The MOST Amazing video ~SNEAKING into North Korea

[AsahinaKimi]

http://www.vbs.tv/watch/the-vice-guide-to-travel/vice-guide-to-north-korea-1-of-3

Getting into North Korea was one of the hardest and weirdest processes VBS has ever dealt with. After we went back and forth with their representatives for months, they finally said they were going to allow 16 journalists into the country to cover the Arirang Mass Games in Pyongyang. Then, ten days before we were supposed to go, they said, “No, nobody can come.” Then they said, “OK, OK, you can come. But only as tourists.” We had no idea what that was supposed to mean. They already knew we were journalists, and over there if you get caught being a journalist when you’re supposed to be a tourist you go to jail. We don’t like jail. And we’re willing to bet we’d hate jail in North Korea. But we went for it. The first leg of the trip was a flight into northern China. At the airport, the North Korean consulate took our passports and all of our money, then brought us to a restaurant. We were sitting there with our tour group, and suddenly all the other diners left and these women came out and started singing North Korean nationalist songs. We were thinking, “Look, we were just on a plane for 20 hours. We’re jet-lagged. Can we just go to bed?” but this guy with our group who was from the LA Times told us, “Everyone in here besides us is secret police. If you don’t act excited then you’re not going to get your visa. So we got drunk and jumped up onstage and sang songs with the girls. The next day we got our visas. A lot of people we had gone with didn’t get theirs. That was our first hint at just what a freaky, freaky trip we were embarking on…
— VBS Founder Shane Smith

This I of part III. There should be a link there for Part 2 and Part 3. I think it goes though all three episodes.. So far it looks like it.

correction:
http://www.vbs.tv/watch/the-vice-guide-to-travel/vice-guide-to-north-korea-2-of-3

http://www.vbs.tv/watch/the-vice-guide-to-travel/vice-guide-to-north-korea-3-of-3

[tishaLA]

1. These are great and very funny

Thanks for the links.

[MrMickeysMom]

2. I'll have to view these, but I've gotta ask-

Who would want to get IN to North Korea?

:shrug:

[AsahinaKimi]

3. Good question however, as stupid a stunt as it was...

They really do expose what life is like in North Korea. The fact that at any moment they could have been arrested as SPIES, and either imprisoned or killed is what makes this an amazing film and worth watching.


I was amazed that while they were touring on a bus, there was ABSOLUTELY no traffic on the road. Maybe only rich people own cars in North Korea or, there's no place to go.


Note: I found the "TEA GIRL" absolutely charming..

[Posteritatis]

4. Someone who wants to figure out/let others know what it's like?

Also, a few of my university classes had self-described Stalinists who were convinced North Korea is a paradise on Earth (much like sufficiently insane libertarians see Somalia), though loons that broken are probably outliers.

[Dark]

5. I've seen these episodes before. They also went to Liberia, which actually seemed worse.

I wonder if they'll go to Somolia next.

[AsahinaKimi]

6. Just want to note as well...

That the film has some pauses. The screen goes black. Just let it continue to play. You will notice when the parts END. Then you can either change the address to the proper next part or come back here and click on the above two links, which are part two and part three.

[Chulanowa]

7. "Abbey Road... I understand those bastards now!"

I died. Wow.

What a fucking wackyland. I found Tea Girl delightful, but also a bit scary-as-hell. Do you think she's there, by herself, for months and months? Or was she just minding her own business, and got dragged in that morning to play hostess?

Next they need to go to Tajikistan.

[fishwax]

10. the tea lady -- yes

I also thought that was a pretty fascinating segment, playing pool and ping pong.

[troubledamerican]

8. VBS.TV = Greatest Independent Journalism Today

Shane Smith is a god.

Go watch these:

http://www.vbs.tv/watch/the-vice-guide-to-travel/the-gun-markets-of-pakistan
The Gun Markets of Pakistan

http://www.vbs.tv/watch/the-vice-guide-to-travel/bulgarian-dirty-bombs
Bulgarian Dirty Bomb Market

http://www.vbs.tv/watch/the-vice-guide-to-travel/the-vice-guide-to-liberia-1-of-8
The Vice Guide To Liberia -- warning: cannibalism, sex, implied beheading

Yes, the GREATEST independent journalism today.

[AsahinaKimi]

9. Here is a another documentary on life in North Korea

Welcome to North Korea by Peter Tetteroo and Raymond Feddema / Documentary Educational Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ6E3cShcVU