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One year ago I went on a strictly guided 7-day tour in North Korea, where they took away my passport and didn't allow me to explore anything, even Pyongyang, on my own.
North Korea, or The Hermit Kingdom, was definitely the weirdest country I had ever visited and during my time there I kept wondering what life was like in neighboring South Korea, which used to be exactly the same country just over 60 years ago! That's why at the end of life in North Korea experience, I promised myself to visit South Korea this year so that I could compare my North Korea vs. South Korea experiences. Those pairs of pictures you'll see below show the differences of life in both Koreas - first one stands for South, and the second, after the flip, stands for North.
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#1
Free Time
Final score:
102points
Shiva Dheva 8 years ago
And, this is the only thing they do in their free time....? No, somehow these pairs of pictures are like propaganda materials - for the other side.
earringnut 8 years ago
This not what north koreans do in there free time. this is a government shindig of some kind. north koreans have picnics just like everyone else. sheesh!
B Holmes 3 years ago
Reminds me of my first visit to East Berlin in 1976. The roads were clear, but WWII ruble was in the City squares. Beautiful things were staged in store front windows, but not for the typical East Berliner. Returning to West Berlin the bus was check for East Berliners by using huge flat mirrors to look for escapees under the bus. In Estonia under Russian rule, the people were told bananas on Finish TV adds were all fake. Typical of totalitarian regimes. Lies. Attack the press, attack freedoms, convince people the dictator cares about YOU.
Lilliana Mullins 4 years ago
Wow, I never realized how different and, sad life in north korea, I knew about life in south korea because my aunt is south korean. but just wow.
RELATED:
#2
Youth
Final score:
86points
Shiva Dheva 8 years ago
I do not think that young people in North Korea would only do this. It is an exaggeration.
Dragoljub Kojadinović 8 years ago
"Youth" Girls in a park vs middle aged workers in a factory. What a load of BS.
Sapar Nurkamal 8 years ago
The girl standing in the left is true beauty. You should have tried to find comparison in the North. The one you took is depressing.
#3
Parking Lot
Final score:
71points
Kathleen Lovell 8 years ago
You would think that N.Korea's air would be cleaner.☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️
Celestial Lynx 8 years ago
The U.S. needs to figure out to make its parking lots look like this...
#4
Street
Final score:
69points
Mikleo 8 years ago
Instead of traffic jams they have overfilled and unreliable buses. video-unde...68638e.jpg 
Johan Benesch 8 years ago
no cities in the north ;-) on pic in city centre and one out in the country side. like comparing NYC with route 66 in Oklahoma ...
Dragoljub Kojadinović 8 years ago
"Street" Road in a middle of a city vs road in a middle of nowhere? Yeah, fair comparison, you're such a clever guy.
Teleri Nyfain 8 years ago
OK, this one is not fair no matter my low opinion of North Korea - the SK pic is downtown Seoul I expect, so why not the corresponding pic of downtown Pyongyang?
Dennis Gubin 8 years ago
BS, have you seen their streets in the capital? Wonder If you actually have been to North Korea
Azure Adams 8 years ago
The north road really makes me want to go road running... even though I know what the result would be. Shot in the back of the head
#5
Countryside
Final score:
62points
Daria B 8 years ago
The weather is warmer in the south, maybe that's why, but I'm not sure. (Yes, I do get the refference btw)
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Giedrius Girdziusas 8 years ago
Sure, Kim turns off rain OR people are eating grass because of hungry :)
#6
University
Final score:
49points
Daria B 8 years ago
On the other hand, I don't think that's a classroom in the S. Korean picture. I know, I graduated university in S. Korea, at HUFS. This looks more like a cafeteria, or a place for resting/studying/gathering. And usually there are more students than shown in the picture. I can't say foe sure, though, because it may differ from school to school.
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Armin Vieweg 8 years ago
Nord Korea is a s****y country. No doubts! But comparing the cafeteria with a regular class room, is just unfair.
lakitha tolbert 8 years ago
It looks like a normal classroom but you have to ask yourself what could the NKs possibly be studying, and if it's at all useful to them? Or only useful to the state?
Debra Williamson 8 years ago
He probably either didn't see or wasn't allowed to photograph your typical kid.
Load More Replies... Lilliana Mullins 4 years ago
Thats really interesting that the university in south korea is so vibrant and the university in north korea is just, plain.
#7
Train Station
Final score:
43points
Cat Meow 8 years ago
Seeing this tram reminds me that I watched a documentary about North Korea not too long ago. The guy doing it mentioned that the tram is actually an old repainted one from Berlin, but they still kept the scratched up windows.
Dániel Horváth 8 years ago
North Korean seems to be not a train station but an Underground station.
Charles Stuart 8 years ago
Not that I'm defending either but you rather unfairly compare a mainline Station with what is clearly a standard stop on a metro line...
