Kaesong was the ancient capital city of the Koryo dynasty that ruled the Korean Peninsula. Nowadays the historic city is a UNESCO world heritage site containing a number of historical relics from the 10th-14th century. Incidentally, had it not been for the Korean War, Kaesong would have been part of the Republic of Korea. It’s […]

Introduction to North Korean Traffic Girls One of the most recognizable sights on the streets of Pyongyang is the cities, renowned traffic girls. The beautiful women dressed in crisp, stunning blue and white uniforms standing in white circles at the cities intersections directing the ever-growing traffic of the capital city have long captured the interest […]

Introduction to Pothonggang Hotel The Pothonggang Hotel (보통강려관) or also spelt as Potonggang was built in 1973 as a joint-venture between the late Reverend Moon leader of the Unification Church in South Korea and North Korea. The hotel is well-known in Pyongyang for being one of the most deluxe and expensive hotels in North Korea […]

Korean Mountains are an important sceneic and cultural element to both sides of the Korean divide. Officially there are 5 sacred mountains on the Korean Peninsula (although Kim Jong Il kind of added a 6th). Of the five, three are located in the DPRK and 2 are in the Republic of Korea (South Korea). The […]

Kenji Fujimoto was the personal sushi chef to General Kim Jong-Il. There are many anecdotes that do the rounds about Kim Jong Il’s former sushi chef, Kenji Fujimoto, but who was he and where is he today? We explore the mystery! Who exactly was Kenji Fujimoto? Kenji Fujimoto (藤本 健二) is famous for being the […]

May Day is a holiday that is perhaps best known for its association with communist or former communist countries but what is the holiday all about, and why is it so specifically associated with communism? Way back May Day The earliest celebrations of May Day took place long before communism was a thing – in […]

Updated: Mar 26, 2020: Much like former Eastern Bloc countries, North Koreans can travel abroad with permission from the government.

Located in the new Ryomyong Science Street, the newly opened New Hope restaurant (Sae Hui Mang) is a little unique amongst the North Korean restaurants that accept foreigners. While hot pot is nothing new, with the Chongryu Hot Pot being an option since tourism to North Korea began, New Hope specialises in seafood and has […]

Introduction Meari shooting range is a leisure and entertainment center located in the area of Pyongyang’s sporting district. The name meari means echo in the Korean language. Most famous for being an area for local Koreans and tourists alike to take target practice with low calibre weaponry, the Meari Shooting Range is a classic stop […]

The Chongnyon Youth Hotel was first opened in 1989 and is classed as a budget hotel with a North Korean three-star rating. The name Chongnyon translates to Youth which was named for the first purpose of the hotel providing accommodation for the student visitors who attended the largest international event Pyongyang has ever held, the […]