the way your old video was is the exact reason why it went viral. It was original, raw, no crazy edits, no order. The moral, it's all good my friend. Keep the content real. The imperfections are all part of the plan
I was in the DPRK in 2014 for about a week, same tour group as yours, Koryo as well. We flew into Pyongyang from Beijing and saw a few of the sights there, then did an overland train across the country and spent nights in Wonsan, Hamhung, and Chongjin in the far northeast. I extended my tour too to Sinuiju and Dandong. My big highlight: shaking hands and saying “hello” in Korean to a little boy in Hamhung, probably his first time seeing a foreigner let alone connecting with one!
Thank you Drew. You are a Godsend. I am 75 years old with lots of physical maladies. I depend on brave young guys like you to keep me informed. I am very gratful for you. Godspeed
Yes, I find that very cute :) we didn't know the whole scenario but the fact that the little girl communicated through a simple gesture is really something, plus the smile! :)
2:22 As a South Korean, it is very sad for me to say that it was “One family chain”. My grandfather hadn't seen his family in North Korea since the Korean War, and he always looked at pictures and missed them, but he eventually passed away. Many of my friends have grandparents from separated families, and most of them never saw their faces again until they died.
That is very sad, I know many Korean families were separated. It's easy to blame the Kim family in the North, but Stalin (and his growing rivalry with Churchill and Roosevelt) played a huge role in what happened on the day the Soviet and American occupations were supposed to end. Hopefully one day Korea will be one again.
@@jbm0866they play a huge role, absolutely. But for 2 generations now the Kim's, who have absolute power, have the complete control over the current situation. Truthfully there is no longer an excuse. :( the only thing that could save North Koreans is a revolution by their people, which is highly unlikely
Drew, you deserve the greatest credit for your channel. I usually don't comment many YT videos but after watching dozens of yours, I cannot refrain from leaving at least one comment. In my view, you display a naturally curious, unbiased and yet critical attitude, making your films truly authentic, fun and instructive. By encountering local people with humility and on eye level, you set an example for any (Western) traveller. I do believe that if schools began using your videos as material in geography classes, the world would indeed become a better place. P.S. I travelled to North Korea, too and could identify with your emotions in most situations. Buen viaje, gute Reise, goede reis, szerokiej drogi, bon voyage, boa viagem, 一路平安, safe journey!
I swear, this is the only channel where the comments section is decidedly wholesome, regardless of the video's content. I think it's because you set the foundation for a lot of comradary with your humble nature. It's so nice to scroll through a section so filled with appreciation for people of different cultures. Really puts faith in humanity back into my sorry old soul.
Of course,Drew's channel fans are from diverse countries all over the world.Drew spreads positivity to all of us and shows wherever we are,we are not than much different despite of our different races,religions and skin colour
Drew you sound like such a nice guy ! I think your lucky to have been in every country in the world but I think all the countries on the world are luckier to have you visiting!
@@Dracopol It's not expensive when you have a job. It's not expensive at all, because Drew he buys cheaper hotels etc. he doesn't travel to relax, he discovers the countries.
yeah, that's what I like about him. If he don't like, he just say it based on his experience. If he like it, eventho someone call it a terrorist country, they like it and share his thought with us
Thanks Drew just for talking about Korea so that ppl around the world can have an idea what's going with these countries. Im from Seoul and my granpa was also refugee from north Korea. He almost got killed if he couldnt find a hide spot luckily somewhere in toilet while escaping. I'm now studying in US as graduate student and sometime I just got surprised by this significantly big contrast between the two same but different countries... We don't have a clue when this will end like how Germany did, and maybe it might not happen until I die. As a Korean this is emotional and very sad :(
Yeah, for a whole year I’ve been listening to what’s happening there and I’ve been watching yeonmi park on RUclips and it’s so sad. The media and news outlets don’t even talk about this so I was completely oblivious until a year ago. I wish nukes were never a thing because if nukes never existed then every country in the world would invade North Korea and stomp them out, unfortunately nukes exist so now every country is hesitant and don’t want to fight north korea
Your video inspired me to do more research on North Korea as an international relations student. NK is an isolated country and it’s extremely interesting in many aspects. Thank you for sharing an awesome video!