Verena Heisenberg 8 years ago
The North Korean trains are old ones from Berlin, Germany. (saw that last week on televison) Just a litte not so important fact :-P
Natalia Sanchez 8 years ago
North Corea subway has its charm... 70's charm, but charm nonetheless
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Rebekah 8 years ago
I would like to know how the pictures of North Korea were taken. I've read that they are very strict about what they allowed shared and removed from their country. I'm curious is they were taken in secret or....
Alex Hill 8 years ago
How strict they are about photos is grossly, grossly exaggerated. Usually our guides let us take pictures of most places, and warned us in advance if we were going to certain museums, palaces etc. where it wasn't allowed.
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John L 8 years ago
Unlike Daria, who is currently living in ROK(Republic of Korea), I haven't been back since 1971, when I was stationed there. And even way back then it was easy to see how quickly the country was moving from an agrarian society to a technological one. There were several automobile manufactures, and the education level was high. Today, ROK is the world's largest ship maker, and on par with Taiwan. I love the Korean people because they are a 'no nonsense, what you see is what you get' people, unlike the Japanese. They are very much like Americans in their outlook. I do know that trying to reunite with NoKo would be a disaster. Germany tried that after the fall of the Wall, and it set them back so they really haven't completely recovered.
Daria B 8 years ago
Yep! I've been in S.Korea since the start of the current decade, but from the history I learnt, I need to say the 1970s were an interesting decade. It is eell known how S. Korea was a poor 3rd world country in the 1960s, but thanks to the effort of the people, by the 1970s, they managed to get back on their feet and start recovering economically. Yeah, some may say it's thanks to financial help from abroad, but I assure you that hell was not for free. In the end, it's the efforts and smartness of the Korean people that help them become what they are today.
Load More Replies...
Chatkaew Siriassawakul 8 years ago
You were shown only what they wanted you to see. I totally agreed!
Alusair Alustriel 8 years ago
I watched the video with big interest. I'm relieved that Jacob made out of North Korea safely. It's difficult to comprehend that South and North relatively not long ago were the same country. I feel really sorry for the Northen Koreans and the brainwashing they have been given. It struck me that they think the skyscrapers are fake. The level of belief in their Supreme Leader is beyond imagination.
gazetacentrum 8 years ago
Even if someone paid me a lot of dollars - I would not go to North Korea. Life and health is more valuable ...
Marzo Florida 8 years ago
I bet North Korea has some beautiful aspects and landscapes in it... but I think that whats going on between the U.S. and North Korea has something to do with the making of this article
Wala Abuleil 5 years ago
I’ve been interested in Korean shows. I watched a show that shows how living is so different and looking at these pics is very similar to the show. Its crazy how different and divided it is.
Rebekah 8 years ago
I would like to know how the pictures of North Korea were taken. I've read that they are very strict about what they allowed shared and removed from their country. I'm curious is they were taken in secret or....
Alex Hill 8 years ago
How strict they are about photos is grossly, grossly exaggerated. Usually our guides let us take pictures of most places, and warned us in advance if we were going to certain museums, palaces etc. where it wasn't allowed.
Load More Replies... John L 8 years ago
Unlike Daria, who is currently living in ROK(Republic of Korea), I haven't been back since 1971, when I was stationed there. And even way back then it was easy to see how quickly the country was moving from an agrarian society to a technological one. There were several automobile manufactures, and the education level was high. Today, ROK is the world's largest ship maker, and on par with Taiwan. I love the Korean people because they are a 'no nonsense, what you see is what you get' people, unlike the Japanese. They are very much like Americans in their outlook. I do know that trying to reunite with NoKo would be a disaster. Germany tried that after the fall of the Wall, and it set them back so they really haven't completely recovered.
Daria B 8 years ago
Yep! I've been in S.Korea since the start of the current decade, but from the history I learnt, I need to say the 1970s were an interesting decade. It is eell known how S. Korea was a poor 3rd world country in the 1960s, but thanks to the effort of the people, by the 1970s, they managed to get back on their feet and start recovering economically. Yeah, some may say it's thanks to financial help from abroad, but I assure you that hell was not for free. In the end, it's the efforts and smartness of the Korean people that help them become what they are today.
Load More Replies... Chatkaew Siriassawakul 8 years ago
You were shown only what they wanted you to see. I totally agreed!
Alusair Alustriel 8 years ago
I watched the video with big interest. I'm relieved that Jacob made out of North Korea safely. It's difficult to comprehend that South and North relatively not long ago were the same country. I feel really sorry for the Northen Koreans and the brainwashing they have been given. It struck me that they think the skyscrapers are fake. The level of belief in their Supreme Leader is beyond imagination.
gazetacentrum 8 years ago
Even if someone paid me a lot of dollars - I would not go to North Korea. Life and health is more valuable ...
Marzo Florida 8 years ago
I bet North Korea has some beautiful aspects and landscapes in it... but I think that whats going on between the U.S. and North Korea has something to do with the making of this article
Wala Abuleil 5 years ago
I’ve been interested in Korean shows. I watched a show that shows how living is so different and looking at these pics is very similar to the show. Its crazy how different and divided it is.
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