Welcome to our deep‑dive into the top ten fascinating aspects of the Hermit Kingdom – a place where propaganda, oppression, and absurdity intertwine in ways most of us can barely imagine. Grab a drink, brace yourself, and let’s wander through the strangest corners of North Korea.

Top Ten Fascinating Overview

10 Propaganda Village

If the North Korean populace ever catches sight of the so‑called village of Kijong‑dong, they’re unlikely to crack the obvious penis joke hidden in its name – and we certainly won’t either. This phantom settlement, perched near the Demilitarized Zone, boasts one of the tallest flagpoles on the planet and even has electricity, a rarity for rural locales in the DPRK. Unlike its southern counterpart, Taesong‑dong, the northern “dong” is completely empty of residents. State propaganda claims it houses 200 cheerful families dutifully worshipping the Juche doctrine, but that’s pure fabrication.

In reality, Kijong‑dong is a staged set. Only the occasional maintenance worker wanders its streets, constantly bombarded with Korean opera, marching songs, and endless speeches broadcast toward South Korea – a thinly veiled mockery of their “civilized” ways of wearing shoes and avoiding starvation. This list is already heading into dark territory, but the truth remains: the people of North Korea endure unimaginable misery when their most impressive village is merely a giant middle finger to their southern neighbors. And we’ve only just begun.

9 Kidnapping Film Directors And Forcing Them To Make A Communist Godzilla

North Korea may be infamous for its repressive regime, but it also boasts a remarkably original approach to cinema. Forget the usual war‑drama scripts; the DPRK prefers colossal socialist reptiles crushing bourgeois oppressors. Enter Pulgasari, the nation’s very own Commie‑Gojira, which rolled out with full ideological backing. The problem? Skilled directors and actors are scarce – a side effect of widespread poverty and a society that leaves most citizens clueless about cameras.

To fill this creative void, the regime resorted to kidnapping. Notable South Korean talent like actress Choi Eun‑Hee and her director husband were snatched in separate Hong Kong operations during the late 1970s. They were forced into a clandestine film‑making factory, churning out movies that never saw the light of day. After a daring ruse that convinced Kim Jong Il everything was “fine,” they escaped to Vienna.

Officially, North Korea admits to abducting 13 individuals in the 1970s and 1980s. Five were repatriated to Japan in 2002, while Pyongyang claims the remaining eight perished – a statement Japan disputes. Scholar Andre Lankov estimates roughly 500 South Koreans have been taken, most of them fishermen who strayed too close to the North Korean coast, though the tally also includes covert operatives. Whether they ended up as lab assistants for the rubber lizard or met a harsher fate remains a grim mystery.

8 Being Forced To Poop By The Government

Imagine being reduced to a walking fertilizer factory. In 2013, a Beijing source reported that, due to a severe shortage of chemical fertilizers, the North Korean government ordered every citizen to generate hundreds of kilograms of human waste each year. This absurd mandate forced a populace already grappling with starvation to produce massive quantities of excrement for agricultural use.

Even a British diet would struggle to meet such a quota, let alone a starving North Korean one. Rumors swirl online about a covert deal with the United States to deliver Shia LaBeouf – humorously rumored to be the ultimate waste‑producing machine – but the truth remains that ordinary people were coerced into this grotesque labor.

7 Becoming A State‑Sponsored Military‑Grade Hooker And Feeding A Dictator Shark Dong

When I first met Kim Jong Il, he looked like any ordinary neighbour… with brown spots on his face and yellowed teeth. My naive admiration for the great leader shattered instantly.

This is the testimony of Mi Hyang, a former member of the regime’s “pleasure squad” who later defected to South Korea. The squad, managed at the state level, was not merely for Kim Jong Il but also for senior cadres, serving at official functions. According to Professor Koh Yu Hwan, the women were essentially on duty to glorify the DPRK.

Kim Jong Il reportedly enjoyed a diet that included shark penis, a bizarre delicacy that complemented his lavish $800,000‑a‑year Hennessy habit. Recruitment for the squad began straight out of school: officers would visit schools, hand‑pick female students, and separate them for this purpose. The regime’s exploitation mirrors the worst excesses of a decadent West, with powerful men exploiting vulnerable girls with impunity.

6 Being Dependent On Communists Who Disappeared 30 Years Ago For Electricity

While the 1990s saw Generation X debating the merits of the Clinton era and the grunge era’s soundtrack, North Korea was already shrouded in darkness. Rural citizens, lacking any concept of alternative rock, lived under perpetual night. Satellite images reveal only a single bright patch – the capital Pyongyang – where government buildings, the Kim palace, and the towering Juche Tower remain lit around the clock.

