These Photos Taken in Secret Were Never Meant to Make it Out of North Korea

Tourists in North Korea experience strict surveillance and are unable to wander freely. Locked in a Kaesong hotel made of old houses, any request to explore beyond is met with a dismissive, “Why venture out? It’s all the same.”

Outside the hotel’s confines, North Korea presents a different reality. The stark contrast raises questions about why tourists are housed in such a manner, hinting at an orchestrated image far removed from everyday life.