I went 2 times to North Korea, first time as tourist, I spent a 5 days tour there and as you mentioned in the video, its also for me the most interesting country in the world. After this 1st trip I had more questions then before and these brought me to write my master thesis about tourism in north korea. Basically about the motivation to travel there and how the perception is changing. At the beginning I wanted to collaborate with tour operators doing tours there but didnt get any positive response so I decided to do a tour again in order to get to know more people who travelled there and afterwards was conducting an online questionnaire. Summarising, I am glad to have done this so I was on my own trying to get to know more about this isolated country. Thank you for creating this content about NK, it always amazes me how other people experienced this country.
what were your thoughts on being there? did it feel staged? what stereotypes or preconceived notions were challenged/reinforced? is there anywhere we could read your thesis? sounds very interesting. cheers
The perception is changing? An American tourist was returned to his family in a vegetable state no less than 10 years ago… North Koreans still eating crickets in prison camps..
@@unique_mushroom Obviously when you do a tour there, you will only visit places they want to show you. Individual traveling is with a few exceptions not possible and therefore a major limitation. Nevertheless, we had many random situations, e.g. when taking a break/walking randomly on a street where we had spontanous encounters with pedestrians which can't be staged. Stereotypical was definitely the repeating praising of the "great" leader by the North Korean tour guides.
When you go there you are supporting a violent cruel regime. The leaders are lunatics and put many millions of their own people in prison…including their children and entire families.
For all ya travelers who want to get to North Korea...but you’re afraid or don’t have that much money...you still can get a glimpse of the country if you visit the DMZ by a day tour from South Korea and it actually counts as a visit
I love you back Drew. I worked and traveled all 50 states from 20-73 on vacations and retirement. My favorite USA cities were Las Vegas, Rapid City, and Kalispell, Montana, Singapore and Acapulco were my favorite foreign destination out of many. Thank you so much.
Small correction: The Korean Peninsula was already split before the Korean War, since the end of World War Two, as the US and Soviets both established regime-loyal governments for their own influence in their sides of the peninsula.
@@Buttcakes15 i mean not trynna be that guy but before ww2 korea was part of Japan and life is pretty much the same as it was back during japanese times in North Korea (Aka. Terrible)
Ohh I've heard the news that Malaysia & N.Korea cut ties their diplomatic relations. Honestly what happened? I don't really follow the news. Just curious.
@@dwivaraditya8079 money laundering and not too long ago they assasinate their own brother at kl international airport...they did all that shit so we aint gonna keep em here anymore
This is the main reason why im still comparing you to other traveller/s vloggers,content creators.I just found out that you being raw and natural is just satisfying.The way you deliver your opinions and sympathy towards people of a certain country makes it beautiful.
That gaves me goosebumps that how hard is their lifes. I hope one day all of them can live happly and people who made them live like this is just gone to anywhere where they cant make same things again
I’m so happy you mentioned Eritrea. Because Eritrea is also a dictatorship and people have an extremely hard time. They are the kindest people but there is a military regime. I love you went there, such a beautiful country but many people do not know what is happening. I know many Eritrean refugees and their story is hardbreaking. Such kind people with a beautiful culture. I hope maybe you could make a video about Eritrea and tell people more🌹
So much thoughts and I loved it! Aside from sharing the story of North Korea, your insights meant so much on the realities every country face day by day. That aside from all the beautiful places, there are indeed pressing issues that we (from other places/outsiders perspective) cannot see or unable to see. Glad that you’ve shared this. Fascinated and would want to visit this country soon.