Despite years of sanctions and offers of food and energy aid contingent on dismantling the nuclear program, the regime stubbornly refuses. The lack of reliable electricity denies citizens access to even the most basic entertainment, from reruns of “MacGyver” to “The Bachelor.” For perspective, South Koreans consume roughly 10,162 kWh per person annually, while North Koreans average a meager 739 kWh – a tiny contribution to climate change, but a massive deprivation for its people.

5 Praising Murderous Dictators In Western Media Because You Hate The President

If “diplomatic dance” were a Winter Olympic event, Kim Yo Jong would take gold. With a smile and a handshake, she captured the attention of Western outlets during the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, even as CNN lauded her while simultaneously criticizing the United States. The irony is stark: a regime responsible for executions by flamethrower, mortars, and anti‑aircraft guns receives media adulation simply because it offers a convenient contrast to a disliked president.

Kim Yo Jong, as the director of propaganda and agitation, is part of a system that has, under Kim Jong Un, executed at least 340 individuals by 2016, according to a South Korean think‑tank. The Western media’s fascination with her reflects a ratings‑driven appetite for sensationalism, often overlooking the grim reality behind the glossy façade.

4 Stealing Volvos From Sweden Because They Are Degenerate Western Dogs

Stealing cars is a crime, but the North Korean leadership took it to a new level in the 1970s. Swedish socialists, eager to forge ties with the DPRK, arranged a deal for 1,000 brand‑new 1974 Volvos. Kim Jong Il accepted the shipment with a laugh, refusing to pay the agreed sum and leaving Sweden with a staggering debt now exceeding three billion Kronor (about €300 million).

These luxurious Volvos, once equipped with leather seats, now reportedly smell of stale taxi fumes and starvation. Sweden continues to grapple with the financial fallout, while the regime proudly regards the Swedes as imperialist puppets of the United States.

3 Escaping A Gulag Nation Only To Be Forced Into Sex Slavery

One might assume that crossing the border into China offers a straightforward escape from the DPRK’s horrors, but the reality is far more tragic. Roughly 80 % of North Korean defectors who reach China are women, and an alarming 90 % fall victim to human trafficking. In a market where a North Korean woman can fetch up to $2,000, many are bought by wealthy Chinese men, effectively becoming forced brides.

Kung Su Jin, head of the Coalition for North Korean Women’s Rights in Seoul, describes how these women are sold to farmers, elderly men, or disabled individuals, enduring beatings, rape, and severe abuse. Those caught by Chinese authorities are often repatriated to North Korea and thrown into concentration camps, sealing a fate of perpetual suffering.

2 Women Are Second‑Class Citizens But Also The Main Breadwinners

While the DPRK’s oppression permeates every facet of life, the gender‑based restrictions are particularly insidious. Women are prohibited from riding bicycles, a seemingly trivial ban that cripples their ability to earn a living. The Juche doctrine of self‑reliance, in practice, reduces citizens to state‑controlled laborers, effectively making them slaves.

Women, often relegated to lower‑pay factory work, become the primary earners for their families, relying on bicycles as the sole transportation to markets. A North Korean woman living in Seoul told Human Rights Watch that without a bike, she cannot sustain her household, and skirts make long rides impractical. The state‑imposed fines for violating dress codes or riding without permission further erode any potential earnings, cementing a cycle of poverty and control.

1 It Sucks Being A Kid In North Korea

Children in the DPRK face a bleak existence. With pervasive poverty, chronic food shortages, and a regime that can execute you for an illegal haircut, youthful exuberance is stifled. Over 13 million North Koreans suffer from malnutrition, including 60 % of children – the worst rate among 110 developing nations surveyed by UNICEF and WHO. Infant mortality stands at 22.1 per 1,000 live births, seven times higher than in South Korea.

Despite these hardships, the state ensures that children receive a curriculum steeped in anti‑American propaganda, complete with toy guns and grenades. Those deemed “fit” attend school, while others are forced into agricultural labor from a tender age. On International Children’s Day, Pyongyang stages mock military parades featuring children dressed as soldiers, and the privileged few are sent to learn accordion or cheerleading for years, all to glorify the Kim dynasty.

In short, living, working, or even attempting to trade with North Korea is a nightmare. The safest advice? Stay far, stay informed, and stay away.

North Korea may be the most isolated and secretive nation on the planet, but that doesn’t mean we are completely clueless about life behind the curtain. When you think of the Hermit Kingdom, you probably picture odd laws and a total blackout of outside media. Its people are forced to obey a host of peculiar regulations and are cut off from many commonplace websites and forms of communication. In fact, most citizens likely have no idea they live under such a restrictive regime because they never see anything beyond the state‑run channels. Below you’ll find 10 completely normal everyday actions that are outright illegal in this closed‑off country.

