A peek behind the curtain: inside North Korea
Hong Kong native Ted Lau's new book tries to understand everyday life in the 'dystopian utopia' of a totalitarian country shrouded in mystery. (가디언)
I started this series to satisfy my curiosity about North Korea. Once I landed at the airport, everything seemed fresh and interesting, almost surreal. Then after a few days the surreal becomes normal and believable.
The title of this book, Between Door, is about the idea that a government's grand promises to its people only hold up if you don't look beyond the veneer. I felt an immense sadness that North Koreans are not the masters of their fate.
Arirang Mass Games is the largest performance of theatre, artistry, gymnastics and propaganda stories in the world. 100,000 young, strong and agile North Koreans are carefully selected to spend eight months in intensive practice sessions. The themes are largely based on struggles against the Japanese, the division of Korea, the benevolence of the leaders and the advantages of socialism.
For North Koreans, what one can achieve is predetermined by the state. There is no understanding of freedom, and I believe there is great cruelty in depriving people of that.
The city of Pyongyang has two amusement parks. This is one of the few places where foreigners can mingle with residents and you can see North Koreans shriek, laugh and rejoice
North Korea is completely shut off from the outside world. This is the biggest social experiment of its kind on the planet
Contrary to popular belief, tourism is encouraged in North Korea, depending on the passport one holds. As outsiders, we realised we would never know what people's lives were really like, but things started making more sense after a day or two
Pyongyang was completely rebuilt post-1953, after being flattened by US bombing during the Korean War. While the east side of the city is packed with colourful Soviet-style concrete apartment blocks, the west side is filled with grand buildings, stadiums and newer developments. The two are separated by the Taedong river.
You can dream if you dare to, and you can try as you might, but no matter what you do, there is no freedom in the sense we understand it.
Prior to the Korean War, architecture in the city was rather grey. But under orders of Kim Jong Il, the country was splashed with minty greens, lemon yellows, sky blues, and neon and baby pinks.
In this dystopian utopia, there isn't a trace of consumerist and capitalist culture, only dissemination of ideas. This is evident on the bus stops and billboards that are painted with monuments, propagandist slogans or inspirational quotes for the betterment of the working society
What I offer you here is my perspective of North Korea. This is a beautiful land, with a beautiful people. We all have the same basic needs and the same want for happiness and comfort. It is an immensely interesting place and how it develops from here is anyone's guess.