Original subtitles

[Radio chatter]

Narrator: How do we deal with a country like North Korea?

Isolation? Threats? Or dialogue?

♪♪

Norwegian artist Morten Traavik

has worked with the regime for years.

Now, he's here to propose a risky project --

a modern art academy inside the world's most secluded country.

[Man speaking Korean]

Okay. So, you visited my country

more than 11 or 12 or something.

It's a good thing because then you came here not as a tourist,

but you came here as a cultural exchange

and mutual understanding between the countries.

So, I sure appreciate your visit,

but you should welcome our troops, as well,

to other countries.

You should be the introducer,

introducing the Korean culture to the others.

Traavik: I am the introducer.

This is the reason why we are here,

why we are having this meeting.

You are aware that, in our part of the world,

there is a lot of political negativity towards the DPRK.

So, for each of the projects that we do together,

we are like the drop

that hollows out the stone, as they say.

How to deal with it? What is your plan?

The idea for this DMZ Academy is that

by inviting artists from many countries and many continents,

we are creating more and more understanding

and more and more people realize that the DPRK is open.

[Speaking Korean]

Okay. So, according to these plans, step-by-step,

that I hope to develop,

improve and facilitate our cultural exchange

between your country and my country.

[Speaking Korean]

[Speaking Korean]

♪♪

♪♪

Reporter: Our top story this morning,

the dangerous situation on the Korean Peninsula

is getting more intense.

♪♪

♪♪

Reporter #2: War of words between the U.S. and North Korea is intensifying.

Reporter #3: President Trump says Kim Jong-un

will be tested like never before.

♪♪

♪♪

Host: So, who will flinch first?

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: After more than two years of planning,

Morten arrives in North Korea

with a select group of international artists.

The group is invited to spend a week

in the capital, Pyongyang,

producing art and meeting North Korean colleagues

who rarely get input from the outside world.

[Camera shutter clicking]

♪♪

Traavik: The DMZ Academy is the first-ever

contemporary art seminar in North Korea.

For me, the scenery here is very similar

to some small part in China, you know.

-Mm-hmm. Yeah. -I mean, you know,

all the people. -The whole landscape.

People riding bicycles.

Narrator: Morten has hand-picked the foreign artists

who all represent art forms not known or allowed in North Korea.

♪♪

His idea is to use modern art as a Trojan Horse

inside the totalitarian regime.

♪♪

Traavik: It's not to bring peace and democracy to North Korea.

I mean, they have to sort that out themselves.

But it is to question the way we and they look at the world.

♪♪

To rage within the machine instead of raging against it.

♪♪

[Laughter]

You can see how there's still some, you know, happy people.

They're pretty... pretty happy.

♪♪

Narrator: The Academy is hosted

by the Committee for Cultural Relations.

Traavik: Chocolate Eskimo? Ice cream, anyone?

Their goal is to turn the artists

into North Korean allies.

Delicious.

An invitation they might regret.

Are you walking or staying here?

No, I think we are going back in the bus,

but if you want to have a walk, it should be fine.

Just go?

♪♪

♪♪

[Horn honks]

Oh. Oh. Oh!

-Now he'll go to jail. -Yeah.

-He violate the traffic. -Yeah.

The regulation also.

Of course, it's not my fault, but it's his.

Please, please.

I warn you a time.

Please don't leave the tour group again.

Okay?

He's just hoping to be arrested

by one of the beautiful traffic ladies.

-Okay. And being tortured. -Yes, being tortured.

So, being tortured by the beautiful officer.

-Very intimately, yes. -No problem.

[Laughs]

If our people see him just crossing the road,

they will say, "Oh, you, why are you crossing the road?"

So, that is why. Avoid that.

[ Speaking indistinctly ] Stop him.

She was actually showing him what not to do.

♪♪

♪♪

Nowak: I started building sound systems.

When I finished one, I would start another one...

and that became like an addiction.

♪♪

I can't bring physical artworks to North Korea,

but I can bring a soundscape

and talk about perception of reality.

♪♪

Traavik: Alright, guys.

The idea behind this whole enterprise

is actually to expose you

to North Korea and vice versa

and see what happens, basically.

Man: We probably can jump into the questions

about how to produce and...

You will be sharing studios with Korean artists.

When we get to the situation where we can present ourselves,

I think we should just try to engage them in an inviting way.

