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Last year, I travelled to North Korea to write and photograph a feature for GQ Magazine in Australia.
It was the most fascinating and depressing week of my life. These photos are a glimpse of the carefully choreographed tour that visitors are allowed to go on. It's a facade, for sure, but there are little moments of humanity that peek through.
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#1
Final score:
58points
Cesi Baca 8 years ago
Staged and unatrual. Look at their hand poses. Also check out the dead serious guy behind them who is watching them very carefully.
Cesi Baca 8 years ago
You can see the girls in this creepy video with same hand poses and smiles https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3C3saOrZLl0
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Bel Panado 8 years ago
Hoping these smiles aren't staged. :( From what I've read from The Girl With Seven Names, everything is staged in NorKor to make them look happy in photos. :(
RELATED:
#2
Final score:
49points
Adam Baidawi (Submission author) 8 years ago
Here's more context around the photos: http://www.gq.com.au/entertainment/film+tv/that+time+we+went+to+north+korea,44899
#3
Final score:
45points
#4
Final score:
37points
Karen Klinck 8 years ago
Not only is no one waiting, there's no one at the flight desk, either!
#5
Final score:
34points
#6
Final score:
34points
frederic eeckman 8 years ago
It's the highway when you are entering Pyongyang from the south.
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#7
Final score:
33points
#8
Final score:
32points
#9
Final score:
30points
#10
Final score:
29points
#11
Final score:
24points
Koko Sempai 8 years ago
I love the sound of these instruments! I went to see a Japanese performance before, and it was so good!
#12
Final score:
21points
Mirriam Banda 8 years ago
I wonder if they will ever manage to fully finish and open that hotel (Ryugyong Hotel).
Markus McCloud 8 years ago
Not likely. It costs money to check into a hotel... Something most North Koreans don't have much of...
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#14
Final score:
19points
#15
Final score:
19points
Olivia W 8 years ago
Because its not an actual newspaper it's for tourists to see how "great" their country is.
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David 8 years ago
I'm probably totally wrong with this, but isn't is possible that this is too white to be regular recycled paper for mass produced newspapers, meaning it's a low-volume thing for tourists?
Diana Burolo 8 years ago
where i come from - croatia - you can buy foreign newspapers and on national tv and radio broadcast you can hear daily news in english i think all media is for some kind of propaganda... i don't think people from western countries are less brainwashed by media than n. koreans.
Ymme Cruijff 8 years ago
Well, I believe they are. In western countries you're allowed to start your own newspaper en you are protected from interference from the government by civil rights, mostly laid down in constitutions. Although there are state run media, you can come by independent news from (many) different sources. I don't think North Koreans have that luxury...
Load More Replies... #16
Final score:
19points
#17
Final score:
17points
Dylan Barsby 8 years ago
I've always loathed all the litter and obvious pollution around me - in the streets etc. and have always enjoyed a 'clean' environment... but this is practically sterile. I'm surprised to find that I dislike it.
Notchimine Mette 8 years ago
Because it's unnatural. There is no one to litter, and anybody caught accidentally dropping a piece of paper will probably end up in a forced labour camp.
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Jhoa 8 years ago
Celental Midnight, there are people who have escaped from North Korea. They don´t add to this ´beautiful´, ´wonderful´ image. Of course North Korea isn´t all bad (especially sicne its hard to define ´bad´), but yes, people would probably be punished pretty harshly for litering - or they´d do it.
Notchimine Mette 8 years ago
He is probably forced to ride the bike for most of the day, or at least until all the tourists were told to go back to their hotel.
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#18
Final score:
16points
#19
Final score:
15points
Howard Gilmour 8 years ago
What are you talking about? Would you expect to see happy faces on everybody crossing London bridge to go work in the city? Your immediate conditioned bias leaps forthwith into the comments subconsciously.
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#20
Final score:
15points
Notchimine Mette 8 years ago
International marathon that no one outside N Korea has ever heard of...
tatiana gonzales 8 years ago
Its world famous!! I remember the time the supreme leader beat everyone and finished under 15mins w/o breaking a sweat!
Load More Replies... Roos 8 years ago
Sorry that was a stupid question of me. Marathons are always about running
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#22
Final score:
14points
Diana Burolo 8 years ago
i'm not here to advocate but, you have to face it - n.korea is a communist utopia. if they were more open to the world they would finish like ex yugoslavia and it's not heaven either.
#23
Final score:
13points
Ged Maybury 8 years ago
Very much so! I was looking at it thinking, "Whoa,that's really old technology!"
Load More Replies... #24
Final score:
13points
Apollo 8 years ago
Yes, only this girl forgets for a moment that she can't be herself around tourists.
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#25
Final score:
12points
#26
Final score:
12points
#27
Final score:
11points
#28
Final score:
11points
Kira Leseman 8 years ago
What is the middle statue depicting? A bayonet with a flag around it maybe?
#29
Final score:
11points
Diana Burolo 8 years ago
wow! that's a picture you won't see in croatia schools anytime soon... :/
Inservio Letum 8 years ago
Note the red joystick in the middle of the keyboard. These laptops are from the 90s.
