First time in North Korea: The Propaganda is Working…
Today, I head to Pyongyang as one of the first foreigners to set foot inside North Korea’s Capital City after five years of total isolation
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No WiFi. No social media. No idea what to expect. My first day in Pyongyang felt like stepping onto another planet — one with government slogans on every wall, a permanently smiling guide, and a silence that speaks volumes.
This vlog captures the raw, unfiltered experience of touching down in one of the world’s most secretive countries. No commentary-heavy deep dives — just the sights, sounds, and surreal moments of a very strange first day.
#pyongyang #northkorea #dprk
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CHAPTERS:
0:00 – Pack your bags, we’re heading to North Korea
1:21 – Telling my family where I’m heading
1:47 – My experience on Air Koryo
3:55 – Pyongyang Airport (I made a mistake)
5:44 – First look at the streets of Pyongyang
8:32 – We must abide by some strange rules
9:21 – My hotel in Pyongyang
13:18 – My first morning in Pyongyang, North Korea
14:36 – The holiest place in all of North Korea
16:32 – I’m far out of my comfort zone
17:32 – The tower of self-reliance
18:30 – Who is able to have a phone in North Korea?
20:25 – This was not on the itinerary!
21:31 – How many children to North Koreans have?
22:05 – Where are all the supermarkets?
22:39 – Kim-Il-Sung Square of military parades
25:13 – The greatest souvenir store on Earth
26:42 – Giveaway! (See description for details)
27:30 – What do North Koreans think of foreigners?
28:02 – North Korean coffee shop
28:45 – How to pay for things in North Korea
29:00 – Pyongyang’s new ballistic missile street
29:35 – A new bar in Pyongyang
31:44 – Day one takeaways
*Occasionally, subtitles are added for comedic effect only.*
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45 Comments
Let me know what you think! Subscribe not to miss out on the next videos from North Korea. Giveaway instructions in description.
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I would hate visiting there! You could only go to the boring stores and places they allow. No thanks
13:33 this is pollution!. It looked the same and did not shift during my visit in mid 2019. Shoutout to young pioneer tours those guys were great.
I did not really film any of this however if you watch the series Simon Wilson did then my tour was 90% the same.
15:38 this is nothing but a money making scheme, they take the flowers back to the place you bought them from immediately once you leave, to sell once again to the next bunch of people. Also being made to bow to a statue of a person who breaks every international law imaginable and doesn’t really care about how own people felt very very eerie in person.
10:42 crazy how dark the capital is. a small town in China is probably more lit up.
I heard at 6 AM there is a wake up song played at Pyongyang Train Station, were you able to hear it?
I’ve met a few people from Dprk when I was in Beijing, they were all really nice and I had cold Pyongyang style noodles in Australia, maybe Dprk run who knows
Good on you for not purchasing flowers. Respect!
Chap: Err… 12.1 billion?
Oli (thinking): …sounds good, let's move on
Go to different cities not just main city go to other places then you will find out what really is
❤
The Dprk seems like an ideal country, I wish I could move there. No dei, political correctness, rape, drugs and violence on the streets or fake news.
Your vedio is very nice . Everything is perfect.
Wait, so North Korea is actually good?
I’m South Korean. The poster is creepy. It means we're going to shoot missiles all over the mainland U.S.A
This is crazy. They are monster
Good seeing you. Last time I saw you was in person in Shanghai. Loving this series so far!
29:27 it really does. it's probably built by china? they're always trying to build stuff for people
Thanks Oli
Public transport may be only pennies in USD per trip, but you have to consider the average monthly salary of a North Korean is $1-$3 USD….
You’re right, people driving cars are not all gov officials. Another example of who it could be is people who have climbed the social ladder of their society like doctors and athletes.
The same script! You guys got paid! How much? How does it feel to work for the commies? A simple and low puppet!
In fact, the Biden & Trump election campaign souvenirs and the North Korean national store souvenirs, all have the same origin: from Yiwu wholesale markets of Zhejiang province of China! 🇨🇳🤩😉
After North Korea, Plz come to our country Bangladesh and Visit Sylhet, Rajshai, Sentmartin, Sundarbans 🥰
4:05 look at them march
it's not common to see airport workers walking like that
6:42 first ad in North Korea
19:49 they are probably domestically manufactured/assembled the same way small Phone companies in China make phones
a Low end Phone model doesn't get produced for half a decade so it wouldn't be surprising if there's a secondhand market for the equipment to make them
DPRK runs their marathon again and every youtuber decides to Shane Smith cosplay.
truth in the BIBLE. let's read it daily.
the video is without audio.
“I’ll be one of the first to set foot here in 5 years” —-how about 27 videos I’ve seen this week has started 😆
you really should have done your research before your opening claim
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFNFThla5t0
Liked 👍 followed on IG and posted 🙏would def like the news paper 📰 or cash 💸
No internet😭😭😭 why is rocketman so afraid of his own people that he won’t allow people to have internet?
Nice video. Your one maybe the most uninfluenced by government propaganda.
Actually, i am looking for other YouTubers appearing in your footages
Reporter interviewing your average north korean: "so what do you think of north korea?"
North korean: "well, I can't complain"……..
This content is even better than what most news journalists can produce…epic video oli .lets get it to 1 million views
29:45 in Julie's video, there is a lady in yellow coat with white cap, following with the group. I bet they are of the same duty.
It's creepy. Too perfect. Too quiet.
太棒了，拍这么好的影片，在朝鲜能拍到这种影片确实很冒险，谢谢您努力的奉献！❤❤❤
💪Северная Корея самый надежный союзник России
Славяне убивают Славян, а умнейшие англичане и американцы потирают руки и смеются. Когда-то и Гитлера они натравили на СССР..💪
Oli, you are so handsome – as an older Irish gay man myself, I’d definitely date you in a heartbeat 🇮🇪☘️🇮🇪😍
30:47 wow playing pool with high ranking "regime" officials
Perfection. What a crazy adventure.. Perfectly shown!
at this point I have watched 5 versions of the same video.
Bro deletes comments. Talks about media narrative and censors his channel of normal comments. Classic hypocrite.
Complete moron giving money to the north Korean regime. All for content
Every vloger uses the opportunity to enter North Korea as athletes to experience and see Pyongyang ! But must say all the vlogs from all vlogers are exactly the same
Juche means 'self reliance'