It's not the same as allowing Pay-Per-View, but it can still be "viewed" with wonder: North Korea has allowed the film "Bend It Like Beckham" to be aired on North Korean television. The British soccer film is the first Western movie to be aired on North Korean TV.North Korea, however, is known to be wild about soccer, and even participated in the 2011 World Cup.
The 2002 comedy stars Keira Knightley, Parminder Nagrea and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers. It follows follows British-Indian Jesminder "Jess" Kaur Bhamra (Nagrea) as she tries to convince her conservative Indian parents to allow her to play soccer.
The reference to "bend it" comes from soccer star David Beckham's ability "bend" the path of a free kick, but it also apparently had the subtext of bending the rules of life.
Although the film was edited, Great Britain's North Korea ambassador Peter Hughes, who helped arrange the viewing, saw it as a great step. He said,
"This was the first Western film to be broadcast on North Korean TV, and as well as football covered issues such as multiculturalism, equality and tolerance. Apparently the people were amazed that a Western film was shown. And there has been a buzz around the country as people have talked about the film and its content."
