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Hello fellow TL:ers!
I'm borny. A 21 years old Swedish guy currently living and working in China. Last week, I went on the most interesting trip I have ever been on.. Namely, I visited the most enclosed country in the world, North Korea. I know Teamliquid has got huge interest in South Korea, so I thought I would share my photos of its northern counterpart.
EDIT: Added some photos
EDIT2: Not all the photos are taken by me. They all come from five different people including me (my travelling group). I just took out the best ones.
Mass Games. 100,000 performers in the world's largest stadium. The pictures in the background is made by thousands and thousands of kids each holding a color block. It's hard to put words on how powerful it was to watch.
Propaganda. There are no advertisement or commercials in North Korea whatsoever. The city (Pyongyang) may sound grey (and yeh, it was grey) but everywhere you will find colorful propaganda pictures to counterweight the greyness. The last picture is a photo of a propaganda van that has broken down.
Hospital. In Pyongyang we got to visit a maternity hospital. There we got talk to newly become mothers as well as see the struggle of prematurely born North Korean kids.
Military stuff. We got to visit a Korean War (50-53) musem. There they displayed so-called "war trophies" collected from the Korean War. They also tried to convince us that the US initiated the Korean War and how the North Koreans prevailed over the "US imperialists" under the wise guidance of Kim Il Sung. The third picture here is from the DMZ; the defense line between North and South Korea. The upper solider is South Korean and the lower is North Korean. Feel the tension?
Daily life and Pyongyang. We managed to get some nice photos of normal people inside Pyongyang as well as some of the stunning building projects they are conducting downtown.
Okay, that's all for now. Many of these photos would've been removed by the guides or military personnel if they'd been discovered. But some swift switching of memory cards allowed us to keep them! We only lost one memory card to the military authority but it was almost empty so it doesn't really matter. I hope you enjoyed :-)
 
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Sweet pictures, I wish I could go there once too.
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![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/iH4AM.jpg)
I really like this picture, makes the country look less scary. Also I think you're really lucky to see what you did. Hopefully some day Korea will just be Korea.
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Cool photos, but I wish you could also explain your trip beyond pics !
How did people react seeing a foreigner ?
Also, how does one walk into North Korea?
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That's fucking amazing. 5/5
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awesome post. Id love to hear more about your trip in N. Korea. More details pleaseee. I am super intrigued by N. Korea
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Norway5211 Posts
Ahh I've been wanting to go to North Korea for a long time. It's easier said than done I can imagine. 5/5
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Wow, that's amazing.
E: As others have said: It would be awesome if you could add some more details of your trip, to compliment the pictures 
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On October 12 2011 16:39 ThyHate wrote:
Cool photos, but I wish you could also explain your trip beyond pics !
How did people react seeing a foreigner ?
Also, how does one walk into North Korea?
One does not simply walk into North Korea...
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Australia8532 Posts
Incredible photos - the first few are amazing and the propaganda reminds of the cold war lol
Any further explanation of your trip; even how you got to go there, the reaction of the people you interacted with, how long you were there? Anything
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Norway5211 Posts
On October 12 2011 16:51 CSN_Kaelaris wrote:Love it, really fantastic photos! There's a really interesting documentary about some british guy that visited North Korea if people haven't seen it (OP prolly has  ) But it's certainly worth a watch if you can find it.. can't remember it's name.. let me go hunt! EDIT: Ah he was american woops! http://www.vice.com/the-vice-guide-to-travel/vice-guide-to-north-korea-1-of-3
I've seen basically every documentary on NK ever, that one was pretty unique in terms of the perspective it showed. It was just your average american guy, and you really got to see how weird North Korea is, comparatively. Highly recommended ^^
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FREEAGLELAND26781 Posts
This is an amazing blog.
One day, Korea will just be Korea--so I hope.
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this is some awesome stuff!
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I love seeing pictures of North Korea, it's like looking into a forbidden world that is similar to our's, but drastically differ.
What's it like? Are the streets busy or does it always look like a ghostown with scattered patches of people.
Visiting North Korea would feel so surreal. It's just something so different and odd, too much for me to grasp.
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Netherlands45349 Posts
This is amazing, I would really like to hear the story behind all these pictures, Like, how does everyday life really look in N-Korea, is it really that bad?
