Noroc, however, seems unconcerned about the politics that govern the nation — even if those politics also severely limit the ability of women to express themselves in ways as small as through their personal style. "My project is about normal people, not about politicians," she tells us — and to her credit, she does find a variety of women to photograph, from factory workers to waitresses to singers. But if her definition of beauty is contingent on the ability to "be yourself," then these North Korean portraits have not fulfilled her mission.Yes, the photos are an interesting look at the women of North Korea. Out of context, the photos are objectively beautiful, and the women are, too, because all women are beautiful, especially when they appear happy, healthy, and empowered. But when you consider that these women live in a nation where the United Nations estimates some 84% of households deal with " borderline or poor food consumption ," the photos start seeming like a red herring that distracts from those very problems to tell a false story in which the women living there have agency.Looking at Noroc's photos, with the background slightly out of focus, and her captions simply stating things like "uniforms are very common in North Korea," you might be tempted to forget such realities. Let's not.