryu Hae-il had no choice as he would have died if he had stayed still a while ago, but the judge with a goatee had his face turned blue and his lips were trembling.

Corruption in the high-level was almost eliminated by the general secretary strictly cracking down on it.

Since it is practically impossible to crack down on all corruption in the party’s cell organization, it was the reality of North Korea’s transition from communism to capitalism to openly send and receive significant bribes, whether from the private sector or from the party.

But that doesn’t mean we’re going to skimp past the corruption that has been plainly reported in the face of high-ranking officials.

“… … It is a surprising achievement to have unexpectedly discovered a toxin that corrodes sugar. Clear and detailed guidelines for censorship should be prepared soon to end the review left to the discretion of the members. But, comrades, you were lucky today.”

“… … yes?”

“The reason I came here today is because of the movie that Comrade Ryu Hae-il wants to distribute… … I have a special interest. So, if I can explain well here, I am willing to not only pass the censorship, but also plead for a slightly reduced punishment within the level of the Party Discipline Committee without going to the Anti-Corruption Investigation Bureau.”

“Tea, are you serious?”

“Sure. As it happened at the Central Inspection Committee, which is a committee under my jurisdiction, I have a certain amount of responsibility, and even if the general secretary is an accomplice, I have discretion to that extent as he instructs the watchdog to punish them more severely.”

In an instant, Goat’s beard and Ryu Hae-il’s expressions changed to heaven and earth.

Unlike the Bureau of Investigation, which has almost extra-legal punitive powers on all institutions, regardless of the party, the military or the private sector, the Party Discipline Committee has only the power to deprive the members of the party, even within the party.

Of course, Goat’s beard, who has an enemy in the party committee, is almost at the level of deprivation, but in the case of Ryu Hae-il, he is not without punishment, but still, it is much milder than being investigated directly by the Bureau of Investigation.

“… … Of course, on the premise that I am here to explain well that there is no ideological uncertainty in my past and present distribution business.”

“ah! yes! Of course I can explain! The movie I want to distribute right now is an American movie, but… … In all respects, it is a film that faithfully fits the Party’s ideology and the three major lines of the guiding ideology of the General Secretary!”

Ryu Hae-il, who was suddenly awakened, shook his head quickly, which is rare in his life, and began to convince Hyun Young-sook.

Think! think! please help me! bone pain!

“That… … The plot and resourcefulness of the protagonist, who is at a disadvantage, against the invaders, shows how our republic, who is underpowered, fights against foreign forces that believe in their numerical superiority and achieves victory!”

“… … That’s it, isn’t it all American Hollywood movies?”

“Well, not only that… … Compared to other American films that take the adult man as the main character, this film takes on a child who has just escaped from an infant as the main character. I can teach you that you can do it!”

“It’s not unreasonable, but as you know, it’s been 10 years since the general secretary taught that children under the age of 17 should focus on their studies, not military training, right after taking office. Gone are the days when the party policy was that children should be given gun bombs rather than candy canes.”

“Gee, Girum… … ! ah! That’s right! In the play, the main character, the kid, can show a good example of instilling the traditional values of the Korean people in the children of the republic who are growing up by showing respect for the grandmother next door… … .”

“… … .”

Looking at Ryu Hae-il, who picks up almost anything, Hyun Young-suk sighed inwardly and dropped his gaze to the papers.

In the ‘Title’ column of the document containing the plot of the movie that Ryu Hae-il was about to bring in, it was written:

Home Alone 3

“… … No police, just the security guard part.”

“yes?”

Ryu Hae-il, who was gibbling in embarrassment, opened his eyes to Hyun Young-sook’s blunt point of view and asked again.

“It means you can get through if you just censor the security guard part. In the middle, there’s a scene where the US security guard (police) ignores the main character’s notice even though it’s not a big deal, right?”

“… … Gee, that’s right, but… … .”

“I will censor that part because it can foster distrust of public authorities and the system in growing children. In the past, it would have been propaganda that the US police were so incompetent and indifferent to their people, but now the diplomatic situation is different.”

“Well, that word… … .”

Ryu Hae-il asked again with a glimmer of anticipation despite his tense expression.

Hyung-suk shook his head and got up from his seat and nodded casually.

“Yeah, let’s go through it. I will streamline the other procedures at my own discretion, so if you only censor the parts you say, you could get caught in the theaters of the Republic before the end of the year.”

“Go, thank you! Thank you! Comrade Hyun Young-sook!”

“Thank you. There will be inspections by the Discipline Committee, newspapers, and reference investigations soon, so keep your mind in mind. Still, there were complaints about the censorship committee’s activities, and it was good. Then I am alone.”