It will be, like, in one of the studios

or in a meeting room at the Pyongyang University

of Fine Arts.

But the Committee asks to review the contents

of your presentations...

Mm-hmm.

...just to make sure that you will not be too naughty.

[Laughter]

Is it something naughty?

Oh, it's very, very naughty.

Is it very French?

It's very universal, I must say.

I hope it's not too rotten.

I kept it in the fridge, but...

-So, it's-- -Oh, it's kind of...

a bit like... [Sniffs]

But -- No, it still smells okay.

This is my blood.

It's your own blood?

It's my own blood, yes.

I have, like, a bottle in my freezer at home,

and I just took a sample of it.

What do you use it for?

-What? -What do you use it for?

Uh, I took into -- for a presentation

because I printed a poster with human blood, as well.

So, I use this. This little tool.

You know, I spike my finger.

[Click]

Really? Oh, shit.

And I sign my books.

-Like this? -Yeah.

♪♪

Valnoir: What inspires me is what is negative

in the human mind?

Right now, I'm crushing bones to create ink.

It comes from this piece of hip,

a human hip that will be used then for printing.

So, maybe you can see that the texture is very abrasive.

North Korea triggers my curiosities a lot.

I'm very curious to see what happens

when you confront our vision of art

and their vision of art.

Can I sit?

-Yeah. -Here, you mean?

Narrator: A censorship screening is set up by Mr. Ham.

He wants to make sure that North Korean artists

will not be contaminated by their visitors.

I am removing what has been rejected.

[Giggles]

They don't want this, this, this, this or this.

So, I work with the music industry,

and I design cover artworks for bands.

So, this is like a jacket,

a rock jacket, but with the patches

stitched on the back of the guitar player.

Yeah. [Speaking indistinctly]

So, this I will show and I will explain.

Me, I cannot get the point.

Please give me the message you want to convey.

So, look. This is blood. We made ink with the blood,

and we printed 100 copies of this poster with my blood.

[Laughs]

Traavik: If I can interject, as an artist,

if you want to show people

that I am willing to do anything for my art,

you use your own blood. It's like your own heart,

your own feelings, into your art.

I understand that you extracted your own blood

and you used coffins.

It's really, you know, kind of...

-Horrifying. -It's bizarre...

-Bizarre, yeah. -...printing,

but just showing them this is bizarre printing.

I don't think that's the kind of message that inspires people.

At the moment, I would say you are not ready.

Who will be the next?

Man: Oh, I can. Yeah.

Ms. Yun.

This is for you.

Okay, thank you.

But I need to sign it before --

No! No, no!Man: What he is doing?

That is...

-Forever. -Oh.

To my future wife, Ms. Y...

-Y-U-N. -Y-U-N.

♪♪

This is called the "Permafrost."

[Speaking indistinctly]

Yeah.

Do you have some painting related to people's life?

Everyday life, you mean?

Nothing related to politics. Just, you know, mood.

Yes.

[Blows]

You have to let it dry for a few minutes.

Yeah. Thank you.

Kiss me.

[Both giggle]

Do you have any women...?

Just to my girlfriends.

Okay.

I think Mr. Ham, he will kill you.

Why?

Because you give him this extremely hard task.

No. Soft task.

Soft task? Come on!

Alright. So, see you tomorrow then, eh?

♪♪

I think it will be fine.

Beautiful. I love this clash of cultures.

[Whistle blows]

Pres. Donald Trump: No-one has shown more contempt

for other nations and for the well-being

of their own people

than the depraved regime in North Korea.

If the righteous many do not confront the wicked few,

then evil will triumph.

It is time for all nations to work together

to isolate the Kim regime

until it ceases its hostile behavior.

♪♪

Narrator: Every morning,

flag ceremonies take place to motivate people

on their way to work.

♪♪

German sound artist Nik has made an appointment

with Mr. Ham to record the performance.

♪♪

Morning.

But when Mr. Ham does not show up,

Nik faces a dilemma.

Here's the wall.

We can't get through here without Mr. Ham.

I'm worried that Mr. Ham is not amused when we go without him,

but we could also just go.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

[Music stops]

You are in our country.

Yeah, I know.

Then acting alone with all the gears,

especially with camera, with microphone,

pointing like this,

it looks suspicious without explanation.

And without me, you cannot explain it to the local people.

Okay.

That's what I'm worried about.

