November 16th, 2008
north korea
I can’t remember why but I stumbled on a great video series shot in North Korea by VBS.tv. Vice Broadcasting Services is a website borne from a magazine, which tends to get to the heart of the less well documented topics. The variety seems to be a somewhat typical ‘meet the music artist’ variety to much more interesting ones on like their report on North Korea. There are 14 episodes below, and they are all worth watching. As long as you remain aware that VBS tends to throw around lots of generalizations and can be less than sophisticated, there is a lot to learn here.
In an attempt to confirm what I saw on VBS, I stumbled on a well done article by a Russian who visited North Korea in 2006. His pictures and accounts mirrored what VBS had reported, but with a bit more tact and a Russian perspective.
THE VICE GUIDE TO NORTH KOREA – Episode 1 – The South’s DMZ
THE VICE GUIDE TO NORTH KOREA – Episode 2 – Shenyang
The backdoor route into North Korea.
THE VICE GUIDE TO NORTH KOREA – Episode 3 – Hello Pyongyang
VBS arrives in the grimmest, most isolated, zaniest capital in the world.
THE VICE GUIDE TO NORTH KOREA – Episode 4 – The Pueblo
Learning a valuable lesson about how bad we are.
Peeking across the border at the forbidden North.
THE VICE GUIDE TO NORTH KOREA – Episode 5 – The Tea Girl
We may still be the last people this girl has hung out with.
THE VICE GUIDE TO NORTH KOREA – Episode 6 – The Northern D.M.Z.
The North Koreans bring us back to the border.
THE VICE GUIDE TO NORTH KOREA – Episode 7 – Pangasumnida
Letting loose with the guards at state-sanctioned karaoke.
THE VICE GUIDE TO NORTH KOREA – Episode 8 – Memorials and Gifts
VBS pays its respects to the Eternal President and views his amazing collection of presents.
THE VICE GUIDE TO NORTH KOREA – Episode 9 – The Pyongyang Metro
The most lavish two-stop subway money can buy (from East Germany).
THE VICE GUIDE TO NORTH KOREA – Episode 10 – The People’s Study House
Headquarters of the North Korean philosopher hotline.
THE VICE GUIDE TO NORTH KOREA – Episode 11 – The Barrage
The pinnacle of human engineering and famine induction.
THE VICE GUIDE TO NORTH KOREA – Episode 12 – The Schoolchildren’s Palace
Meeting the country’s creepily overtalented future generation.
THE VICE GUIDE TO NORTH KOREA – Episode 13 – Arirang
100,000 North Koreans participate in the world’s greatest eyefuck.
THE VICE GUIDE TO NORTH KOREA – Episode 14 – Anarchy in the N.K.
Bringing the whole trip into perspective.