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#30
Final score:
11points
#31
Final score:
11points
Jumailiana Iwan 8 years ago
i got this pic from the south side....... that big building with horn like roof is where the south house north koreans defectors , where the south will screen and check whether the defectors are real or spies trying to inflitrate
Ethan Barbour 8 years ago
So if you took it from the south, isn't the building on the north side? Confused.
Load More Replies... #32
Final score:
10points
Claire Von Hirdler 8 years ago
looks like some of these pics were taken through glass...there's the slight reflection. maybe a car tour?
#33
Final score:
10points
#34
Final score:
10points
Diana Burolo 8 years ago
it's an english class??? or it's just for tourists...?
Load More Replies... #35
Final score:
9points
#36
Final score:
9points
#37
Final score:
8points
Emmanuel Christian 8 years ago
the backdrop on the right ... it's 70% discount on ballistic missiles
#39
Final score:
5points
Oliver Nahlik 8 years ago
http://www.gq.com.au/entertainment/film+tv/that+time+we+went+to+north+korea,44899 thats the whole article and more details on the photos :)
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What do you think ?
Violaine LB 8 years ago
Yes! I remember a few weeks/months ago, somebody else posted pictures from North Korea trying to show that it was not as bad as what people say, and I thought it was revolting to deny there was any problem in North Korea. I like the fact that the author acknowledges that there are issues but also humanity, that's a more balanced approach. And these pictures are more beautiful too, I love the light on these. Really great.
Sweep the Leg 8 years ago
I remember that post from a few months ago. It really was ridiculous how they insisted it was a much better life than we all believed. I was thinking the same thing as you when I began reading this post. Glad to see the author has a much more realistic view on the topic, and great pictures! Well done!
Load More Replies... Talia Johnson 8 years ago
It is fascinating to see these photos - thank you for sharing them. It would be great to have a bit of context also for some of the places and events, if possible.
Adam Baidawi (Post author) 8 years ago
Thanks Talia! My article here goes into more depth: http://gq.com.au/entertainment/film+tv/that+time+we+went+to+north+korea,44899
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TheReader19 8 years ago
Hi Adam, the pictures were really interesting, however; at the top you really should have put some description of where they were taken. The blue empty seats really leaves me wondering if that was an airport that most North Koreans will never get to go to
John L 8 years ago
After having lived in South Korea for a year, the difference is like night and day. Where life in the North is so choreographed, the South is equally spontaneous, and so natural. Perhaps the world needs at least one North Korea, just to highlight the failure of Collectivism.
Daria B 8 years ago
I surely enjoy my life here in S. Korea, but I only partially agree with you. It all depends. I've been amongst wonderful spontaneous people, but also amongst stiff conformists. Also collectivism is still pretty much ever-present in the South too. Which is both good and bad, depends how you apply it.
Load More Replies...
Diana Burolo 8 years ago
beautiful photos! reading the comments here i can imagine people who trust too much mainstream media and don't know much about communism and communist art and urban architecture.
Grace Barclay 8 years ago
Adam your photographs are beautiful. My one real observation is quietness from these photographs. Thank you for sharing them.
Mark Flower 8 years ago
Great photos! At least the children appear to have that last glimpse of humanity left.
Violaine LB 8 years ago
Yes! I remember a few weeks/months ago, somebody else posted pictures from North Korea trying to show that it was not as bad as what people say, and I thought it was revolting to deny there was any problem in North Korea. I like the fact that the author acknowledges that there are issues but also humanity, that's a more balanced approach. And these pictures are more beautiful too, I love the light on these. Really great.
Sweep the Leg 8 years ago
I remember that post from a few months ago. It really was ridiculous how they insisted it was a much better life than we all believed. I was thinking the same thing as you when I began reading this post. Glad to see the author has a much more realistic view on the topic, and great pictures! Well done!
Load More Replies... Talia Johnson 8 years ago
It is fascinating to see these photos - thank you for sharing them. It would be great to have a bit of context also for some of the places and events, if possible.
Adam Baidawi (Post author) 8 years ago
Thanks Talia! My article here goes into more depth: http://gq.com.au/entertainment/film+tv/that+time+we+went+to+north+korea,44899
Load More Replies... TheReader19 8 years ago
Hi Adam, the pictures were really interesting, however; at the top you really should have put some description of where they were taken. The blue empty seats really leaves me wondering if that was an airport that most North Koreans will never get to go to
John L 8 years ago
After having lived in South Korea for a year, the difference is like night and day. Where life in the North is so choreographed, the South is equally spontaneous, and so natural. Perhaps the world needs at least one North Korea, just to highlight the failure of Collectivism.
Daria B 8 years ago
I surely enjoy my life here in S. Korea, but I only partially agree with you. It all depends. I've been amongst wonderful spontaneous people, but also amongst stiff conformists. Also collectivism is still pretty much ever-present in the South too. Which is both good and bad, depends how you apply it.
Load More Replies... Diana Burolo 8 years ago
beautiful photos! reading the comments here i can imagine people who trust too much mainstream media and don't know much about communism and communist art and urban architecture.
Grace Barclay 8 years ago
Adam your photographs are beautiful. My one real observation is quietness from these photographs. Thank you for sharing them.
Mark Flower 8 years ago
Great photos! At least the children appear to have that last glimpse of humanity left.
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