Well... I think we can agree what communism is in definition, Lexi probably uses colloquial meaning (personally I don't like it, but it's just my opinion) that calls communism every state that advertises with it. Yet, we can also apply this to capitalism and say every flaw of current economic model (in USA e.g.) is also capitalism. This doesn't make sense. It's better to criticize communism saying it's impossible to achieve and trying it leads to totalitarianism (of course I don't agree with this but it has some merit). It's like saying there's democracy in DPRK because it has democracy in name. Or similarly, part of leftists saying everyone they don't agree are fascists. It's widespread to misuse some terms in politics but I consider it not a wise practice.
Btw what I like in China is that chinese people look to have more economic knowledge than "west" countries and aren't so biased. Poland is for example "communism bad" country, literally people here don't know what it is when you ask, yet hate it because others do so.
My personal opinion is that we shouldn't just introduce communism (that's bad idea) but rather socialism and communism is something that can be done voluntarily, like people joining communes.
Also thx MSL for linking your comment, idk if you was first, but in Poland many leftists (including me) describe DPRK very similarly to you.