Contrary to the other censorship members who had become stingy at the last word, Hyun Young-sook left the meeting room, leaving Ryu Hae-il full of joy to return to buying an Air Jordan for his son.

As he went back to the company in the waiting official car and passed the downtown department store street, Hyun Young-sook looked out the window.

Surprisingly, a fairly huge Christmas tree was erected.

‘It’s changed a lot.’

Who could have imagined that a Christmas tree with little light bulbs shining brilliantly in Pyongyang, not anywhere else?

After Michael Jackson’s visit to North Korea, people’s consumption of American culture that had been hidden (but enjoyed secretly) increased significantly, as if an implicit lifting of the ban had been lifted.

And it was the high-end department stores in Pyongyang that had to make consumers open their wallets with excitement that boldly brought to the fore, Christmas, one of the ‘hit products’ of such a consumer-oriented and materialistic culture.

It is the same as in the United States and North Korea, where colorful Christmas decorations contrasted with the cheerful mood of Christmas and the end of the year and the white snow falling from the sky stimulate consumption and impulse buying.

“… … By the way, who the hell is that girl?”

Looking at the children playing around the Christmas tree, which is three times the height of a human, Hyun Young-sook muttered, recalling why he was in charge of censorship by going to the deliberation meeting himself, a lower-level department, today.

Actually, Ryu Hae-il didn’t know, but whatever he said today, the release of ‘Home Alone 3’ in Pyongyang was almost decided.

Because, not long ago, Hyun Young-sook saw the general secretary of the company looking at the trailer at Home Alone from the US news tap with indescribable eyes.

“… … Comrade general secretary? Maybe that movie… … ?”

“… … The actor has changed.”

“yes?”

“That movie. In Part 1 and Part 2, the actors were replaced. Poor Kevin. He was always my Christmas friend when I was a kid.”

‘… … ?’

Hyun Young-sook didn’t understand for a moment what the general secretary was talking about, but he could understand to a certain extent that he recalled memories of his childhood.

It was not surprising, as he was well aware that Pyongyang’s high-ranking children, especially children of Baekdu blood, secretly (but openly) enjoyed foreign products and American films.

But she left the company today and came here for a different reason.

“If the general secretary is interested, I will get the film and upload it. Maybe if you watch it in a theater dedicated to your residence… … .”

“No, no. Anyway, someone will be bringing it to the Republic soon anyway, so let’s see then. It is something that Kim Jong-il did in the past for me to enjoy the foreign countries banned by the people alone. I will see you at the same time as the people. But even so, she really likes this series and it must be hard to wait.”

“… … .”

That is the reason why Hyun Young-sook came to the film review meeting, which can be called a chore, and accelerated the process today.

The sincerity of the general secretary to set an example for others is respectable, but understanding the intention in advance and aligning it with the intention is the way to become a loyal loyalist who survives for a long time.

Just as the general secretary said, the deliberation of the movie waiting for its release was being delayed, and it was pure curiosity that moved her legs to a job that would require just one phone call if she was in her position.

I wondered what kind of movie it was and where the expression ‘handmaiden’ came out of the general secretary’s mouth.

“… … Are you Hye-rim Yoo’s comrade?”

I thought about it several times, but no matter how much I thought about it, that was the only answer.

Waiting for the release of her favorite movie for the girl she likes.

Knowing the general secretary, Hyun Young-suk felt a strange bitterness, relief, and envy from Yoo Hye-rim, who received such a love, that he had a side like an ordinary man.

And thanks to the deliberation carried out behind the scenes like this, ‘Home Alone 3’ finished all the procedures in just two weeks and was caught in theaters in Pyongyang during the first Christmas season of the Republic.

* * *

“… … That’s not fun. After all, the actors change… … .”

“is it? That’s the dilemma of all series water. that it ends with a dragon head A good sequel is always difficult.”

After the screening of the movie at the dedicated theater was over and the casting roll went up, Junghwan laughed at the harsh criticism from Yoo Hye-rim.

This series, which decorated the childhood memories of his own, no, all Korean children, did not escape the sequel to most Hollywood films after all.

“Actually, even if it’s not, I’ve always hated this series. The boy looked back so much. Aren’t the victims so pitiful?”

“Maybe it’s because we’ve grown up. Originally, watching the same movie as an adult and seeing the same movie as an adult look different. Maybe it will look different in the eyes of children?”

Junghwan laughed like that, haha, thinking of everyone else in South Korea and the Republic who would be watching this movie by now.

Did they know this day would come?

In Pyongyang, the day Home Alone is screened on Christmas?

Thinking that far, Junghwan wanted to say something.

To Hyerim Yoo next to me and to everyone else.

“Captain Yu.”

“Yes, comrade?”

“Merry Christmas! haha.”