In this powerful episode of If I’m Really Honest, Jamin Coller speaks with Song Mi, a North Korean defector who escaped at age 17 after years of hunger, surveillance, and propaganda. Song Mi shares how her mother’s escape opened her mind to the outside world, the dangers she faced crossing China, Laos, and the Mekong River, and what it was like to be monitored 24/7, endure public executions, and attend self-criticism sessions. She also explains how she learned about South Korea and the West, how propaganda shaped her childhood, and why “truth is not allowed” inside North Korea. This conversation goes far beyond her book, exploring what daily life is (and isn’t) like for North Koreans, why family networks are critical to escape, and the misconceptions outsiders often have. We also discuss her work today as Manager for External Affairs at Freedom Speakers International, the organization that helped produce her story and is now making a documentary about her family’s journey.

Guest Links

• https://smile.amazon.com/Greenlight-Freedom-Korean-Daughters-Herself-ebook/dp/B09SPVHGQF

• https://www.patreon.com/cw/caseylartigue • https://www.patreon.com/c/fsi21/home

Show Links

• IfImReallyHonest.com

• Superfan Page – JaminColler.com/iirh_Superfans

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