金正日1964年從金日成綜合大學畢業後,在朝鮮勞動黨中央委員會組織指導部工作,從事文化、意識形態及政治宣傳工作[9]。眾所周知,金正日一直以來都喜歡看美國好萊塢電影,但卻禁止其他人在一年一度的重大電影會議美學評論會上討論外國電影概念。之後他下令銷毀會議的文檔,敦促與會者在藝術作品專注於金正日及勞動黨的教義[9]。自那時起,金正日逐漸加強對電影及文學(英語:North Korean literature)的管理,抵制蘇聯去史達林化運動下形成的自由主義藝術[9]。從1968年開始,金正日開始將發祥於1930年代的游擊隊戲劇改編成電影[10],蒞臨指導多部電影的製作,包括1969年的《血海》上下部[10]、1970年的《自衛隊員的命運》及1972年的《賣花姑娘》[11]。之後,金正日開始創作北韓革命歌劇。此時,金正日已經在藝術管理部門工作了近10年[10]。他又根據過去五年嚮導演及編劇發表的講話,撰寫一系列文章,這些文章於1973年4月11日集合成《電影藝術論》發表[10],成為他本人的首個重大著作[12]。1970年代餘下時間,金正日繼續監督文化活動[10]。
從政治層面看,專著十分成功。《電影藝術論》撰寫的時候,金日成正在為金正日繼承大業,在體制內部集氣[10]。金正日通過撰寫這本書,獲得社會及政治權力[27],增強父親的自信,保證繼位成功[8]。金正日之後陸續撰寫藝術專著,直至1990年代,包括《歌劇藝術論(英語:On the Art of Opera)》(1974)、《戲劇藝術論》(1988)、《舞蹈藝術論》(1990)、《音樂藝術論》(1991)、《美術論》(1991)、《建築論》(1991)、《主體思想文學論》(1992)[48][49]和《馬戲論》(1993)[50]。
Petersen, Martin. The Downfall of a Model Citizen?: Family Background in North Korean Graphic Novels. Korean Studies. January 2012, 36: 88–89. doi:10.1353/ks.2012.0001. With conflict in art being 'the reflection of the class struggle in life,' class conflict must thus predominantly be described as a past and external phenomenon, apropos of the socialist realist theory of conflictlessness. Neglecting the mandatory depiction would be perceived as if the authors were raising an implicit critique of the North Korean state.
Kim Suk-Young. Illusive Utopia: Theater, Film, and Everyday Performance in North Korea. University of Michigan Press. August 2000: 142 [2015-04-07]. ISBN 978-0-472-02689-0. (原始內容存檔於2021-11-25). The practice of positioning Kim Il-sung as the disseminator of national culture was consolidated into 'seed theory' by the North Korean cultural bureau. 'Seed theory' appeared in 1972 in North Korea's Dictionary of Literature and Art, which correlated the seed with Kim Il-sung's personal ideology[.] 含有連結內容需訂閱查看的頁面 (link)
Pyon Jae Su. Comrade Kim Jong Il's Thoughts and Theories on Art and Literature. Great Successor to the Cause of Juche: Scientific Treatises Offered in Celebration of the 50th Birthday of Comrade Kim Jong Il. Pyongyang: Foreign Languages Publishing House. 1995: 52, 54. Korea Publications Exchange Association: 2E0002.
Clippinger 1981,第294–295頁: "Its roots go back to 1971 when Kim Chong-il [...] was guiding the filming of 'Destiny of a Self Defense Force Member.' [...] [U]nder young Kim's guidance the entire filming, which normally would have taken a whole year, was completed in only 40 days. [...] The speed battle concept was introduced into the economic sector in late 1973 and early 1974[.] [...] As one of Kim Chong-il's major innovations, the speed battle symbol is intimately associated with him and has lost none of its vitality since its introduction in late 1973. In mid-1979 speed battle was given virtually coequal status with the Kim Il-song-inspired Ch'ollima Movement[.]"
Edwards, Russell. North Korean cinema: A history [Book Review]. Metro (Australian Teachers of Media). 2013, 175: 120 [2015-04-06]. (原始內容存檔於2020-02-23). Schönherr also says Kim knew his 1989 book On the Art of Cinema was a failure and that this was his primary motivation for arranging the 'kidnapping' of Shin Sang-ok from Hong Kong. 含有連結內容需訂閱查看的頁面 (link)