While North Korea’s authoritarian system is generally characterized as a paternalistic order, it is complemented by maternal affect that elicits love and loyalty for the leaders. In effect, women proved to be the primary cultural icons, and feminine tropes became models for emulation throughout society. Situating North Korea in the broader frame of socialist feminisms, this presentation explores how alternative femininities became markers of ideal citizens in the name of state feminism that professed equality for the sexes. Through a foray into a cultural history of the Cold War from films to stage performances, the talk aims to apprehend the diverse strategies to deal with the ‘woman question’ in North Korea.