Key insights

• 📊 Ground news offers a bias distribution chart to compare news coverage from different political perspectives
• 🔍 The app features a blind spot feed to highlight underreported stories
• 🌐 It aims to provide a comprehensive and engaging perspective without political bias
• 🌍 Users can stay informed about current events globally by using the website or app
• 💰 Kim Jong-il led an extravagant lifestyle while oppressing the people of North Korea, continuing the regime's prevalent cult of personality with heavy censorship and indoctrination
• 🍔 Kim Jong-il's extravagant lifestyle contrasted with the dire food situation of North Koreans
• 🐇 A man sent rabbits to North Korea to help with food shortages, but they were eaten at Kim's birthday banquet
• ⚠️ North Korea's citizens faced severe restrictions including limited access to electricity, controlled media, and strict mourning regulations under Kim Jong-il's rule

Q&A

• What happened to the actress and her ex-husband in North Korea?

  The actress and her ex-husband were brought to North Korea, given lavish accommodations, but also faced imprisonment for disobedience. They were ordered to make films for Kim Jong-il, including a monster feature film, and ultimately escaped to a U.S. embassy after eight years.

• What were the portrayals of Kim Jong-il in the media?

  North Korean media portrayed Kim Jong-il as a talented writer, prolific golfer, and avid movie director. He was also known to have abducted a South Korean actress, Choi, to North Korea.

• What were the daring attempts to address food shortages in North Korea?

  A man sent rabbits to North Korea to help with food shortages, but they were eaten at Kim's birthday banquet. Kim Jong-il also tried to breed giant rabbits in an effort to address food shortages.

• What food situation did North Koreans face under Kim Jong-il?

  North Koreans had limited food choices, while Kim indulged in luxury items like Hennessy cognac. The average North Korean diet was restricted to items like corn porridge, vegetables, and rarely eggs and meat. Kim even tried McDonald's despite it being forbidden in North Korea and invented a similar 'double bread with meat' dish.

• What were the impacts of Kim Jong-il's regime on North Koreans?

  The Kim dynasty built a prevalent cult of personality and heavily censored information. The regime sustained its power with the support of a large armed forces and indoctrination system. North Koreans faced severe restrictions, including limited access to electricity, controlled media, and strict mourning regulations.

• What was Kim Jong-il's lifestyle like?

  Kim Jong-il led an extravagant lifestyle while oppressing the people of North Korea, continuing the regime's prevalent cult of personality with heavy censorship and indoctrination. His lavish lifestyle contrasted with the dire food situation of North Koreans.

• How does Ground News aim to present news?

  Ground News aims to provide a comprehensive and engaging perspective without political bias, enabling users to stay informed about current events globally by using the website or app.

• What is Ground News?

  Ground News is a website and app that provides diverse perspectives on news stories, allowing users to compare coverage across the political spectrum and view underreported stories. It offers a bias distribution chart to compare news coverage from different political perspectives and features a blind spot feed to highlight underreported stories.

• 00:00 Ground news is a website and app that provides diverse perspectives on news stories, allowing users to compare coverage across the political spectrum and view underreported stories.
• 01:52 Kim Jong-il led an extravagant lifestyle while oppressing the people of North Korea, continuing the regime's prevalent cult of personality with heavy censorship and indoctrination.
• 03:40 Kim Jong-il's extravagant lifestyle contrasted with the dire food situation of North Koreans. North Koreans had limited food choices, while Kim indulged in luxury items like Hennessy cognac. Kim even tried McDonald's despite it being forbidden in North Korea, and then invented 'double bread with meat' similar to a hamburger.
• 05:22 A man sent rabbits to North Korea to help with food shortages, but they were eaten at Kim's birthday banquet. The media portrayed Kim Jong-il as a talented writer, golfer, director, and kidnapper.
• 07:04 An actress and her ex-husband were brought to North Korea, where they were given lavish accommodations but also faced imprisonment for disobedience. They were ordered to make films for the supreme leader, including a monster feature inspired by Godzilla, and ultimately escaped to a U.S. embassy after eight years.
• 08:51 North Korea's citizens faced severe restrictions including limited access to electricity, controlled media, and strict mourning regulations under Kim Jong-il's rule. Mourning for the deceased leader was a matter of life and death for the citizens.