You can be mistaken for something else you are not.

-Okay. -That's why I'm here.

I thought because it's just a few meters, it's okay

because you knew that I'm here and that I'm going.

I thought it's okay if I already start.

Without explanation, it looks suspicious

without authority.

It looks like -- -It's not supposed to be there.

It looks like...suspicious.

Okay. Alright.

It's okay.

No hard feelings, but, you know.

I'm sorry and I apologize.

You could be better.

-Yeah. -What's up?

What have you done now?

I have done very nice photographs.

Narrator: The hosts are personally responsible for their guests.

Their job is to stay with them at all times

and, of course, make them fall in love

with Korean art and culture.

♪♪

Look at that.

♪♪

Traavik: I think you will struggle to find any society,

anywhere in the world,

where art is used to promote the state ideology

to such an extent as you will see in North Korea.

You see art everywhere.

♪♪

♪♪

But all of that art is tailor-made for once purpose.

One purpose only.

♪♪

So, our President Kim Il-sung said

it is actually the way that painters should paint.

Look at this.

It's crazy good quality.

We have to keep in mind that the history of modern art,

to a North Korean, stops around 100 years ago

when Picasso started making naughty experiments.

If you teach the students about the development

of the European classical painting history,

do you also go further, like the Romantic era,

Impressionists, Cubism and the modern artistry,

or where do you stop?

The important thing is that we have to be

critical about the pieces.

We take only something we really need and apply it.

♪♪

Placht: I have no idea how it's going to look like before I start.

It's a really big mystery each time.

♪♪

Of course, there is always hidden information in artworks

because it's a language.

So, if you want to understand a language,

you also have to give the effort.

♪♪

My strategy for being in North Korea

is to remember, at all times, that I am a guest there.

I'm there to become friends.

Any new person you meet is a potential friend

and so is also North Korea.

The U.S.

The U.S. is under our target.

Understand? -Yeah.

And these are the weapons, as you see.

Yeah.

-Simple. -Very simple. Mm.

-Anything more? -Yeah. This?

Because we have the war here.

-Mm-hmm. -And here's the peace stuff.

The peace is being defended by our strong armies.

-Hmm. -That's all.

So, let's hope for peace.

Yeah. Let's hope for it.

Yeah. Let's work on it.

[Both chuckle]

♪♪

Can we ask the artist, in the 55 years he's worked here,

what has been his favorite moment?

[Speaking Korean]

So, there is a specific moment.

Actually, he consider the moments

whenever our great leader sees works of his and appreciate him.

He consider it to be the happiest moment.

Very lucky. Happy man.

He's painting it from the photo of a painting.

That's why. -[Speaking Korean]

This is what she drew many years before.

He is trying to complete, perfect the picture.

[Speaking indistinctly]

Boyd: They're not painting from their minds.

They're not painting with an idea.

They're painting from a copy.

♪♪

♪♪

Well, this is the second edition

of Sonic In London.

Two days, taking over the entire venue

and it's music which is visual or visual art which is sonic.

Let's go. Let's go, let's go.

I spent 20 years directing opera, orchestras,

and visualizing music.

I just want to wish you luck for the performance

because I know it's the first time you do it

and you're probably very, very nervous.

♪♪

I'm especially inspired

by presenting unknown artists from cultures

we in the U.K. may not know of.

♪♪

♪♪

So, during this trip, I hope that I meet people

and can find out, can I work with these people?

♪♪

♪♪

Wow!

[Applause]

[Conversing indistinctly]

Narrator: At the music conservatory,

the group is given a traditional tour by the director.

[Students singing]

Nik and Cathie are supposed to give lectures to students here,

but when the tour ends,

those plans have obviously been changed.

Traavik: We are now going to have a little talk, yes,

about Mr. Nik, to do the presentation?

What the presentation looks like?

What? Come on, we already agreed on this.

-Okay. -Yeah?

[Speaking Korean]

Nowak: I made recordings, sound recordings,

from the unaudible spectrum.

They are above and below what we can hear,

but I have transferred them into the audible.

[Speaking Korean]

Will here be any people that would hear it, other than us?

[Speaking Korean]

No? Then I won't do it.

It doesn't make any sense. -He will hear.

-What? -He will hear it.

He will hear it? Yeah, that's true.

Okay. Let's do it.

And Mr. Ri, about me being able to present

to a small group of musicians, as was planned?

