Every Falling Star: The True Story of How I Survived and Escaped North Korea

Ghosts, or yu-reong, are mentioned throughout the text, often right before or just after a tragedy occurs. In addition to acting as a literary device, much like magical realism and foreshadowing might, the ghosts also remind Sungju that he, or someone close to him, is about to cross a threshold, either death or separation (or both).

Notably, Sungju dreams of death and ghosts before both Myeungchul’s and Young-bum’s respective deaths. He also claims to see the ghosts of young boys who died while in the guhoso. These incidents all fit in with the narrative’s mythic feel, given young Sungju’s belief in Kim Il-sung’s ability to transform natural objects into food and weapons, and his later belief in “seers” who can tell his fortune.

Since the book is a work of narrative nonfiction, it could be argued whether the ghosts are meant to be taken literally or if they are a means to describe the ineffable feeling of loss that Sungju suffers after witnessing so many deaths. Either way, the repeated images of ghosts symbolize the end of one phase of Sungju’s life and the beginning of another.

Much like the ghosts mentioned above, dreams are a key feature in the text. Sungju devotes a lot of time to detailing his dreams and what they reveal to him throughout the narrative. His dreams often tell the future or warn him about something, and his dreams even reveal to readers a fear or worry that they may not otherwise be aware of. The significance of dreams is made apparent in the first two sentences of the book: “I dream. And in my dream, I’m a general in the army of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea” (1). Starting the book with this dream indicates that dreams are meant reveal where Sungju is on his personal journey and reflect his state of mind.

Dreams and daydreams often keep Sungju going even during times of great struggle. Sungju’s father instructs him to think about warm, rich food when he is hungry to trick himself into feeling full. Dreams also warn him of hardship to come. But losing himself to dreams won’t fix anything, as the death of Myeungchul, the dreamiest member of the gang, makes clear. Myeungchul is an eternal optimist who openly daydreams about what he wants in life. He is the first gang member to die in a fight. Sungju knows that dreams can sustain him during difficult times, but leaning on them too much will only cause him to suffer more—or perhaps they will distract him and lead him to his death.