Also were you even able get a trip to N-korea?
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Look at that picture of the "awesome" city... many broad streets, no cars
So yea, the entire picture is a propaganda.
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Feels like breaking into a sanctuary.
Interesting pictures and I have to agree - please tell us more about north korea, because I can't imagine how life's there.
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Were you guided the whole trip while you were there? Its awesome you got to see the place, thx for the pics!
I am just curious if you were out and about on your own or with NK watching you. I once read a blog about 2 guys who went into NK by train from russia, and that was the only way they could get in without having it be a "tour". It was a great blog, no idea where it is tho D: lots of pics.
How were people looking at you when you walked around? or did they just ignore the fact? =o would be such a interesting trip to go on.
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Amazing. I'm so envious.
Can you tell us a little more about your trip? Meet any NK buddies?
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I have seen major news organizations that still features dated image of that triangular hotel. Yours is truly impressive!
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awesome blog there was an amazing tv show in britain years ago called holidays in the axis of evil i think where this guy travelled to all of the 'axis of evil' countries and ever since i've been a little fascinated by these places. have you (or anyone else) read the aquariums of pyongyang? i've heard its wonderful and thinking of getting it
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Very nice, Op, you privilege us with your post. I'm sure there are any number of news organizations who would be happy to take those photos off your hands. Do you do freelance work, journalism?
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Damn this is amazing blog. Would like to visit NK some time. 5/5 and thanks for sharing.
Was it hard to get there? Could you tell us how did you "book" the trip, how much it costs, what to take into consideration and all that? I assume it was pretty guided trip?
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This is amazing. I've always had a huge interest in the DPRK, and have read several books about the war, the people, their ideology, and the daily life of North Koreans. Recent pictures of the country are extremely hard to come by so it is very nice to see these. I especially like the one of the man riding his bike under the Juche Tower. It must have been a life changing experience visiting there, sadly as a US citizen it will be virtually impossible for me to ever travel there. Thanks a bunch for sharing these with us.
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United Kingdom38255 Posts
On October 12 2011 17:06 actionbastrd wrote:
I am just curious if you were out and about on your own or with NK watching you. I once read a blog about 2 guys who went into NK by train from russia, and that was the only way they could get in without having it be a "tour". It was a great blog, no idea where it is tho D: lots of pics.
http://vienna-pyongyang.blogspot.com/
Really great read.
===
Amazing blog Borny, some really stunning photos =)
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how did u get permission to take pictures? or did you sneak them?
and good idea with the memory cards thing. i will remember that if i ever go!
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Really curious what that last photo is of with all the boomboxes. A class of some sort but if so why the gear?
Neat pictures and a tiny little window into N. Korea, thank you for this.
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United States7639 Posts
Wow, I can't believe you actually had a chance to go into North Korea. I think to most of the world, the place is quite a paradox, a mystery. It looks modernized, and yet we hear so much about poverty. I've previously seen photos of university students going on the internet at the library, and it genuinely confused me. The concept of internet is freedom of information, connecting the world together. If they block every website originating from outside of NK, does that not defeat the purpose of having internet altogether? I just cant fathom what it must be like to live within a veil of propaganda and censorship. Did the citizens not stop and ask you what life was like outside of the borders? Do they ever wonder if there's something more? It's just so fascinating. Thank you for these photos.
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Hello, as a beginner Korean learner myself, I managed to translate some of the propaganda posters and just thought to share a few of them — The others I could not fully read due to the text extending out of the photo or just small font.
위대한 어머니당에 최대의 영광을!
Literally: The biggest honor for the great Labor Party!
일심단결을 더욱 강화하자!
Let's keep strengthening our unity!
1st poster (second line): 세계적인 도시로 훌륭히 꾸리자!
Lit: Let's gloriously pack up for the global city (Not sure about the first line since I could not translate 평잉)
2nd poster: 혁명의 수뇌부(를/들) 중심으로 천만군인이 일심단결하자!
This one was more difficult, literally something along the lines of: Let's unify our tens of millions of people by the very heart of our revolutionary leading members of the government!
I tried translating posters 3 and 4 but they came off as too vague and 5th was too small to read clearly. Maybe someone fluent in Korean can clarify.
Edit: Also a question, what kind of a job are you engaging in in China, and how did you get it?