The plan, please?

We will take it, but now we will just getting Nik's thing going.

So, we will get there but...

[Chirping]

[Warbling]

He is not interested or...?

No. -[Speaking Korean]

Hold a sec.

He heard already.

He heard it already?

But he can't because it's from the upper ultrasonic.

That's bats and insects that you can't hear,

so he hasn't heard it before.

Because these are 40 kilohertz and 60 kilohertz,

and we can only hear to 20 kilohertz maximum,

if he has the best ears on the planet.

[Speaking Korean]

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Right now, even I have to say it's not very easy.

Alright? And I beg you to respect that opinion.

You are really keeping us, the whole group,

on a very, very tight leash, as we say.

You know the dog? -Yeah.

When you walk the dog, you are keeping the dog on the leash.

Right? -We did that?

It's an expression.

Maybe we go out somewhere and just...

But you see, it's even a problem to go out somewhere

because then, somebody would want to do something

and they will be told off,

and we are just making even stronger the negative here.

So then, I would say it's actually better

that we just stay in the hotel, we don't go anywhere,

because it always is a problem because you are not trusting us.

-Yeah, I understand. -Maybe we talk off the camera?

You come here and you see that the people are really happy.

They're genuinely happy.

There is really something functioning.

-Yeah. -But then, it shows you later,

when you, kind of, come to the limits,

it shows how it feels like,

when you just step a little bit out of the frame,

and then it becomes really terrible.

You know what I heard about what some guys

on the Committee said about you?

That you were like a Chinese journalist

and that you are not an artist

because you are just a photographer

and that you are not important for the project.

Okay. I'm fine because, in this country,

people don't see photography as a form of art.

-Yeah. -That's very, you know...

I know it's a very...

It's a complicated topic, you know. Enhh!

But I'm okay.

They see me as, you know, like a fucking photojournalist.

That'll be fine for me.

♪♪

Shih: I'm a photographer and also a filmmaker.

I'm doing my own work as well as commercial work.

♪♪

I think China and North Korea,

we are very cultural close country

because we used to have the same political system.

Our cultures were both influenced by a Soviet culture.

I was, like, "Okay, let's take a time machine to my past."

♪♪

[Television playing indistinctly]

[Cheers and applause]

It's always a bit hard to distinguish,

when you're here, between you being uptight and paranoid

and real difficulties.

So, I think what this project, and the outcome so far, shows

is the dilemma that North Koreans find themselves in.

The wish for some kind of controlled interaction

with the outside world,

but it's impossible to interact without getting influenced.

They have been trying to completely dictate the terms,

and that simply doesn't work,

and, deep down, they do understand it.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: Morten's confrontation with the hosts had an effect

and the artists are now given more freedom

to do what they came for.

Okay.

It's a nice color, I think.

Ooh, this is a beautiful green.

♪♪

Woman: Yeah, quite strange.

It's very different from yours,

but this is how it can look like in the beginning.

So, what do you think? I mean...

Yeah? -It means nothing.

It doesn't represent anything,

but it's a very open way of working.

It's like poetry. Like music, almost.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Your name?

[Conversing in Korean]

Mr...

Mr. Hendrik.

Yes.

And you are? What's your name?

My name...

[Conversing in Korean]

Mr...

The trio. The trio.

Yeah, it's nice. The three knights.

The three musketeers of watercolors.

Okay. [Groans]

[Laughs]

[Babbling]

[Sighs]

You like it? Yeah? You like? It's okay?

[Sighs]

♪♪

Could you look at camera, please?

Like this. That's great. -[Speaking Korean]

[Camera shutter clicks]

Beautiful.

[Camera shutter clicks]

♪♪

Shih: That's okay. Don't be nervous.

♪♪

[Camera shutter clicks]

♪♪

You live your family?

Yeah, I live with my family.

-Okay. -That's better.

When I was your age, I came to Beijing.

I used to live myself because my parents,

they were in another city.

I mean, if you have boyfriend or girlfriend, life will change.

It will feel much better. -Yeah, definitely.

They also say when you get married, you know, life change.

Marriage is, kind of,

we call it the most important thing in life.

Yeah. Yesterday, I saw two boys walking.

They're not young, they're 18 years old, like, hand-in-hand.

Also, like...

you know, in the West, they look like a gay couple.

You know.

Do you think there is any gay here in North Korea?

No?

