Andrei Lankov è un esperto di spicco della Corea del Nord e insegna storia alla Kookmin University di Seoul. Il suo background accademico comprende studi presso l'Università Statale di Leningrado e un programma di scambio presso l'Università Kim Il-sung di Pyongyang. Lankov offre approfondite intuizioni sulle complesse realtà dello stato totalitario.
In The Real North Korea, Lankov substitutes cold, clear analysis for the overheated rhetoric surrounding this opaque police state. Based on vast expertise, this book reveals how average North Koreans live, how their leaders rule, and how both survive.
The book explores the enduring rule of the Kim dynasty in North Korea, highlighting the oppressive environment shaped by Stalinist principles. Amidst the manipulation and brutality of Kim Jong Il's regime, it reveals how some citizens navigate and resist the harsh realities of life under strict social control, finding ways to assert their humanity and agency.