First released in 1989, Noonbit Publishing’s The People of the North (also titled Coréennes, which is French for “Korean”) was an immediate hit in South Korea’s photography community for its fascinating documentary portraits of North Korean life. But just 2,000 copies were printed in its first run, and though it sold out completely, the book didn’t come back into print until 2008, despite demand from collectors.
“The People of the North” was a groundbreaking photography collection, stitching together a searing portrait of life in North Korea from small, achingly ordinary fragments. French film director and photographer Chris Marker’s 140 black-and-white photos, taken just after the war ended in the 1950s on a trip to North Korea, were enough to make waves in the local photography community. While North Korea was trying to escape from the scars of war through reconstruction, Marker captured the “People of the North” with his roving lens.
The photography collection also reflects two themes that went on to inform Marker’s later work in film. His most famous film, “La Jetee” (1962), explores the aftermath of nuclear war; the acclaimed “Le Joli Mai” (1963) captures the hopes, fears and dreams of ordinary Parisians, culled from 55 hours of interview footage shot by Marker and collaborator Pierre Lhomme. In People of the North, Marker’s sensitivity shines through in the individual moments he chose to capture and highlight, moments of intense, abiding humanity that are still arresting decades later.
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Men engaging in the ancient hobby of archery.
A town sharply divided between tile and thatch houses can be seen in the background. What is the girl in focus thinking about?
