Reddit user Bjørn Christian Tørrissen recently posted photos from his visit to North Korea in 2014.
Since his trip, North Korea has not allowed individual tourists to visit (besides Russians). Though Tørrissen was restricted in what he could capture due to the little access given to foreign visitors at the time, he was able to participate in North Korean government-mandated activities like skiing and bowling. He also saw a plethora of propaganda posters and captured a hotel gift shop only selling books authored by or praising the Kim regime.
Scroll down to see what elite North Korean squirrel taxidermy looks like.
1
"We're asked not to photograph anyone in uniform, and I do my best, but they are everywhere. I just want to show how there is no marketing/ads, but lots of propaganda."
2
"Pyongyang view, looking across the river from the Grand People's Study House. Notice the planned symmetrical architecture."
3
"The Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum is objectively an impressive museum, although there's nothing objective about the displays. Lots of US military wrecks included."
4
"Not sure what North Korea's official stand on the Flat Earth theory is, but at the science museum they show this interesting compromise, with One Korea large and central."
5
"All tourists must either go bowling or to the shooting range next door. The screens have nice ASCII art graphics, and locals seem to enjoy themselves."
6
"The gift shop at the hotel is mainly selling books which are written by and/or praising one of the Kims. There are many impressively long titles to choose between."
7
"Enough Pyongyang. We're going on a road trip. This is the kind of scenery we see a lot of. Villages with a few people around, surrounded by farmland."
8
"There are relatively frequent stops for a bathroom break and stocking up on nutrients. Wrinkled apples, local brand snacks and beer, and, well, whatever they have."
9
"Kaesong is a city many pass through on their way to the border to South Korea. It's not the cheeriest place, and not as polished as parts of Pyongyang are."
10
"We often see farming done the old way."
11
"The road rarely enters any settlements, but we get quite close to villages sometimes. This is one of the nicer-looking ones."
12
"We stay at the Masikryong ski resort for a couple of days. In the slopes there are five of us foreign tourists, and the national alpine skiing team there to learn to ski."
13
"In addition, there are quite a few Koreans that just sit in the ski lifts up and down, making the place look more crowded than it actually is. Unsure if that's why they are there."
14
"This is the only hotel where the portraits of the Kims are nowhere to be seen. Instead there are these cute styrofoam penguins doing winter sports."
15
"I'm often asked about the food. This is probably the best dinner we had. Grilled pork. Not much, but good. Can't complain in a country where many people go hungry."
16
"Another typical road trip view. While the main road is fine, often insanely wide to also function as an air strip during potential war, but the side roads are rough."
17
"This transporter of goods needs a moment of rest midway up a long hill."
18
" call this Heartbreak Hotel. When we left it, everyone working at the hotel came out to wave goodbye. They did not know when they would receive any guests again."
19
"Last breakfast on our trip. It's something reminiscent of French toast, tea, and a piece of fish. Very glad I brought a nice pile of chocolate for energy on this trip."
20
"Squirrel tax paid. North Korean taxodermy isn't the best, but often highly amusing. Thank you for viewing!"
