Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea

Guy Delisle's autobiographical story about his own experience living in North Korea is a truly fascinating insight into a country about which very little is known as far as the day to day lives of its people.

Guy was sent to Pyongyang to supervise animation being produced there for his company. Like all foreigners he was assigned a guide to show him what he was supposed to see. North Korea is very controlling of the way their nation is perceived that they have required places all visitors must see, all of which celebrate the glory of their eternal president Kim Il-Sung and his son, Kim Jong-Il. The propaganda of the state surrounds everyone, all music is related to the party, positive slogans are posted on every wall and shouted at workers in construction sites and rice fields.

Guy's experience is presented matter-of-factly, with no real political spin. He just recounts what happened to him as it happened, though he is fairly appalled by the extent to which the North Korean population buys the crap they are fed by the government. They seem hugely moved by the shitty anthems to the glory of Kim Il-Sung, crying with national pride when visiting the friendship museum.

The Friendship museum is an interesting organism in and of itself. It is a gigantic bunker bored into the side of a mountain filled with gifts to Kim Il-Sung from various nations. It is as though they are trying to prove to themselves how important they are by showing how other nations “respect” them by sending them gifts. The people must constantly be reminded of the greatness of their homeland though displays of power and international strength. The museum is a moving experience for North Koreans, a sort of confirmation of their countries might in their own eyes, reinforcing what they have been told their entire lives.

Guy's experience in North Korea appears to be a fairly typical one in terms of the visits of foreigners in North Korea. You are shown what they want you to see and if you ask questions or try to do anything out of the ordinary you are politely but forcefully led away from the subject and brought to something approved by the party. The government in North Korea is watching, always watching, and if you make one false move you will be caught and you will be punished.