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On October 12 2011 18:32 seraphe wrote:
Wow, I can't believe you actually had a chance to go into North Korea. I think to most of the world, the place is quite a paradox, a mystery. It looks modernized, and yet we hear so much about poverty. I've previously seen photos of university students going on the internet at the library, and it genuinely confused me. The concept of internet is freedom of information, connecting the world together. If they block every website originating from outside of NK, does that not defeat the purpose of having internet altogether? I just cant fathom what it must be like to live within a veil of propaganda and censorship. Did the citizens not stop and ask you what life was like outside of the borders? Do they ever wonder if there's something more? It's just so fascinating. Thank you for these photos.
The pictures are just Pyongyang. The countrysides would be different.
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This is beyond awesome. Just the photos draw appreciation, seeing something of the country. Would like to hear an unbiased tale of the trip, and then what you actually thought of it.
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Zurich15328 Posts
I call bull shit on on your ass.
The pictures you posted from the Arirang Festival are from 2005 and 2007 and available on many major stock photo sites like this one http://www.superstock.com/stock-photography/North Korea and this one http://www.massgames-pictures.com/pictures_04_e.htm . It's also painfully obvious that all these pictures have been taken with different cameras.
This year's Arirang Festival also ended September 1st, so that doesn't check out too if you were there last week as you said.
If you want to post pictures from North Korea just do it and don't make up stories about being there.
Edit: OP explained this, I retract my statement.
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51449 Posts
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On October 12 2011 16:38 tok wrote:I really like this picture, makes the country look less scary. Also I think you're really lucky to see what you did. Hopefully some day Korea will just be Korea.
It looks pretty scary to me. Notice how there are no cars? Its the same with every other city shot, theres almost no vehicles on 8 lane roads and only a handful of pedestrians. Pretty quiet...
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On October 12 2011 20:41 T0fuuu wrote:
It looks pretty scary to me. Notice how there are no cars? Its the same with every other city shot, theres almost no vehicles on 8 lane roads and only a handful of pedestrians. Pretty quiet...
There's one.
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On October 12 2011 19:27 zatic wrote:I call bull shit on on your ass. The pictures you posted from the Arirang Festival are from 2005 and 2007 and available on many major stock photo sites like this one http://www.superstock.com/stock-photography/North Korea and this one http://www.massgames-pictures.com/pictures_04_e.htm . It's also painfully obvious that all these pictures have been taken with different cameras. This year's Arirang Festival also ended September 1st, so that doesn't check out too if you were there last week as you said. If you want to post pictures from North Korea just do it and don't make up stories about being there.
I sent you a PM with proof of me going to North Korea. Once you have read it and are convinced, remove your slanderous post as it hurts my feelings :'(
Edit: Also, I should have made clear that all the photos are not taken by me. A majority aren't. It is my group of friends who took those pictures together and I just picked the ones I liked the most. I never wanted to take credit for others photos, just share an amazing experience.
Edit2: Read under "recent news" on this website and you will see that the Mass Games were extended to October 10 in 2011. And you guys do realize the Mass Games are pretty much the same every year?
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On October 12 2011 16:41 marttorn wrote:
Ahh I've been wanting to go to North Korea for a long time. It's easier said than done I can imagine. 5/5
A guided tour to North Korea is nothing really "hard/difficult" for most europeans? At least my "lonely planet" said so and tehse are normally right?
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On October 12 2011 21:39 Velr wrote:Show nested quote +On October 12 2011 16:41 marttorn wrote:
Ahh I've been wanting to go to North Korea for a long time. It's easier said than done I can imagine. 5/5 A guided tour to North Korea is nothing really "hard/difficult" for most europeans? At least my "lonely planet" said so and tehse are normally right?
You are right. It is nothing hard to do as long as you have the money! It costs a ton though.
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Zurich15328 Posts
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Watch a show on some people traveling there with hidden cameras, seems very ominous from what I know of it, hopefully one day that regime will fall and the North can open up and enter the "world stage". Nice pictures/blog. 5/5
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The propaganda is scary.. and alarming if you ask me. Reminds me:
![[image loading]](http://www.mylovelyhorse.org.uk/images/scorchmarks/11poster.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://asianmalerevolutions.com/files/nazi---nuremberg-1-large.jpg)
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Wowww. I'm going to the border this Friday, and I'm more excited than ever now.
