Final answer:
South Korean media has been suggested to influence North Koreans to develop a capitalist mindset by exposing them to different lifestyles and ideologies. North Korea attempts to control this influence by confiscating smuggled videos to maintain its ideological dominance. Media can cultivate perceptions of reality, potentially impacting North Korean citizens' views on governance and society.
Step-by-step explanation:
The author draws a connection between media from South Korea and the mindset of North Koreans by suggesting that exposure to South Korean media may influence North Koreans to develop an understanding or even a preference for a capitalist mindset. The smuggled cell phones and videos from South Korea, such as South Korean soap operas, offer North Koreans a glimpse into a world with a much higher standard of living, a different political structure, and elements of state-controlled capitalism. This exposure can challenge the North Korean government's propaganda and potentially foster aspirations among North Koreans for a similar way of life, as they see the prosperity of their southern neighbors.
Given that North Korea has taken hard measures to stay in power and to avoid yielding to the capitalist culture, the consumption of South Korean media by North Koreans poses a threat to the government's ability to control information and maintain its ideological dominance. Furthermore, Professor Robert Entman emphasizes that media can influence political preferences and evaluations, which could be particularly impactful in North Korea where societal norms are strictly imposed. It is noted that the North Korean government tries to prevent the spread of South Korean media by conducting house-to-house searches to confiscate the smuggled videos, demonstrating their concern over the potential influence of such media.
This understanding aligns with the broader concept that media not only reflects reality but can cultivate perceptions of reality by framing and priming its audience, as well as through narrative cultivation.