You know, I think this gay thing

and all these lesbian things

are, kind of, production of capitalist system.

Exactly. Yeah.

Yeah.

We educate people the only good things,

so they can't even imagine about this gay or lesbian

or something like that, you know.

They just walk hand-in-hand because they are friends.

I know. I understand.

I'm from the same kind of political system.

But in China now, you know, gay, it's not illegal.

You can't get married, but there are some gay scenes.

Gay bar. Yeah.

China change like other country.

Not your country, yeah.

So, what's your next dream?

-My next dream? -Yeah.

[Chuckles]

To have a nice apartment?

No.

In our country, if you ask about dream,

it's not about material things.

It's about, you know...

Oh. Yeah.

The wisdom of -- dream for your destiny.

Yeah, we Chinese have changed to another kind of person,

you know.

Some kind of bad person.

A lot of young Chinese, when they're talking about dreams,

they're always about, you know, "I want to be a boss.

I want a new apartment. I want a new car." Like this.

Nobody talking about, you know, your kind of dream.

My dream.

My dream would be...

to become very...

just a simple dream that...

My dream would be to become, you know,

a person which my name would be remembered

by the next generation.

Mm!

Do you understand what I mean?

Yeah.

I feel time here is very slow

and very good.

And the air is very fresh.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

We are really proud of having a great leader.

We consider ourselves very lucky.

Even if the foreign people don't understand it.

What do you feel?

What thoughts or emotions do you feel when you see him?

I feel absolute happiness and honor.

Give me more than that. Expand on that for me.

It's what you feel when you meet a great person,

like a great man.

Have you ever wept in awe?

Yes, of course.

Mm-hmm.

I can't forget being sad the moment

when our glorious Kim Jong-il passed away.

Yeah.

Sorry, I didn't mean -- -This is one of --

No, no, it's alright.

This is one of the power source...

that the foreign... don't understand.

You're right, we don't understand.

-This unity. -Yeah.

This mood.

This kind of philosophy. Spirit.

We consider it to be the most powerful weapon

for our nation, which is unique to our nation.

No, it's true. You have a unity that we don't have.

Narrator: With political tensions already running high,

North Korea taunts the world.

They detonate their first hydrogen bomb

just north of Pyongyang.

[Birds chirping]

Traavik: Did you notice the ground?

My bed was shaking and it felt like a small earthquake.

And the light posts outside were vibrating.

-Oy, oy, oy. -Yeah.

Well, let's go out there now, and I'll put my laptop up.

Please.

[Indistinct conversations]

"North Korea underground nuclear test feared."

South Korea calls national security meeting

after earthquake of magnitude 6.3

detected near a North Korean testing area.

Did you notice the earthquake that was at 12:00?

Boyd: They don't know yet. Tell them.

In the world news right now is that your country

has conducted another nuclear test

and that there will be a press conference.

We very strongly request that we can see this press conference.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

[Applause]

[Speaking Korean]

[Applause]

Why were you applauding?

-The successful test. -Of the nuclear bomb?

-Yeah, yeah. -H-bomb.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Did she say anything where it was? Do you know?

I just spoke to her and they are fully armed.

Mm-hmm.

I mean, we are one of the world powers now

which the U.S. --

You are one of the world's...

...most powerful country with the most powerful weapon

which the U.S. should be very well aware of.

So they should be careful about what they speak to us now.

Wow. You're very brave saying that, Mr. Ham,

because my fear is that America

will wipe out this country in seconds.

You know, the provocations by Trump,

what kind of aggressive words

addressed to us and coming out.

We have to defend our sovereignty, our identity.

I mean, this is serious, you know.

Your leader is a very powerful man

and is very strong-minded

and we have another man in the West

who is equally as crazy at hitting the button.

They are both obsessed with hitting the button.

So, the choice depends on him.

He hits the button, he is to blame, not us.

I know, but we'll all be gone.

Poof! We won't even know.

But it's because of him, not because of us.

No, no, no.

We are living under these sanctions

and everything for so many years.

We have nothing more to give.

Do you know initially who divided your country?

Who divided North and South Korea?

-It's the U.S. -Yeah, exactly.

That's the shame.

They divided you in the first place.

They made this nation two, which you should not be.

You know, being someone from Ireland,

I have a country that's divided.

I hate this. Our countries should not be divided.

Ireland should be one. Yes, exactly the same.

