North Korea has just launched its own Netflix-style streaming service

By Trevor Mogg August 22, 2016

north korea streaming service korean tv — Image used with permission by copyright holder

North Korea now has its own Netflix-style streaming service. Sort of.

The highly secretive state reportedly launched the service in recent days, offering citizens in three cities, including the capital Pyongyang, access to five streamed channels alongside a selection of on-demand content.

Going with the name Manbang, which apparently means “everywhere” in Korean, the service’s set-top box is also streaming English and Russian language lessons, as well as a selection of state-approved newspaper articles.

In addition, it lets users “replay documentary films about the leadership,” according to NK News, an independent media outlet that focuses on North Korean affairs. Yes, it does seem like a rather limited range of content, which by the sounds of it will mainly include features about the current leader Kim Jong-un, as well as additional programming about his father and grandfather, both of whom also led the famously isolated country.

“The box allows viewers to search for programs by typing in the title, or by browsing through categories, offering similar functionality to Netflix in the United States,” NK News said.

But North Korean viewers won’t be getting anything close to what Netflix offers. That’s right, The Interview, among other less controversial content, will not be landing on the service anytime soon. For movies made outside of North Korea, its citizens will have to continue to rely on smuggled material from activists like this guy who’s been using drones to carry USB drives loaded up with Western movies into the country.

With its broadband infrastructure limited as well as tightly controlled, it’s not clear how many people will actually be able to access Manbang. It’s thought only a few thousand people in the country – population 25 million – have access to the internet, with special permission necessary needed to get online. In addition, anyone with a personal computer must also register ownership of their machine.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Contributing Editor

Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…

Entertainment

Netflix suspends its streaming service in Russia

Netflix has become the latest tech firm to suspend operations in Russia following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

“Given the circumstances on the ground, we have decided to suspend our service in Russia,” the U.S.-based company said in a widely reported statement on Sunday, March 6.

Entertainment

The best on-demand streaming services

Amazon Fire TV Streaming Stick 4K

Of the nearly countless on-demand streaming services out there, three stand out: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Netflix. Unfortunately, choosing which one is worthy of your credit card information and time isn't an easy task -- and with a combined subscription fee that's north of $40, subscribing to all three isn't a viable option for most.

Even if you're cutting the cord, the trio -- merged with a channel-specific service such as CBS All Access or HBO and a live TV platform such as Sling TV -- could add up to the same monthly cost as your traditional cable or satellite. So much for those cord-cutting savings, huh? That's why it's important to understand what you need from an on-demand streaming service. So, to help you find the best on-demand streamer for you, we've put together this comprehensive comparison guide.
Price
Amazon offers two main versions of its Prime subscription, either $119 annually or $13 per month (or $59 annually when you sign up with a valid student email address). Both versions net you the same perks, including two-day shipping -- or free one-day shipping in some cases -- discounted prices on select items, cloud storage, and, most importantly for our purposes, on-demand video (and music) streaming. The best part is that 4K Ultra HD content with HDR comes standard at no extra cost. Plus, you can share accounts with friends and family, so everyone can get in on the deals.
Netflix's various subscription tiers currently range from $9 to $18 depending on your desired video quality -- SD resolution is just $9 per month, but you can only stream on one device at a time. Moving up to HD will cost you $14 per month for two streams while moving up to 4K Ultra HD will now cost you $18 per month for four streams at a time. The prices will also go up should you add the DVD/Blu-ray rental service.
Hulu currently starts at just $7 for the ad-based service or $13 for the ad-free option (which we still highly recommend, even at nearly double the cost). Hulu's options don't stop there as it also offers a streaming live-TV package called Hulu+Live TV for $65 (increasing to $70 per month as of December 21, 2021), which is similar to Sling TV and YouTube TV. The subscription includes more than 75-plus channels on top of the service's regular on-demand library, and there are also add-on features at an additional fee, including a $6 fee to get rid of most ads altogether. You'll also get better savings with Hulu if you're a Disney+ and ESPN+ subscriber, as the illustrious Disney Bundle saves you $6 on the streaming trio.
Especially for those who want to stream 4K at the lowest possible price, Amazon is the cheapest bet and has stated that the company won't raise prices for 4K streaming. The sheer number of extra features and benefits included in Amazon Prime gives it an advantage over its competitors, as well. Throw in Amazon's student discount, and this is an easy win.
Winner: Amazon

Gaming

Netflix launches its new video game platform on Android devices

Netflix gaming service on Android.

Netflix announced that its new gaming initiative has officially launched today, November 2nd. Five games are currently available on the mobile platform, including Stranger Things: 1984 and Stranger Things 3: The Game. Netflix promises to add more titles to the platform later on.

In August, Netflix rolled out its gaming service in Poland as part of a test. Originally, only players in Poland had access to Stranger Things 1984 and Stranger Things 3: The Game. However, now the service is available worldwide and has added three new games to the platform: Shooting Hoops, Card Blast, and Teeter Up. The only requirement to play these games is to have a Netflix account and an Android device. The games do not require an additional fee in order to play them and there are no microtransactions.