Wow! Great story. Reminds me on Bulgaria in the 70‘s. You were only allowed to go to restaurants prepared for the tourists. The people looked all very depressed. In Sofia they all had pale faces. All looking on the ground running to their jobs. I had the feeling I am in a Kafka movie. So that is Communism at it‘s worst.
Speak to any Bulgarian today and they’ll tell you it’s worse actually. My grandfather lived a happy life under Bulgarian communism then died bankrupt with medical debt afterwards, a medical debt no one in a yes flawed socialist Bulgaria had to deal with.
Just a quick fact about the Pyongjang Metro: It was the public transport system of East Berlin, North Korea bought it after the German reunification. Also very interesting and high quality video you did there, Drew. I just love your channel because in many cases, it is just the only way to find out about some countries without the prejudice of western media. Thank you so much❤️. I hope that one day we can all be as one free people without repressing systems!
@@herodesees3767 I think the Pyongyang subway trains are indeed from the former GDR/East Germany. I once watched a documentary about North Korea in which people from several countries shared their experiences in NK via video logs and it was super interesting. One of them was a guy who grew up in former East Berlin and he said stepping into the Pyongyang subway was like a slap to his face because he recognized the wagons from his youth in the GDR, only the paint was different. Unfortunately I can't find this documentary anymore. It was one of the older documentaries and I guess it has been deleted from RUclips which is a shame because it was super interessting what different people from different countries noticed about North Korea. The guy from East Germany focused on different things than the guy from the US, for example.
@@cthulhuseyelash6569 Actually were are two types of rolling stock in the Pyongyang metro. Originally there was both East Berlin and West Berlin rolling stock. The east Berlin metro was a slightly different type than then West Berlin ones. However, the Pyongyang metro these days only runs on the West Berlin ones. They have retired East German rolling stock.
I'm malaysian 🇲🇾. The average person here knows about the Malaysia-North Korea issue. We will continue to oppose and will not bow to the selfishness of North Korea and also oppose the insults from Malaysia's own neighbors.
Fascinating content. So very sad for those dear people. I visited Czechoslovakia while on active duty as a U.S. naval officer, 1985. What stunned me is that it was every bit as depressing and gloomy and sad as my advance information said it would be, and that was nowhere near the level of the DPRK.
Thanks Drew. I can really relate to your DPRK video. My interest in the DPRK was piqued a few years back by the captivating BBC series, ‘Michael Palin in North Korea’. Also, several years ago, my intrepid son (like you) visited Pyongyang for their annual marathon and was enthralled by the experience. I’m an Australian who's been living and working in Vietnam since 2017, and have taken every opportunity to explore neighbouring countries. So, back in late July 2019, and at very short notice (8 days), I managed to book a three-night, four-day sightseeing tour of the DPRK with Explore North Korea tour company in China. On the 25 July I joined a Chinese tour group at Shanghai’s Pudong Airport, and we caught the night flight to Pyongyang. I was the only Westerner in the group of forty wonderful Chinese tourists. I have lived and worked in China for a total of about four years, so I am very much a Sinophile! The airport at Pyongyang is modern, and the DPRK customs and immigration officials were polite and efficient. The tour began immediately after lunch on the first day and the itinerary was very full and very much designed for my Chinese companions. I discovered that there is a very strong bond between China and the DPRK. Food for thought. Fortunately, I was assigned an English speaking DPRK tour guide, Hong, who was extremely helpful, a fountain of knowledge, and good fun. When we first met, he did however ask me where I worked, and when I mentioned the American University in Da Nang, Vietnam, his brow wrinkled with that look of consternation. Whoops! ‘Nice weather today Hong...’ Hong was nonetheless surprisingly open in terms of the topics we discussed. Pyongyang is completely out of step with cities as we understand them: wide and bare and spotlessly clean tree-lined streets, with smartly dressed locals walking with purpose alone or in pairs. There is no advertising (save propaganda billboards), no shops or shopping centres that you could identify from other buildings, no crime, no graffiti, barely any traffic (a consequence of the sanctions) and giant candy-coloured government apartment blocks everywhere. On the second day, I was wandering through an exhibition and chatting idly with Hong when he said to me ‘We launched another missile yesterday. I was surprised to hear that!” I feigned shock and said jokingly “Quick get me out of here!” He grabbed my arm, and laughingly started to escort me away. He then looked at my arm (I had goose bumps from the chilly aircon) and said to me “You’ve got chicken skin!”. That evening we attended ‘The Grand Mass Gymnastics and Artistic Performance Arirang’ at the 150,000 capacity May Day Stadium in Pyongyang. ‘The Mass Games’ involve 100,000 participants and performers. Spectacular! On the final day we visited the DMZ where, at a guide’s suggestion, I was afforded ‘the rare privilege as a foreigner’, of being photographed with a DPRK soldier (I do acknowledge that some readers might be ‘uncomfortable’ with that). Cheers! Paul LP
@Antonio Sosa bruh u ok. There's plenty of talent in America. Sure a vast majority are average but that's not because of freedom or anything that's because most kids are well average regardless of location.
