Inside Japan’s North Korea fan club

Emil Lendof

featured

Nov 2, 2017

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Chunhun (R), the leader of Japan’s North Korea fan club called sengun-joshi, or military-first girls, and other members practice a Moranbong Band dance in Tokyo

Chunhun (right), the leader of Japan’s North Korea fan club called sengun-joshi, or military-first girls, and other members practice a Moranbong Band dance in Tokyo. Reuters

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North Korea fans attend a North Korea fan event in Tokyo

North Korea fans attend a fan event in Tokyo. REUTERS

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Chunhun (C), the leader of Japan’s North Korea fan club called sengun-joshi, or military-first girls, and other members perform a Moranbong Band dance during a North Korea fan event in Tokyo

Chunhun and other club members perform a Moranbong Band dance during a North Korea fan event in Tokyo. REUTERS

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North Korea fans dressed as the Korean People’s Army adjust their clothes in front of a portrait of North Korea’s late leader Kim Jong Il before a North Korea fan event in Tokyo

North Korea fans wear Korean army uniforms in front of a portrait of North Korea’s late leader Kim Jong Il before a fan event in Tokyo. REUTERS

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Chunhun, the leader of Japan’s North Korea fan club called sengun-joshi, or military-first girls, looks at a photobook of North Korean art in Tokyo

Chunhun looks at a photo album of North Korean art in Tokyo. REUTERS

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A North Korea fan wears a pin of North Korea founder Kim Il Sung and late leader Kim Jong Il during a North Korea fan event in Tokyo

A North Korea fan wears a pin of North Korea founder Kim Il Sung and his son, the late leader Kim Jong Il, during a fan event in Tokyo. REUTERS

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North Korea fans dressed as the Korean People’s Army stand in front of a portrait of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a North Korea fan event in Tokyo

North Korea fans in North Korean military uniforms stand in front of a portrait of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. REUTERS

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Chunhun, the leader of Japan’s North Korea fan club called sengun-joshi poses for a selfie with another member in Tokyo

Chunhun (left) poses for a selfie with another member in front of portraits of the Kims after their Moranbong Band dance practice in Tokyo. REUTERS

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A member of Japan’s North Korea fan club called sengun-joshi, or military-first girls, is seen in front of books of North Korea during their Moranbong Band dance practice in Tokyo

A member of the sengun-joshi is seen in front of books on North Korea. REUTERS

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Chunhun, the leader of Japan’s North Korea fan club called sengun-joshi smiles as she practices a Moranbong Band dance in Tokyo

Chunhun grins as she practices. REUTERS

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Chunhun, the leader of Japan’s North Korea fan club called sengun-joshi, or military-first girls, puts on North Korean make-up in Tokyo

Chunhun puts on North Korean makeup. REUTERS

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Chunhun, the leader of Japan’s North Korea fan club called sengun-joshi, or military-first girls, fixes her hair before a Moranbong Band dance practice in Tokyo

Chunhun fixes her hair before dance practice in Tokyo. REUTERS

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Members of Japan’s North Korea fan club called sengun-joshi, or military-first girls, make toothpick North Korean flags in Tokyo

Fan club members make toothpick North Korean flags. REUTERS

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A member of Japan’s North Korea fan club called sengun-joshi, or military-first girls, wears a pin of North Korea founder Kim Il Sung in Tokyo

A fan club member wears a Kim Il Sung pin. REUTERS

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Chunhun (center) and the others perform a Moranbong Band dance in Tokyo. REUTERS

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Chunhun, the leader of Japan’s North Korea fan club called sengun-joshi, or military-first girls, attends a rehearsal of a Moranbong Band dance before a North Korea fan event in Tokyo

Chunhun rehearses. REUTERS

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