Our guest blogger Walter Chang from We Call This Home has been backpacking for almost three years, visiting almost 50 countries and taking a lot of photos along the way. Here he offers a fascinating photographic glimpse into everyday life in this highly controversial country…
There’s still a lot of confusion about traveling to North Korea with the general population and much of what is portrayed in the media makes it seem like a dangerous country to visit. However, regardless of the country’s political and economic conflicts with the rest of the world, visiting North Korea is just about as safe and easy as any other country as long as you stick to the rules and with your tour group. I went during a week of the Arirang Games in 2012 and the performance I witnessed was nothing short of mind blowing.
The backdrop for the dancers is actually thousands of school children turning colored posters. There’s no question that what you see is carefully crafted for foreigners but seeing a land and people stuck in time provided me with a better perspective of the country. Essentially the people and places you see on the tour are stuck inside a bubble created by the government to close off the other activities happening inside the rest of the country and the outside world. There really is no other place in the world as isolated and so traveling here is similar to time traveling to a communist country 70 years in the past. The moral issue of traveling to North Korea is left to each individual but I believe that more exposure to such a reclusive country will only help fuel understanding of the complicated issues surrounding it.
All words and photos by Walter Chang find more of his work on the beautiful blog We Call This Home.
17 Comments
Emma
8 October, 2014 at 9:59 pmBeautiful and interesting photos!
Scott
8 October, 2014 at 9:49 pmVery interesting insight into an intriguing (but yes very controversial) country!
Becky Moore
16 October, 2014 at 9:15 amWe agree!
The Scuttlefish
2 October, 2014 at 5:45 pmBeautiful photos! North Korea with its unique system of governance and culture makes for very interesting travel. That sense is very well captured in this photo essay. Sharing this on stumbleupon.
rebecca
26 September, 2014 at 7:30 amgreat shots. it would certainly be an interesting country to visit
Ally
25 September, 2014 at 1:58 pmFascinating reading, I don’t think I would like to go there myself, but lovely pictures!
Jay
24 September, 2014 at 10:37 pmThose photos!!! Absolutely beautiful. I’ll have to check out more of Walter Chang’s work. He has a great eye.
Shikha (whywasteannualleave)
22 September, 2014 at 9:21 amFascinating read because as you say, very few travellers make it there so it’s rare to read accounts or see photos of the place that haven’t been taken straight out of the mainstream media – it would be a very intriguing place to visit m
Deia @ Nomad Wallet
22 September, 2014 at 2:12 amStunning photos! I’ve always been fascinated by North Korea. Despite all the negative news surrounding it, it’s nice to see these people just going about things like everybody does.
Becky Moore
16 October, 2014 at 9:13 amPleased you like our guest post, Walter Chang is definitely very talented!
Luke
21 September, 2014 at 1:50 pmNorth Korea fascinates me no end, mainly because it is so reclusive, almost exclusive to some extent. Even though it is over controlled and they do some pretty bad stuff, hearing first hand accounts about foreigners’ experiences there about what they see is just so interesting. Thanks for your story.
Miriam of Adventurous Miriam
21 September, 2014 at 1:33 pmAmazing photography. A friend of mine went there a couple of years ago and ever since, I’ve thought of going too. I’m under the impression that it’s safe there as a traveler.
Becky Moore
16 October, 2014 at 9:14 amI’ve heard it is safer as a traveller as you aren’t allowed to stray into certain areas.
Anja, the Curly Traveller
21 September, 2014 at 4:53 amBeautiful pictures. No doubt about that. But there has been some extensive and serious debate online and on blogs wether to visit North Korea or not.
I came to the conclusion that in the case of North Korea it is absolutely damaging and not done to visit the country as a tourist. No foreign dollar should enter that country. No beautiful picture should exit it. A complete boycot seems more in place.
The suffering, cruelty and inhumanity are beyond comparison.
Corinne
20 September, 2014 at 12:26 pmI love these shots! Gorgeous. I lived in South Korea and wanted to head north a number of times, but boy is it expensive!
Elena@Elena's Travelgram
19 September, 2014 at 3:42 pmAmazing pictures! North Korea ranks high on my travel bucket list, though I’m feeling intimidated by the costs and the fact that you are under absolute control and not allowed to shoot most of things or walk anywhere off the tourist track.
Agness
19 September, 2014 at 1:27 pmPowerful pictures! Cez is planning on going there next year, but independent travel is just impossible 🙁 and getting around anywhere in North Korea is so expensive if you think of your guide, accommodation and transport :(.