You know, it should not be two --

-One nation. -It should not be divided.

Yeah.

So, yeah. I just popped a Xanax.

I'm waiting for it to kick in

and we'll see what happens, basically.

But yeah, it seems that we are in for some...now, so...

♪♪

♪♪

Sorry, I'm just curious.

There was a test which you may know about.

You know? We had the H-bomb test?

Did you feel the shaking in the tower?

No.

What was your view of the test?

I am feeling very proud of that

because I'm a citizen of a great population.

Yeah, that's my opinion.

No more weak country we are.

We have a good view on the end of mankind here.

What a beautiful day.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Pres. Donald Trump: Rocket Man

is on a suicide mission for himself

and for his regime.

♪♪

Now, North Korea's reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons

threatens the entire world with unthinkable loss of human life.

♪♪

The United States has great strength and patience,

but if it is forced to defend itself or its allies,

we will have no choice

but to totally destroy North Korea.

Oh.

I'm tired.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: While the world worries about a potential nuclear war,

the artists are ready for the conclusion

of a cultural stand-off.

-Nice to meet you. -Hi.

Hi!

[Both chuckle]

♪♪

It is my great pleasure to see all of us gathered here at last.

Many of us have to overcome our own fears to be able to meet.

We also feel that it is a very, very important time

to visit the DPRK now that the tensions are so high.

[ Applause ]

So, good morning, everyone. My name is Jean.

I come from Paris and I'm a visual artist and designer.

So, the name of this project is called "Single Heart Unity."

I took photography of someone walking --

tac, tac, tac, tac, tac --

and then I duplicated those people to make this crowd.

It's a group made out of one single heart.

[Conversing in Korean]

I wish you to produce more of this kind of artworks.

-Thank you very much. -Yeah.

This is reflecting the...

[Conversing in Korean]

[Laughter]

[Applause]

Ah, no, no, no, no.

-I tried. -Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I'm an independent artist.

That means I'm a freelancer.

So I make a living by doing commercial job

and also I can selling my work in gallery.

Light and color is my weapon.

It's all about the light.

[ Applause ]

Thank you.

Thank you. -Yeah, yeah.

-Is this your own works? -Yeah, yeah.

It's all my paintings. -It's oil painting?

Yeah, all of them are oil painting, yeah.

Ah.

Very nice.

Thank you.

[Feedback]

[Warbles and chirps]

Nowak: At least, like, talking to each other,

looking at each other's eyes, there was a exchange.

[Noises continue]

The artists themselves, they're friendly.

It's also not clear what they really think

about their own regime.

Boyd: I would have liked to have heard more from them,

to talk more about their work,

but I'm not sure they have the language yet here.

So, of course, we are living in a different country,

different culture.

But all I can understand,

we are living in the same world of art.

[Applause]

Traavik: It was not like a huge lecture in a stadium,

but still, I mean, we had an exchange.

A real one.

So, what is, "See you again," in Korean?

[Speaking Korean]

[Speaking Korean] Yeah?

[Applause]

Narrator: After a week where both sides

might feel they sacrificed too much,

the artists are ready to return to the outside world.

Traavik: I'm not really prepared

to settle the accounts yet

because I still think it's too early to say.

Maybe one day, 20, 30 years from now,

then we can assess what it meant or not.

Nowak: It's very strange for me now

because the situation is so tense.

But I hope it's just the beginning of something.

Valnoir: You cannot convert the North Koreans.

They would rather die than bending to show their ass.

So this I admire. I mean, they show balls.

Nowak: It's a totalitarian, fascist regime

and I've experienced it.

Still, I would hope to meet some of the people we met here

in 25 years when maybe circumstances have changed.

Shih: I know that the country is very deep.

We're just living on the surface.

If the country will open,

I think they will change rapidly.

Reporter: Historic statements coming from North Korea right now.

Reporter #2: President Trump has now agreed to meet North Korean leader...

Pres. Donald Trump: Most importantly, I want to thank Chairman Kim

for taking the first bold step,

and we're ready to write a new chapter between our nations.

Kim has the chance to seize an incredible future

for his people.

[Applause]

So you never know, right?

Boyd: Why do you give up on anything?

If you never work with countries which are in a difficult regime,

how will they ever change?

And if a country is as shut off as North Korea,

what do we expect?

♪♪

[Vocalizing]

♪♪

♪♪