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On October 12 2011 18:36 DNB wrote:Hello, as a beginner Korean learner myself, I managed to translate some of the propaganda posters and just thought to share a few of them — The others I could not fully read due to the text extending out of the photo or just small font. 위대한 어머니당에 최대의 영광을! Literally: The biggest honor for the great Labor Party! 일심단결을 더욱 강화하자! Let's keep strengthening our unity!1st poster (second line): 세계적인 도시로 훌륭히 꾸리자! Lit: Let's gloriously pack up for the global city (Not sure about the first line since I could not translate 평잉) 2nd poster: 혁명의 수뇌부(를/들) 중심으로 천만군인이 일심단결하자! This one was more difficult, literally something along the lines of: Let's unify our tens of millions of people by the very heart of our revolutionary leading members of the government!I tried translating posters 3 and 4 but they came off as too vague and 5th was too small to read clearly. Maybe someone fluent in Korean can clarify. Edit: Also a question, what kind of a job are you engaging in in China, and how did you get it?
Thanks for those man, I'd no idea what they were saying!
To answer your question. I'm teaching English to primary students as well as a few High School classes. I got the job by googling, it is actually really easy. They need a lot of foreign teachers here; I basically get job offers ever month...
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On October 12 2011 23:04 mTw|NarutO wrote:
The propaganda is scary.. and alarming if you ask me. Reminds me:
I think we had more style
/joke
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I have always wanted to visit North-Korea atleast once.
On the other hand i personally feel kinda uneasy paying one of the worst governments in the world for the privilige. Also would be kinda disturbing to put your fate in the hands of North-Koreans. Ofcourse they would never do anything serious against tourists because of the outrage it could spark and how pointless if would be for them to do something like that, but still.
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Was it a guided tour (i.e. you were shown what you were supposed to see) or was it more of a free-for-all tour?
Anyway, people in PY are extremely well off comparative to other parts of North Korea.
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On October 13 2011 00:47 Cambium wrote:
Was it a guided tour (i.e. you were shown what you were supposed to see) or was it more of a free-for-all tour?
Anyway, people in PY are extremely well off comparative to other parts of North Korea.
It was guided. There is no other way to travel in North Korea.
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cool pics. Did you ask any questions when you were on the tour or did you just observe?
I'd probably ask open ended questions a few times but also be scared shitless asking them.
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Granny holding an AK-47
Standard
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On October 13 2011 10:11 SpoR wrote:
cool pics. Did you ask any questions when you were on the tour or did you just observe?
I'd probably ask open ended questions a few times but also be scared shitless asking them.
Yeh I asked a ton of questions. I made sure never to argue though.
I asked things like "Why can't the people use Internet?", "Why can't we travel freely?", "Why do you have nuclear capability?"
All answers were always vague and had something to do with protecting the North Korean population.
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On October 12 2011 18:12 Synwave wrote:
Really curious what that last photo is of with all the boomboxes. A class of some sort but if so why the gear?
Neat pictures and a tiny little window into N. Korea, thank you for this.
It's like a study hall for music majors.
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On October 13 2011 10:41 borny wrote:Show nested quote +On October 13 2011 10:11 SpoR wrote:
cool pics. Did you ask any questions when you were on the tour or did you just observe?
I'd probably ask open ended questions a few times but also be scared shitless asking them. Yeh I asked a ton of questions. I made sure never to argue though. I asked things like "Why can't the people use Internet?", "Why can't we travel freely?", "Why do you have nuclear capability?" All answers were always vague and had something to do with protecting the North Korean population.
Tbh, 'why do you have nuclear capability' is a really dumb question... Uh, cuz it's the world's strongest deterrent?
Just thought that was random...
oo!
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Beautiful and stunning. Thank you for risking safety to bring your trip pictures to us.
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On October 13 2011 11:37 Xeris wrote:Show nested quote +On October 13 2011 10:41 borny wrote:On October 13 2011 10:11 SpoR wrote:
cool pics. Did you ask any questions when you were on the tour or did you just observe?