Why These 10 Completely Normal Activities Are Banned

10 Using the Internet

Imagine a world where you can’t Google a recipe, stream a video, or scroll through memes – that’s the reality for the average North Korean. The state treats the global internet as a dangerous contagion, allowing only a privileged handful of officials, scientists and a few university students to log on. Everyone else is forced to stay on a tiny, government‑controlled intranet called Kwangmyong, which offers just a sliver of information approved by the regime.

Officially, the law forbids any use of the worldwide web. The leadership fears that unrestricted access would let people compare their lives to those abroad, sparking dissent. By keeping the population offline, the regime can control the narrative and prevent the free flow of ideas that might threaten its grip on power.

Even mobile phones are tightly monitored; most citizens can only make domestic calls, and any attempt to connect internationally is considered a grave offense. This digital isolation is a core part of how the government maintains its iron‑clad control over everyday life.

9 Smiling

We all love a good grin, but in North Korea a smile can land you in serious trouble on a very specific date. On July 8th, the anniversary of Kim Il‑sung’s death, citizens are prohibited from smiling. The law treats any display of happiness on that solemn day as disrespectful to the founding leader.

If someone is caught beaming on the anniversary, the punishment can be severe – ranging from forced labor in a concentration camp to even execution. The same strictness applies to other exuberant behaviors like being loud, drinking alcohol, or throwing a birthday party during the mourning period.

Kim Jong‑un extended this tradition by declaring an 11‑day mourning period for his father, Kim Jong‑il, on the tenth anniversary of his death. During those days, laughing, drinking, and even shopping were banned, underscoring how tightly the regime controls even the most mundane expressions of joy.

8 Watching TV

Think about the endless choices on a modern TV guide – sports, dramas, news from around the globe. In North Korea, that luxury doesn’t exist. Citizens are only permitted to watch state‑run programming, and owning a television or radio capable of receiving foreign signals is illegal.

The government’s rationale is simple: any exposure to outside culture could undermine the official narrative. As a result, the only channels available are those that broadcast propaganda, news glorifying the leadership, and a few approved cultural shows. The lack of variety is a deliberate tool to keep the populace focused on the regime’s messaging.

7 Driving

Imagine being forced to walk everywhere because a car is a luxury reserved for the elite. In North Korea, only about one in a hundred residents is allowed to own a vehicle, and the restrictions are even tighter for women.

Women are outright forbidden from driving, regardless of whether they work as traffic officers. If a woman needs to travel, she must be accompanied by a male guardian. Historically, even bicycles were off‑limits for women, though that rule has been relaxed in recent years. Still, the limited transport options mean most women remain home‑bound, caring for families while men take on state‑assigned jobs.

6 Leaving the Country

Travel outside the borders of North Korea is a dream most citizens will never see. Any departure must receive explicit government approval, and the process is fraught with danger. Those who attempt to flee without permission risk imprisonment for themselves and their entire families, often ending up in harsh labor camps.

Successful escapes usually involve costly smuggling operations, where third‑party traffickers guide defectors across the heavily fortified border. Even then, the risk of capture is high, and the penalties are severe – ranging from long prison sentences to execution.

5 Wearing Jeans

Fashion is a form of personal expression, but in North Korea the government dictates what’s acceptable. Skinny jeans, for instance, are strictly prohibited because they are seen as a symbol of Western decadence.

If you’re caught sporting disallowed attire, you’ll be summoned to a court where you must write a confession of “anti‑socialist” behavior. Release only comes after someone provides you with state‑approved clothing, and your employer is notified of the infraction. Similar bans exist for dyed hair, piercings, and other “non‑conformist” styles, with city patrols actively searching youth hotspots for violators.

4 Talking on the Phone

Making an international call in North Korea isn’t just frowned upon – it can be a death sentence. In 2007, a factory chief in South Pyongan province was executed in front of a stadium packed with 150,000 spectators for installing thirteen phones to make overseas calls.

The incident turned chaotic: six people were killed on the spot, and a further 34 were injured as the crowd rushed out of the arena in panic. This brutal example serves as a stark warning that any attempt to bypass the state’s communication controls is met with the harshest possible punishment.

3 Choosing Your Profession

Dreaming of a career as an astronaut or a rock star? In North Korea, that fantasy is impossible. After finishing high school, every citizen is conscripted into the military – men serve for ten years, while women serve until they turn 23.

