Pyongyang, North Korea — North Korean pop culture, long dismissed by critics as a kitschy throwback to the dark days of Stalinism, is getting a major upgrade under leader Kim Jong Un. The changes are being seen in everything from television dramas and animation programs to the variety and packaging of consumer goods, which have improved significantly under Kim. Whether it’s a defensive attempt to keep up with South Korea or an indication that Kim is willing to embrace aspects of Western consumer culture that his predecessors might have viewed as suspiciously bourgeois isn’t clear.Kim Kyong Hui of the Ryuwon Shoe Factory told The Associated Press that, “the respected leader Kim Jong Un has instructed us to closely study shoes from all over the world and learn from their example”, pointing to a pair of flame-red high-top basketball shoes.North Korea remains one of the most insular countries in the world. Change comes cautiously and anyone who openly criticizes the government or leadership or is seen as a threat can expect severe repercussions. But there appears to be more of a willingness under Kim to experiment around some of the edges.Television: The big upgradeThe most visible upgrades are on television and…