A growing number of North Koreans are secretly watching South Korean dramas, including the mega-hit TV series "Descendants of the Sun" despite Pyongyang's tight control over the influx of the capitalist culture, a report said Monday.

North Koreans are seeking to relieve their stress stemming from the country's 200-day hard work campaign by watching South Korean dramas or listening to K-pop music, the Daily NK reported, citing sources familiar with the reclusive country.

The report said that in particular, young North Koreans are enthusiastic about watching "Descendants of the Sun," which tells the love story of Dr. Kang Mo-yeon and Army Capt. Yoo Si-jin in the fictional war-torn country of Uruk.
 

North Korea has strengthened its crackdown on the distribution of DVDs and USBs containing South Korean dramas and films, which are smuggled in from the outside world.

It is "noticeable" that in recent years, the North has killed those who were caught watching and circulating such DVDs, according to a 2015 report on North Korean human rights by South Korea's state-run Korea Institute for National Unification. (Yonhap)