Once military service ends, the state assigns each person a lifetime job, often in agriculture, street sweeping, factory work, traffic control, or teaching. There’s no room for negotiation, and the work week typically stretches to 48 hours with only Sundays off. In 2016, the regime even ordered a massive 70‑day work sprint for virtually the entire population to boost the economy.

2 Getting a New Haircut

Changing up your hairstyle is a simple way to refresh your look, but in North Korea the options are painfully limited. The government officially approves only 28 haircuts – 14 for women and a handful for men.

Women’s styles are generally short, reflecting the expectation that married women keep their hair modest. Men may not exceed two inches in length, and any spiky, dyed, or otherwise “non‑socialist” hair is strictly forbidden. Deviating from the approved list is deemed anti‑socialist behavior and can lead to disciplinary action.

1 Talking Smack About the Government

Criticizing the government is a daily habit for many of us, but in North Korea it’s a capital offense. Every citizen must pledge unwavering loyalty to Kim Jong‑un, his family, and the state. Even a casual insult or a whispered dissent can result in imprisonment or execution.

Foreign visitors aren’t exempt either. American student Otto Warmbier was detained after allegedly stealing a billboard from his hotel room, an act the regime interpreted as an insult. He was sentenced to a labor camp, fell into a coma, and died after being released back to the United States.

Observers have likened the country’s oppressive atmosphere to the dystopian world of “The Handmaid’s Tale.” While we may gripe about minor inconveniences, remembering these ten completely normal activities that are banned in North Korea puts our own complaints into perspective.

The 10 shocking defections to North Korea reveal a world of secrecy and terror. North Korea, officially the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), remains the globe’s most secretive and isolated nation. Its ruler, the iron‑fisted dictator Kim Jong‑un, governs with absolute authority. The regime shelters an estimated 120,000 political prisoners who endure brutal living and working conditions and are subjected to torture. Public executions are routinely employed to instill terror. In the last ten years, at least seven individuals have been executed publicly for watching K‑pop videos from South Korea.

10 Shocking Defections Overview

10 James Dresnok

One of the most recognizable defectors to the DPRK was American James Dresnok. While serving as a U.S. soldier on the Korean peninsula, Dresnok slipped across the demilitarized zone (DMZ) and was seized by North Korean forces. He spent the remainder of his life in North Korea, passing away in 2016, and his two sons continue to live there, openly declaring loyalty to the “dear supreme commander” Kim Jong‑un in a 2017 interview.

Dresnok’s crossing occurred on August 15, 1962, when he trekked through a mined field. At that moment he was divorced and facing a court‑martial for forging his sergeant’s signature. In the 2006 documentary *Crossing the Line*, he confessed, “I was fed up with my childhood, my marriage, my military life, everything.” After arriving north, he became a propagandist film actor, repeatedly cast as the villainous American. Throughout his decades‑long stay he repeatedly affirmed his contentment, saying, “I feel at home… I wouldn’t trade it for nothing.”

9 Charles Jenkins

Another U.S. serviceman who shocked the world by defecting in 1965 was Charles Robert Jenkins. A sergeant in the U.S. Army, he crossed the DMZ while intoxicated, hoping to dodge a deployment to Vietnam. Unlike James Dresnok, Jenkins quickly realized the gravity of his mistake. He found himself confined with three other American defectors—including Dresnok—and forced to endure ten‑hour daily sessions of North Korean ideological instruction.

In 1972 Jenkins was granted North Korean citizenship and an apartment. He married Japanese national Hitomi Soga in 1980, a woman who had been abducted by the North Korean regime. After twenty‑nine years of captivity, Jenkins escaped in 2004, reuniting with his wife in Japan. Following his return, he became an outspoken critic of the regime, detailing beatings, deprivation, and even the loss of one of his testicles.

8 Sin

Defections to the North haven’t been limited to Americans; a few South Koreans have also taken the perilous step. The most prominent among them was Choe Deok‑sin, a former foreign minister and ambassador to West Germany. In 1986 he and his wife defected to the DPRK after a career that included service in the Korean Liberation Army and leadership of the Korea Military Academy. Disillusioned with South Korea’s military government, he had previously emigrated to the United States before deciding to cross northward.

Choe was celebrated by North Korean media until his death in 1989. In a bizarre twist, his son Choe In‑guk announced in 2019 that he was defecting from South Korea to the North, despite previously condemning his parents’ choice. Choe Deok‑sin remains the highest‑ranking South Korean official ever to defect to the DPRK.

7 Returning Home

What happens when a defector changes his mind? While many flee northward to the South, a reverse journey is exceedingly rare. At the start of 2022 reports emerged of a South Korean man who crossed the DMZ into North Korea. Initial coverage described the incident as a rare defection, but later investigations suggested the individual was actually a North Korean who had previously defected to the South a year earlier—a claim that remains unverified.

