Our-Style Socialism is North Korea's governing ideology developed to block the waves of change occurring in other socialist countries and to maintain the regime. Based on the Juche Idea, North Korea's governing philosophy, Our-Style Socialism was first proposed in the late 1980s.

In December 1978, shortly after China opted for reform and opening up, Kim Jong-il, in a speech at the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, first introduced the slogan "We live in our own way" as a means to enhance the party's combativeness and bring about a new transition in socialist construction. In the late 1980s, as socialist countries in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe collapsed, North Korea began emphasizing Our-Style Socialism more extensively.

Faced with the collapse of socialism in Eastern Europe and the dismantling of the Soviet Union, North Korea was greatly shocked and devoted its efforts to maintaining the regime. Our-Style Socialism emerged as a governing ideology to prevent the domino effect of socialist collapse and to monitor and control the residents to prevent the infiltration of change into North Korea. Kim Jong-il first used the term "Our-Style Socialism" in a speech on December 28, 1989, in front of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea.

North Korea emphasized that the collapse of socialism in some countries today is a temporary phenomenon and that the law of history cannot be stopped when humanity advances towards socialism. They argued that the failure of socialism in these countries was due to the absence of ideologies like the Juche Idea and leaders like Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. North Korea proclaimed that the Our-Style Socialism system guarantees the people an autonomous and creative life, describing it as the superior social system that ensures the true welfare of humanity. They educated their people to unite around the leader, the party, and the masses with one heart and mind, firmly adhering to the socialist system and fully completing the socialist tasks. In other words, Our-Style Socialism is claimed to be the most unique and superior form of socialism based on the "eternal and immortal Juche Idea," which realizes an ideal society where the true welfare of humanity is guaranteed. They also urged their people to remain steadfast in Our-Style Socialism, centered around Kim Jong-il, without hesitation or retreat, even in the face of any adversity.

This ideology has continued under the regime of Kim Jong-un. In the 7th Party Congress Report in 2016, Kim Jong-un emphasized the unity of the leader, the party, and the masses, stating that a harmonious extended family is formed where everyone is bound together by the same ideology, belief, comradely love, and loyalty. He called for strengthening the struggle to uphold Our-Style Socialism. Through Our-Style Socialism, North Korea has differentiated itself from other socialist countries, utilizing it actively to prevent unrest among residents and maintain the regime. It demonstrates North Korea's intention to block external changes and reject the reform and opening-up approaches taken by other socialist countries.