CLASSIC: The American Soldiers Who Defected to North Korea and Became Movie Stars

CLASSIC: The American Soldiers Who Defected to North Korea and Became Movie Stars

Author: iHeartPodcasts November 1, 2025 Duration: 36:33

In this weekend's Classic episode, Ben quizzes Max on his dreams of being a director, ultimately asking: What would the average person do to become famous? Often described as one of the most isolated countries in the world, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has been ruled by the Kim dynasty since 1948. And while most reports of defectors focus on harrowing stories of North Koreans escaping to freedom in China or South Korea, a handful of people actually traveled in the other direction, defecting to North Korea. Listen in to learn more about the strange journeys American soldiers took, away from the military and straight to the forefront of North Korea's film industry.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


History is beautiful, brutal and, often, ridiculous. Join Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown as they dive into some of the weirdest stories from across the span of human civilization in Ridiculous History, a podcast by iHeartRadio.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Ridiculous History
Podcast Episodes
CLASSIC: Susanna Caroline Matilda: The Colonial Grifter Princess [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:51
In this week's Classic episode: Have you ever dreamed about shedding your old identity, casting aside your obligations and becoming an entirely different person? Susanna Caroline Matilda, narrowly escaping death after st…
A Samurai Walks Into The White House [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:44
History is often taught as a series of discrete, unrelated events -- and that could not be further from the truth. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore a fascinating Venn diagram of historical events... and lear…
What is SantaCon -- and Why Do So Many People Hate it? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:25
One thing about the United States -- we'll throw a party for anything. As a result, it's no surprise that back in 1994, a group of well-meaning pranksters in San Francisco decided to don Santa Claus costumes in a whimsic…
CLASSIC: History's Weirdest Flexes, Part Two [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:09
While the phrase 'weird flex' may be relatively recent, it turns out that this phenomenon is as old as human civilization. Join the guys with special guests Miles and Jack from The Daily Zeitgeist as they explore some of…
CLASSIC: History's Weirdest Flexes, Part One [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:03
Do you know anyone who decided to show off in a weird way? While the phrase 'weird flex' may be relatively recent, it turns out that this phenomenon is as old as human civilization. Join the guys with special guests Mile…
"Resting Bicycle Face": Bikes and Women's Rights [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:09
Nowadays bicycles are a common sight across the world -- they're efficient, convenient, and a great way to get in some exercise. Yet in the late 1800s they were ground zero for a culture war over women's rights. In today…