The unnamed man is believed to have a gymnastics background, explaining his ability to scale the border fences. His motives for returning north are unclear. Defectors who settle in the South often confront discrimination, bullying, and employment barriers, factors that may have influenced his decision.

6 Larry Allen Abshier

Larry Allen Abshier holds the distinction of being the first U.S. soldier to defect to North Korea, abandoning his post in early 1962. Like his fellow defectors James Dresnok and Charles Jenkins, Abshier faced disciplinary trouble; he had been caught smoking marijuana repeatedly and was on the brink of a court‑martial or dismissal. Seeking escape, he walked across a heavily mined section of the DMZ.

Within two weeks of his arrival, North Korean propaganda hailed him, and he soon appeared in numerous state‑produced films. Fellow defector Charles Jenkins later described Abshier as “the most scared” and “the simplest” of the American defectors. Allegedly bullied by Dresnok, Abshier was later paired with a Thai woman—reportedly kidnapped from Macau—by the regime. Unlike his peers, Abshier died relatively young, succumbing to a heart attack at age forty.

5 Nam

One of the most contentious South Korean defections involved economist Oh Kil‑nam. After earning a Ph.D. in Marxist economics in Germany, he was approached by North Korean agents who promised a high‑ranking economic post in the DPRK. Despite his wife’s objections, Oh accepted, and the family—him, his wife, and two daughters—traveled via East Germany and Moscow to North Korea, only to find no job awaiting them and no promised medical care for his wife’s hepatitis.

Later, Oh was recruited for a covert mission that would have placed him at the North Korean embassy in Denmark to entrap South Korean students. Upon arrival in Copenhagen, he pleaded for asylum. Danish authorities detained him for several months before sending him to Germany in an attempt to reunite him with his family, only to discover they had already been seized and sent to a concentration camp. The last word he heard from them was in 1991, leaving his family’s fate unknown.

4 Roy Chung

Roy Chung, also known as Chung Ryeu Sop, made headlines when the twenty‑two‑year‑old South Korean emigrated to the United States with his family in 1973, later enlisting in the U.S. Army. In 1979, while stationed in West Germany, he went absent without leave and was labeled a “deserter.” Two months later he resurfaced in North Korea, reportedly unable to endure what he described as the “disgraceful life of national insult and maltreatment” within the U.S. military.

While North Korean officials claim Chung voluntarily defected, his parents in the United States insisted he had been abducted by North Korean agents. U.S. officials, noting that Chung possessed no classified information, expressed no reason to doubt the North Korean narrative and did not pursue an investigation. His whereabouts after the defection remain unknown.

3 Matthew Todd Miller

Perhaps the most bizarre case of a defection to the DPRK involves American tourist Matthew Todd Miller. In April 2014, the twenty‑four‑year‑old entered North Korea on an organized tour, only to tear up his visa upon arrival and request political asylum. North Korean authorities arrested him for a “gross violation” of the nation’s legal order.

In September 2014 he was sentenced to six years of hard labor for illegal entry and hostile acts, yet he was released on November 8, 2014, alongside fellow American Kenneth Bae, who faced a fifteen‑year sentence for anti‑government activities. After his freedom, Miller explained, “I was just trying to stay in the country,” adding that his true aim was to learn about North Korea and converse with ordinary citizens about everyday matters.

2 Suk

Another instance of a “double defection” unfolded in 2012 when sixty‑six‑year‑old Pak Jong‑suk returned to North Korea. She had initially defected in 2006 to join her father in Qingdao, China, later claiming she was tricked by South Korean security agents into moving south, where she lived for six years. Reports indicate she flew back to the North via China on May 25, 2012.

Upon her homecoming, Pak held a public press conference, apologizing for “betraying her motherland” and praising the “profound loving care” displayed by the North Korean leader. She detailed hardships endured in the “corrupt money‑crazed South.” Skeptics argue her return was motivated by family concerns rather than genuine patriotism, labeling her narrative as likely state‑fabricated.

1 Joseph White

The final entry is Joseph White, a U.S. soldier who defected to the DPRK in 1982. He enlisted in October 1981, was assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division in South Korea by March 1982, and on the morning of August 28, 1982, abruptly abandoned his post in the DMZ at age twenty, citing “motives that are not known.” North Korean officials announced he sought political refuge driven by “deep emotion.”

In 1983 his parents received a letter reassuring them that he was well and employed as an English teacher. Tragically, two years later, in 1985, White drowned while swimming in the rain‑swollen Chongchon River, caught in a swift current. He was 23 at the time of his death.