I'd probably ask open ended questions a few times but also be scared shitless asking them. Yeh I asked a ton of questions. I made sure never to argue though. I asked things like "Why can't the people use Internet?", "Why can't we travel freely?", "Why do you have nuclear capability?" All answers were always vague and had something to do with protecting the North Korean population. Tbh, 'why do you have nuclear capability' is a really dumb question... Uh, cuz it's the world's strongest deterrent? Just thought that was random... oo!
yeh obviously I didn't phrase my question like that. I asked why they put so much effort and resources into nuclear development rather than trying to improve the living standards of the North Korean people or something like that. It was more a discussion (not argument) rather than a Q&A thing
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On October 12 2011 23:51 borny wrote:Show nested quote +On October 12 2011 18:36 DNB wrote:Hello, as a beginner Korean learner myself, I managed to translate some of the propaganda posters and just thought to share a few of them — The others I could not fully read due to the text extending out of the photo or just small font. 위대한 어머니당에 최대의 영광을! Literally: The biggest honor for the great Labor Party! 일심단결을 더욱 강화하자! Let's keep strengthening our unity!1st poster (second line): 세계적인 도시로 훌륭히 꾸리자! Lit: Let's gloriously pack up for the global city (Not sure about the first line since I could not translate 평잉) 2nd poster: 혁명의 수뇌부(를/들) 중심으로 천만군인이 일심단결하자! This one was more difficult, literally something along the lines of: Let's unify our tens of millions of people by the very heart of our revolutionary leading members of the government!I tried translating posters 3 and 4 but they came off as too vague and 5th was too small to read clearly. Maybe someone fluent in Korean can clarify. Edit: Also a question, what kind of a job are you engaging in in China, and how did you get it? Thanks for those man, I'd no idea what they were saying! To answer your question. I'm teaching English to primary students as well as a few High School classes. I got the job by googling, it is actually really easy. They need a lot of foreign teachers here; I basically get job offers ever month...
Interesting. I'm also curious to hear what agency you got through with, and where you teach...
Thanks
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This is pretty sweet. I wish I could visit my homeland someday. Too bad my family left it for a better life during the Korean War. I miss my country! The buildings look nice in the pics, the people too. I love the idea that they could welcome anybody, even an American like me.
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Wow thanks for the pictures from NK. Didn't think you would actually get them out.
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Wow i never knew that NK was so well developed. Thanks for the pics!
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On October 13 2011 16:35 Chairman Ray wrote:
Wow i never knew that NK was so well developed. Thanks for the pics!
you have to make a big difference between Pjöngjang and the rest of the country. The capital is fairly well developed but the countryside has to suffer.
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Thanks for the pics. It's always nice to get pics and stories from there which aren't biased in any way.
I don't find it odd that Phenian is so developed, i mean it's the capital city, that's where all the resources actually centralise.
Oh and i see they got nice cars too, chinese made i believe but still, that SUV looks decent.
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These are amazing pictures. Thanks so much for sharing.
I would love to hear more about anything you care to write about.
On October 13 2011 17:34 Pika Chu wrote:
Thanks for the pics. It's always nice to get pics and stories from there which aren't biased in any way.
I'm pretty sure they don't let visitors just wander around...
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On October 13 2011 18:12 thopol wrote:These are amazing pictures. Thanks so much for sharing. I would love to hear more about anything you care to write about. Show nested quote +On October 13 2011 17:34 Pika Chu wrote:
Thanks for the pics. It's always nice to get pics and stories from there which aren't biased in any way.
I'm pretty sure they don't let visitors just wander around...
yeah me too -.-
Nice Blog mate
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pretty cool pictures. They still give off a strange vibe for me though. they all look so empty lol
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On October 12 2011 16:54 flamewheel wrote:
This is an amazing blog.
One day, Korea will just be Korea--so I hope.
I hope so too AND I know it is possible, having experienced the german reunion. the blog is great
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amazing blog.. thank you for the pictures.. they offer an insight to a world that few people will ever get to see.
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Wow nicely done sir. Great pictures. It is such a shame Korea is divided. We went our separate ways in extreme fashion for so long now..
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Nice pics, interesting to read. Thanks for sharing.
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I'm also intrigued by how barren the roads are.
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Wow, this looks like those old 80's photos of China from way back frozen in time.
Thanks for sharing this, also, that picture of the big show is pretty cool.
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