Skip to main content

The context you need, when you need it

When news breaks, you need to understand what actually matters — and what to do about it. At Vox, our mission to help you make sense of the world has never been more vital. But we can’t do it on our own.

We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today?

Join now

The Netflix of North Korea features propaganda films and Russian lessons

Sorry, no “Orange Is the New Black.”

2014 Asian Games - Opening Ceremony
2014 Asian Games - Opening Ceremony
Photo by Stanley Chou/Getty Images

Streaming video has reached one of the least connected countries on earth.

North Korea now has its own Netflix-style service called “Manbang” — meaning “everywhere” — according to a report on NK News, which specializes in news related to the country.

But just as North Korea offers most citizens only a highly censored, limited version of the internet, the new service is also limited.

According to NK News, citing state television, the service offers on-demand Russian and English language lessons and “documentary films about the leadership,” as well as articles from the state news agency and one of the country’s newspapers. The content is delivered via a specialized set-top box that also offers access to five television stations.

As Variety’s Janko Roettgers notes, there appears to be one global constant, no matter what streaming content is available: Kids want to watch the same thing over and over. Now, with the right access, they can.

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

More in Technology

Podcasts
Are humanoid robots all hype?Are humanoid robots all hype?
Podcast
Podcasts

AI is making them better — but they’re not going to be doing your chores anytime soon.

By Avishay Artsy and Sean Rameswaram
Future Perfect
The old tech that could help stop the next airborne pandemicThe old tech that could help stop the next airborne pandemic
Future Perfect

Glycol vapors, explained.

By Shayna Korol
Future Perfect
Elon Musk could lose his case against OpenAI — and still get what he wantsElon Musk could lose his case against OpenAI — and still get what he wants
Future Perfect

It’s not about who wins. It’s about the dirty laundry you air along the way.

By Sara Herschander
Life
Why banning kids from AI isn’t the answerWhy banning kids from AI isn’t the answer
Life

What kids really need in the age of artificial intelligence.

By Anna North
Culture
Anthropic owes authors $1.5B for pirating work — but the claims process is a Kafkaesque messAnthropic owes authors $1.5B for pirating work — but the claims process is a Kafkaesque mess
Culture

“Your AI monster ate all our work. Now you’re trying to pay us off with this piece of garbage that doesn’t work.”

By Constance Grady
Future Perfect
Some deaf children are hearing again because of a new gene therapySome deaf children are hearing again because of a new gene therapy
Future Perfect

A medical field that almost died is quietly fixing one disease at a time.

By Bryan Walsh