{
  "id": 4502517,
  "title": "North Korean youth embrace hand gestures to express emotion",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/30/north-korean-youth-embrace-hand-gestures-to-express-emotion",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-30T21:13:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily NK",
    "slug": "daily-nk",
    "url": "https://www.dailynk.com/english/north-korea-youth-hand-gestures-v-sign/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In North Korea, a new trend has emerged among the younger generation as they adopt hand gestures to convey their emotions, according to sources within the country. This shift marks a stark contrast to the older generations, who primarily expressed feelings through words and facial expressions, rather than specific finger movements. A source in North Korea told Daily NK that the V sign, where the index and middle fingers are held together, and the gesture of holding two fingers beneath the chin have become popular among young people. However, these expressions are typically reserved for close friends and are avoided in the presence of adults or strangers, as the regime tightly controls the flow of foreign culture. The source noted that the use of such gestures has been facilitated by state-produced videos, such as the 2024 music video for Kim Jong Un's song \"A Loving Parent,\" which featured a thumbs up gesture, or \"eomjijeok\" in Korean. This gesture, signifying approval, has since spread among North Korean youth. The adoption of these gestures reflects a growing openness among young North Koreans to showcase their feelings, even if it stems from outside influences. Despite the cultural exchange, the regime finds it challenging to monitor and control every private gesture exchanged among young people, highlighting the ongoing struggle to maintain strict control over information and behavior within the society.",
  "summary": "Young North Koreans are increasingly flashing V signs and other hand gestures to express their emotions, a habit that marks a clear departure from older generations, according to sources inside the country. A source in North Korea told Daily NK on Friday that “you never used to see people making a V sign with their […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}