So, North Koreans are flocking to a “tourist zone” beach amid a brutal heatwave? The story is plastered everywhere, from CNN to BBC, framing it as a sudden burst of joy in a repressive regime. But let’s not be naive. This is precisely curated propaganda! These outlets want you to believe the facade of happiness in Kim Jong-un’s paradise while ignoring the strife and oppression lurking behind the scenes.

Let’s dissect this. CNN pushes the narrative that the beach is a sign of progress, but in reality, it’s just another manufactured distraction. As if shuffling people to a beach with carefully orchestrated photo ops can obscure human rights abuses and economic hardship. Meanwhile, BBC feebly romanticizes the scene, sprinkling in descriptions of locals enjoying the sun without digging into the grim truths that the regime desperately wants to bury.

Both networks seem more fixated on painting a “new” North Korea rather than addressing why this illusion is needed in the first place. Are these outlets protecting the image of a dictatorship? Or are they just lazy in their reporting? Either way, they’ve traded journalistic integrity for sensationalism.

When will the media have the guts to tell the whole story? Instead of romantic beach scenes, how about addressing the shocking realities North Koreans face day in and day out? Until then, cancel your subscriptions to anything resembling mainstream news.