The spread of the North Korean culture in Poland

Fri Oct 24 2025 at 02:15 pm to 04:00 pm UTC+02:00

Niels Henrik Abels vei 36 , 0315 | Oslo

UiO - East Asian Lunch Seminars
Publisher/HostUiO - East Asian Lunch Seminars
The spread of the North Korean culture in Poland
Advertisement
Dear all,
You are invited to East Asia Lunch Seminar event/guest lecture for KOR2510, "The spread of North Korean culture in Poland", on Wednesday, 24.10.2025, at 14.15-16.00, SB Aud 1, by Nicolas Levi, a French-Polish scholar.
These unable to participate in this special lecture physically may join us via ZOOM:
https://uio.zoom.us/j/66035680446Lenker til en ekstern side.
Meeting ID: 660 3568 0446
Summary: The lecture investigates the dissemination of North Korean culture in Poland, situating it within the context of Cold War alliances and socialist bloc cultural diplomacy. It traced the ways in which art exhibitions, film screenings, and official delegations were employed to promote an idealized image of North Korean society, emphasizing the role of visual arts and cinema as key vehicles of ideological messaging. Polish receptions of these cultural imports were complex, combining recognition of their propagandistic aims with a certain curiosity toward their aesthetic and exotic qualities. While the political transformations of 1989 curtailed official channels of exchange, the legacy of these encounters persists through scholarly inquiry, private collecting, and selective artistic engagement. The lecture underscored how Polish fascination with North Korean socialist realism reflects broader tensions between art and ideology, memory and propaganda, ultimately framing Poland as a distinctive case study in the global reach of North Korea’s cultural soft power.
Bio: Nicolas Levi is a French-Polish political scientist and researcher at the Institute of Mediterranean and Oriental Cultures of the Polish Academy of Sciences, specializing in North Korean studies. His work focuses on three main projects: the study of religious life in North Korea, the analysis of the country’s cultural assets, and research on relations between North Korea and selected european countries (France, Germany, Central European countries). He has published widely on these topics and is the co-author of J’étais diplomate nord-coréen, written with former North Korean diplomat Han Jin-myung, which provides rare insights into the regime’s inner workings and diplomatic strategies.
Advertisement

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Niels Henrik Abels vei 36 , 0315, Niels Henrik Abels vei 36, 0371 Oslo, Norge, Oslo, Norway

Icon
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

Ask AI if this event suits you:

More Events in Oslo

AKTUELT: Selvforsvar mot svindel
Fri, 24 Oct at 12:15 pm AKTUELT: Selvforsvar mot svindel

Oppsal treffsenter 60 pluss

 Executive Investor Lunch
Fri, 24 Oct at 12:30 pm Executive Investor Lunch

Apotekergata 10, 0180 Oslo, Norway

Fredskonferansen 2025 "Stopp v\u00e5penkappl\u00f8pet!"
Fri, 24 Oct at 01:00 pm Fredskonferansen 2025 "Stopp våpenkappløpet!"

Pilestredet 42 og 46, OsloMet, Oslo, Norway

Workshops by Kelly Agathos (Greece \/ Belgium) | Oslo Impro Festival 2025
Fri, 24 Oct at 02:00 pm Workshops by Kelly Agathos (Greece / Belgium) | Oslo Impro Festival 2025

Slemdalsveien 15, 0369 Oslo, Norway

PRAXIS Residency sharing with Heidi Rustgaard
Fri, 24 Oct at 03:00 pm PRAXIS Residency sharing with Heidi Rustgaard

Praxis Oslo, Vestre Elvebakke 10, 0182 Oslo, Norway

H\u00f8stsabbat 2025
Fri, 24 Oct at 03:30 pm Høstsabbat 2025

Kulturkirken JAKOB

10km Pacing Bislett
Fri, 24 Oct at 03:30 pm 10km Pacing Bislett

Bislett stadion

Seminar med R\u00f8dt Fredsnettverk
Fri, 24 Oct at 04:00 pm Seminar med Rødt Fredsnettverk

Normannsgata 47, 0655 Oslo, Norge

Landskapsarkitekturdagen 2025
Fri, 24 Oct at 04:30 pm Landskapsarkitekturdagen 2025

Grønland Boulebar & Spiseri

The Other Tap Festival 2025
Fri, 24 Oct at 05:00 pm The Other Tap Festival 2025

Urtegata 9, 0187 Oslo, Norge

Oslo is Happening!

Never miss your favorite happenings again!

Explore Oslo Events