--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I surrendered all my privacy to write…" description: "\"I surrendered all my privacy to write this book. It was so hard and so painful. I went through so much crazy stuff. But I wanted people to realize that..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28c/park-yeon-mi-5169_book_i-surrendered-all-my-privacy-to-write-th_1685992.jpg" --- # I surrendered all my privacy to write this book. It was so… ![“I surrendered all my privacy to write this book. It was so hard and so painful. I went through so much crazy stuff. But I wanted people to realize that North Koreans are just like them.” quote by Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28c/park-yeon-mi-5169_book_i-surrendered-all-my-privacy-to-write-th_1685992.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28c/park-yeon-mi-5169_book_i-surrendered-all-my-privacy-to-write-th_1685992.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28c/park-yeon-mi-5169_book_i-surrendered-all-my-privacy-to-write-th_1685992.jpg) > “I surrendered all my privacy to write this book. It was so hard and so painful. I went through so much crazy stuff. But I wanted people to realize that North Koreans are just like them.” [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sharing personal hardship reveals shared humanity, even across oppressive regimes. **In simple terms:** Sharing hardship shows we are all alike. Key Takeaway Share personal stories to foster empathy. Themes empathy humanity oppression Mood hopeful somber Type inspirational reflective When to use this quote - activism - education - cross‑cultural dialogue Key Concepts human rights personal narrative Questions to Reflect On - How does personal narrative change perception? - What responsibilities come with sharing painful truth? A Different Perspective Risk of exposing personal trauma can be overwhelming. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Book Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book-hard-582131/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Crazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crazy/) [Crazy Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crazy-stuff/) [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Hard Painful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-painful-431345/) [Korea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/korea/) [North korean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/north-korean/) [Painful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painful/) [Painful Went](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painful-went-1005234/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Privacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privacy/) ## Related quotes > [Before Kim Jong Il died, it wasn't like one day Kim Jong Un took over. Kim Jong Il made sure his son was known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/before-kim-jong-il-died-it-wasn-t-like-one-day-kim-jong-un-took-over/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [My concern is: How on earth is anything more urgent than the lives of people in North Korean concentration camps?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/my-concern-is-how-on-earth-is-anything-more-urgent-than-the-lives-of/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [I have visited slums in Mumbai, I have visited slums in other countries, but nothing is like North Korea because North Korean starvation, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/i-have-visited-slums-in-mumbai-i-have-visited-slums-in-other/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [A North Korean soldier would later recall a buddy who had been given an American-made nail clipper and was showing it off to his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-demick/a-north-korean-soldier-would-later-recall-a-buddy-who-had-been-given/) [Barbara Demick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-demick/) > [We probably could more successfully resolve the North Korean nuclear threat through game-theoretic reasoning. We could successfully resolve what American leaders seem to perceive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-bueno-de-mesquita/we-probably-could-more-successfully-resolve-the-north-korean-nuclear/) [Bruce Bueno de Mesquita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-bueno-de-mesquita/) > [North Korea is not the dictator's country; it's 25 million citizens' country, and they are suffering under the dictator. North Koreans are really nice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hyeon-seo/north-korea-is-not-the-dictator-s-country-it-s-25-million-citizens/) [Lee Hyeon-seo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hyeon-seo/) > [If defectors say they had high-level connections in Pyongyang or came from an esteemed institution in the North, they can gain better employment in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hyeon-seo/if-defectors-say-they-had-high-level-connections-in-pyongyang-or-came/) [Lee Hyeon-seo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hyeon-seo/) > [We must embrace the North Korean people as part of the Korean nation, and to do that, whether we like it or not, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moon-jae-in/we-must-embrace-the-north-korean-people-as-part-of-the-korean-nation/) [Moon Jae-in](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moon-jae-in/) > [Most people in the country didn't - and might still not - know about how powerful the United States is. They think North Korean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hyeon-seo/most-people-in-the-country-didn-t-and-might-still-not-know-about-how/) [Lee Hyeon-seo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hyeon-seo/) > [Again, I think we have much greater diplomatic weight by having all of us sit on the same side of the table wanting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitchell-reiss/again-i-think-we-have-much-greater-diplomatic-weight-by-having-all-of/) [Mitchell Reiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitchell-reiss/) > [There is no way to know for certain what accounts for North Korean decisionmaking, given how closed a country it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-n-haass/there-is-no-way-to-know-for-certain-what-accounts-for-north-korean/) [Richard N. Haass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-n-haass/) > [“Kwon Tae-jin, a specialist on North Korean agriculture at the Korea Rural Economic Institute, which is funded by the South Korean government, told me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaine-harden/kwon-tae-jin-a-specialist-on-north-korean-agriculture-at-the-korea/) [Blaine Harden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaine-harden/) > [A huge famine hit North Korea in the mid-1990s. Ultimately, more than a million North Koreans died during the famine, and many only survived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hyeon-seo/a-huge-famine-hit-north-korea-in-the-mid-1990s-ultimately-more-than-a/) [Lee Hyeon-seo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hyeon-seo/) > [“If you took some North Korean songs and replaced Kim Il Sung with God or Jesus it would sound exactly like a Christian hymn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-kim/if-you-took-some-north-korean-songs-and-replaced-kim-il-sung-with-god/) [Mike Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-kim/) > [The Globe reports that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il raises money by selling fake Viagra pills. What it is about this guy? None of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/the-globe-reports-that-north-korean-dictator-kim-jong-il-raises-money/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) ## More by Park Yeon-mi > [Risking your life is not an easy thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/risking-your-life-is-not-an-easy-thing-to-do/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [Going to Columbia, the first thing I learned was 'safe space.' Every problem, they explained us, is because of white men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/going-to-columbia-the-first-thing-i-learned-was-safe-space-every/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [I was a slave. I was sold in China in 2007 as a child at 13 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/i-was-a-slave-i-was-sold-in-china-in-2007-as-a-child-at-13-years-old/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [My mum was sold for $65 and I was sold for $260 - at the age of 13.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/my-mum-was-sold-for-65-and-i-was-sold-for-260-at-the-age-of-13/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [If there is no word that means you don't have the concept. In North Korea they eliminate the words: depression, stress, dictatorship, human rights.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/if-there-is-no-word-that-means-you-don-t-have-the-concept-in-north/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [My favorite movies were 'Titanic,' 'James Bond' and 'Pretty Woman' - people smuggled in pirate copies from China.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/my-favorite-movies-were-titanic-james-bond-and-pretty-woman-people/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [Kim Jong-un and the regime don't just oppress - they play with human lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/kim-jong-un-and-the-regime-don-t-just-oppress-they-play-with-human/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [My father died without knowing even this kind of democracy exists in the world. He didn't even know this much food was available in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/my-father-died-without-knowing-even-this-kind-of-democracy-exists-in/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [That is what is happening in America. People see things, but still they've just completely lost the ability to think critically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/that-is-what-is-happening-in-america-people-see-things-but-still-they/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [North Korea is a religion. We are told that Kim is a god and that he knows what you are thinking and how many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/north-korea-is-a-religion-we-are-told-that-kim-is-a-god-and-that-he/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [I had to be very unrealistic about my situation. If I was so realistic I would never have made it this far. So, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/i-had-to-be-very-unrealistic-about-my-situation-if-i-was-so-realistic/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [I thought North Koreans were the only people who hated Americans, but turns out there are a lot of people hating this country in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/i-thought-north-koreans-were-the-only-people-who-hated-americans-but/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [Back in 2014, at the One Young World Summit in Dublin, I shared my story of my escape from North Korea to China in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/back-in-2014-at-the-one-young-world-summit-in-dublin-i-shared-my/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [North Korea is a very Confucius country. We respect the elders, the hierarchy. It's not like America where anyone can step up and do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/north-korea-is-a-very-confucius-country-we-respect-the-elders-the/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [Everything in North Korea was about the leader, all the books, music and TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/everything-in-north-korea-was-about-the-leader-all-the-books-music/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) [Explore all 103 Park Yeon-mi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. 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