Every Falling Star: The True Story of How I Survived and Escaped North Korea

Throughout the book Sungju clings to the folk stories, myths, and propaganda about the superiority of Kim Il-sung and the communist party that were drilled into him as a child, even though the reality he sees and experiences is at odds with these stories. Sungju’s continued loyalty to Joseon’s regime, as well as his dream of returning to Pyongyang and one day serving in the military like his father, prove the innocent and the sheltered nature of his early childhood. Much like the nation at large, Sungju believes that all of the legendary, mythic stories about Kim Il-sung are true, even when they are clearly fabricated or exaggerated. For example, he recalls: “Our eternal leader made rice from sand on the shores of the Duman and Amnok rivers to feed his army and turned pinecones into grenades when his armies were weaponless” (6). As readers, we understand that there is no way a man could actually be immortal and that it would be impossible for him to transform pinecones into grenades or sand into rice. But a child could easily be brainwashed by these stories, which helps explain why others in Pyongyang also believe them. Like many North Korean citizens before him, Sungju places his faith in the regime after being brainwashed by its propaganda.