Today, Tomorrow," She Said. "a Day Is

A Good Story Feels Both Surprising And Inevitable, Fresh And Familiar.

But, In North Korea, It's Just The Opposite. There's One Story. It's Written By The Kim Regime. And 23 Million People Are Conscripted To Be Secondary Characters. There, As A Youth, Your Aptitude Towards Certain Jobs Is Measured, And The Rest Of Your Life Is Dictated, Whether You'll Be A Fisherman Or A Farmer Or An Opera Singer.

The Urge To Create A Fictional Narrative Is A Mysterious One, And When An Idea Comes, The Writer's Sense Of What A Story Wants To Be Is Only Vaguely Visible Through The Penumbra Of Inspiration.

I'd Known That The Visit Would Be Highly Scripted And That Genuine Interactions With Citizens Wouldn't Be Possible, Since It's Illegal For Them To Speak With Foreigners. Still, I'd Thought I'd Had A Unique Look At North Korea, Only To Discover I Was Wrong.

I Am A Champion Standing Over The Shadow Of My Former Self.