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Some say about North Korea that the only ones who smile are the "Dear Leaders" on the propaganda stuff. But after 6 trips in the most closed country, I can say that North Koreans are not the robots many depict... They also smile!
Even if they suffer from the lack of freedom and a dictatorship, they can have happy moments in their life... This was not easy to take those pics as the guides that always follow you are always suspicious, even when they see happy people!
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#1
North Korean Eating Ice Cream In A Park On National Day, Pyongyang, North Korea
Final score:
23points
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#2
Young Girl In Traditional Dress Smiling, Pyongyang, North Korea
Final score:
23points
#3
Actors Sitting On Steps And Smiling At Pyongyang Film Studio, North Korea
Final score:
23points
Tiago Cruz 8 years ago
If the picture was in black and white, I would say it was from the sixties..
#4
Little Girl In The International Kimilsungia And Kimjongilia Festival, Pyongyang, North Korea
Final score:
20points
#5
Female Soldier Smiling Wearing Cap With Red Star, Samjiyon Ryanggang, North Korea
Final score:
20points
#6
Woman With A Bunch Of Flowers In Pyongyang, North Korea
Final score:
19points
Lauren Kaufmann 8 years ago
Its nice to see people in countries that are in bad shape take pleasure in the little things that the people in better-off countries ignore or take for granted
Jay Fernandez 8 years ago
i think they need to have a good toothpaste brand there, like Colgate
#7
Mass Dancing On April 15 In Pyongyang, North Korea
Final score:
19points
#8
North Korean Soldiers In Pyongyang
Final score:
18points
Cody Eriksen 8 years ago
Got lucky taking this picture... I thought personal pics of soldiers was illegal.
#9
Electricity Company Chief Having Fun In A Park Kaesong Waterfall, North Korea
Final score:
18points
#10
Smiling Female Soldier In Tower Of The Juche Idea, Pyongyang, North Korea
Final score:
14points
#11
Two Boys Pausing In Front Of Military Uniform, Chonsam, North Korea
Final score:
12points
#12
Beautiful Young Woman Smiling At Camera, Kaesong, North Korea
Final score:
10points
#13
Trendy Teenager In Pyongyang, North Korea
Final score:
10points
#14
Girl Riding In Kaesong North Korea
Final score:
9points
#15
Dances In The Park, North Korea
Final score:
9points
Notchimine Mette 8 years ago
Is this legal? Dancing when the Dear Leader did not authorise it? I'm not being sarcastic, but that place scares the daylight out of me and I always get the impression you are not allowed to do anything if not specifically government approved?
#16
Smiling North Korean People, North Korea
Final score:
9points
#17
Elderly Woman Smiling With Toothless Grin, Pyongyang, North Korea
Final score:
8points
#18
North Korean Students Doing Ballroom Dance On September 9, Pyongyang, North Korea
Final score:
7points
#19
Kids Running In Songdowon International Children's Camp, Wonsan, North Korea
Final score:
7points
#22
Young Men Laughing At Kaeson Youth Park Fun Fair, Pyongyang, North Korea
Final score:
7points
#23
Guide Laughing In Mount Paektu
Final score:
7points
#24
Worker Woman At Hungnam Fertiliser Complex, Hamhung, North Korea
Final score:
6points
#25
North Korean Waitress Playing Accordion In A Restaurant, Pyongyang, North Korea
Final score:
6points
Tony Traub 8 years ago
These are photos of people who tow the party line and also live in the only decent city in that hell hole. Also these are people that have free state housing / benefits for loyalty to that fat little murderer / dictator. If they don't smile it's a one way trip to labor camp #666. Anywhere else in the country people barely have the basics to sustain life. Even though the people in the photos are smiling, they are really in fear of losing what little they have which could happen at any moment.
#27
North Korean Students Doing Ballroom Dance On September 9, Pyongyang, North Korea
Final score:
5points
#28
People Having Fun At Kaeson Youth Park, Pyongyang, North Korea
Final score:
5points
Cody Eriksen 8 years ago
I wonder what simulator that is? I can imagine 80's arcade screen... in green.
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Cheesybeansy 8 years ago
You can take as many pictures of smiles as you want. But it is still one of the most oppressive regimes in the world. Call me cynical if you want
Arty 8 years ago
I suppose it's a totally different paradigm, but inside this they still live a life like we know, containing love, tears and smile
ADHORTATOR 8 years ago
under all circumstances and under whatever regime/system/government, we are human beeings with all the joys, fears and dreams...
Load More Replies...
Cat Meow 8 years ago
Considering foreigners get someone assigned to take them to certain places and that all pictures foreigners take and plan on taking with them outside North Korea are inspected and deleted if it's not on par with that the regime wants, I'm wondering how real those smiles really are.
Eric Lafforgue (Post author) 8 years ago
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Load More Replies... Cody Eriksen 8 years ago
Ok, I defended that one chick that took pictures of NK not too long ago, and I'll defend this guy. YOU DID GREAT! Thanks for the pictures. I don't doubt some smiles may have been forced, but not from this photographer. Some of you are nothing but lemmings, following everything you see and hear in the news. Believe it or not, some people actually like living in NK. Not your choice to say if they are wrong or not. It does suck that a hell of a lot of travesties happen there every day, but jeeze people, he took pictures of human beings. More than I can say a lot of you elitists have done with your lives!
- Stiegosaurus - 8 years ago
Beautiful people. Too bad they have to live the way they do. The power of the human spirit.
Cheesybeansy 8 years ago
You can take as many pictures of smiles as you want. But it is still one of the most oppressive regimes in the world. Call me cynical if you want
Arty 8 years ago
I suppose it's a totally different paradigm, but inside this they still live a life like we know, containing love, tears and smile
ADHORTATOR 8 years ago
under all circumstances and under whatever regime/system/government, we are human beeings with all the joys, fears and dreams...
Load More Replies... Cat Meow 8 years ago
Considering foreigners get someone assigned to take them to certain places and that all pictures foreigners take and plan on taking with them outside North Korea are inspected and deleted if it's not on par with that the regime wants, I'm wondering how real those smiles really are.
Eric Lafforgue (Post author) 8 years ago
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Load More Replies... Cody Eriksen 8 years ago
Ok, I defended that one chick that took pictures of NK not too long ago, and I'll defend this guy. YOU DID GREAT! Thanks for the pictures. I don't doubt some smiles may have been forced, but not from this photographer. Some of you are nothing but lemmings, following everything you see and hear in the news. Believe it or not, some people actually like living in NK. Not your choice to say if they are wrong or not. It does suck that a hell of a lot of travesties happen there every day, but jeeze people, he took pictures of human beings. More than I can say a lot of you elitists have done with your lives!
- Stiegosaurus - 8 years ago
Beautiful people. Too bad they have to live the way they do. The power of the human spirit.
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