Shift toward tougher policies raise concerns over human rights
North Korean citizens reportedly choose hairstyles from a predetermined catalog consisting of 28 options.
Kim Jong-un's hairdo, known as the "Ambitious," is a particularly popular style among North Korean men.
In 2016, South Korea expressed outrage after North Korea conducted a hydrogen bomb test.
Balloons filled with criticisms of North Korea were released by South Korean activists as a means of conveying messages across the border.
The North responded by returning balloons filled with trash. When these balloons burst, South Korea was showered with repulsive items like used toilet paper.
When tourists explore North Korea, they often see abundant propaganda displayed throughout the streets. These displays commonly portray the Kim family's greatness or Kim Jong-un enjoying time with his contented citizens.
The amusing propaganda disseminated by North Korea regarding Kim Jong-un has caused laughter worldwide. For example, there are claims that North Koreans believe that he doesn't use the bathroom.
Recent reports state that school textbooks in North Korea include information claiming that Kim Jong-un could drive a car at the tender age of three.
North Korea has a lengthy record of publicly insulting the US and its armed forces, but in 2016, there was an unusual twist.
As part of a strange publicity stunt, a fabricated letter from the late American president Abraham Lincoln was produced, as if he was writing to then-President Barack Obama.
In the letter, "Lincoln" disagrees with Obama's goal of establishing a world free of nuclear weapons and questions his leadership abilities.
In 2012, a genuine announcement came from North Korean media stating that archaeologists in Pyongyang discovered a unicorn's den.
During the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, it came to light that the North Korean supporters were not genuinely from North Korea.
Given the well-known travel restrictions for North Koreans, one wonders how they managed to assemble thousands of cheering fans at the games.
According to reports, it seems that thousands of Chinese actors were recruited and paid to attend football games in order to support North Korea.
It is reported that Kim Jong-il had a strong passion for cinema and aspired to produce extraordinary films that would showcase North Korea's magnificence to the world.
In order to accomplish this, he abducted Shin Sang-ok, a renowned filmmaker from South Korea often compared to Orson Welles.
Shin Sang-ok made an escape attempt and was subsequently sentenced to four years in prison. During his time there, he managed to sustain himself on a meager diet consisting of grass, salt, and rice. Later on, he successfully produced the movie 'Pulsari,' a socialist propaganda film based on 'Godzilla,' as desired by Kim Jong-il.
In 2015, North Korea established its own time zone, now called Pyongyang Time.
They just turned the clock back by 30 minutes...
This was not their first instance of choosing to diverge. By the North Korean calendar, 2023 is Juche year 112.
Instead of starting from the birth of Christ, they opted to begin counting from the year Kim Il-sung, the original leader, was born.
The demilitarized zone, also known as the DMZ, is a heavily guarded stretch of land that separates North and South Korea. It is recognized as one of the most fortified borders in the world.
Peace Village is the name given to the town built by North Korea on their side of the zone.
This town, located near the Korean border, is peculiar in that it lacks any inhabitants. It appears to have been constructed solely for appearances. There is speculation that this may be a deliberate strategy to attract defectors from South Korea.
Sources: (Time) (Independent) (Time) (Fox News) (The Guardian) (HuffPost) (CNN)
See also: What happened to the Americans who crossed into North Korea?
There are some posters that exhibit much more violent subjects. These visual depictions frequently portray the strength of the North Korean military by showcasing violent cartoons of their main adversaries, South Korea and the US, being defeated. It is particularly unsettling that these posters can be found in schools. It appears that there is a deliberate attempt to shape the minds of young children in North Korea.
Click through the gallery to discover the strange reality of life inside the mysterious "Hermit Kingdom."
Unbelievable stories about life in North Korea
From hairstyles to time, North Korea controls everything...
LIFESTYLE Curiosity
North Korea is widely known for its peculiarities. The nation is notorious for nuclear threats, political strain, and its authoritarian rule under Kim Jong-un. While only a handful have successfully escaped or entered the North Korean sphere, those who managed it have some intriguing tales to tell.
Click through the gallery to discover the strange reality of life inside the mysterious "Hermit Kingdom."