Jonathan Cheng on When Pyongyang Was the Jerusalem of the East episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 20, 2026 · 30 MIN

Jonathan Cheng on When Pyongyang Was the Jerusalem of the East

from The Gist · host Mike Pesca

Today on the Gist, looking at the dropping price of eggs and the DOJ's antitrust investigation into major producers for market manipulation. Then, Wall Street Journal China Bureau Chief Jonathan Cheng joins the show to discuss his new book, Korean Messiah: Kim Il Sung and the Christian Roots of North Korea's Personality Cult. He explains how Pyongyang was once known as the Jerusalem of the East and how the Kim dynasty co-opted Christian rituals for their own worship. Finally, in the spiel, we break down a very contentious State of the Union interview between Jake Tapper and Elise Stefanik. Produced by Corey Wara Video and Social Media by Geoff Craig Do you have questions or comments, or just want to say hello? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] For full Pesca content and updates, check out our website at https://www.mikepesca.com/⁠ For ad-free content or to become a Pesca Plus subscriber, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/ For Mike's daily takes on Substack, subscribe to The Gist List https://mikepesca.substack.com/ Follow us on Social Media:⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4_bh0wHgk2YfpKf4rg40_g⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/pescagist/ X https://x.com/pescami TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@pescagist To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

NOW PLAYING

Jonathan Cheng on When Pyongyang Was the Jerusalem of the East

0:00 30:20

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of The Gist?

This episode is 30 minutes long.

When was this The Gist episode published?

This episode was published on April 20, 2026.

What is this episode about?

Today on the Gist, looking at the dropping price of eggs and the DOJ's antitrust investigation into major producers for market manipulation. Then, Wall Street Journal China Bureau Chief Jonathan Cheng joins the show to discuss his new book, Korean...

Can I download this The Gist episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!