O5 Council: 🤪 Other me: Hey!! Get ur messing around out of here! Me: I can agree on both ideas. Either; The people are too busy to protest or too little info on their government's system and the outside world. Other me: Bruh... The O5. Other me: Why is there a SCP character here? *Both banned 🚫 from this video* *Censor beep screen*
Thanks man, good vids! I spent a year in Korea as a soldier back in '96. The only NK we experienced was constant propaganda being blasted at us from the North. Some of us would actually hallucinate during training because of it. We always wondered about Puyang, not much known about it at that time. Also caught malaria.
Hey Drew, thanks for all of your great content, your a great guy, in a bigger picture, what you are doing helps reunite us as a society. Being informed of other countries helps get rid of the closeminded stereotypes we tend to put on countries.
@@nedifar-haunts-you i consider it a prison because people can’t even leave (if they are citizens and they’ll end up getting shot if they do, some people managed to escape it alive.) but ok then
Such a unique experience you were able to have! I also taught English in Korea! I was there from 2017 until last fall and it is one of my favorite countries as well. Have you been able to hold onto the Korean you learned or have you lost most of it from lack of use? I learned a lot while living there and I'm actively trying to keep my ability to speak/read/write it because I think it is such a beautiful language
Enjoyed your video. I went to North Korea twice, in 2011 & 2013, brought back lots of memories. I also went in with Koryo Tours. They were great & Simon's a great guy & was most helpful.
@@VASIGTravelingLifeinLondon well luckily I got a chance to go to kashmir twice in lockdown . I would like to travel to Hawaii after lockdown. It is my dream place
Great video as always, Drew! I was also able to go to North Korea in 2019, and just like you, I was naive and didn't know much about foreign cultures and didn't have a lot to put into perspective. My trip was very similar to yours, as I also went there during the Marathon event and it was indeed a unique experience to be able to run on the streets of Pyongyang without feeling restricted to a tour guide or the bus. Unfortunately I don't speak korean (yet), so I wasn't able to communicate with the locals just like you, although highfiving the kids was still absolutely surreal and remains one of the coolest things I've done to this day. :) I did go to South Korea 2 months later (as this was part of a 3 month long travel), and the contrast was just how you described it. Absolutely surreal! I did have the most amazing time in South Korea and definitely the most surreal time in North Korea. Oh btw! I see we stayed at the same hotel in North Korea! Did you also check out the casino in the basement? They actually had wifi down there when I was visiting. I was able to text my friends, but they freaked out and thought it was North Koreans who texted from my phone, since there was no way I should be able to text from inside North Korea haha! :D Stay safe! :)
Korea has been united for around 1000 years since Taejo Wang Geon unified the later three kingdoms in 936 AD, founded Goryeo until the division in Korea in 1945 which resulted in North and South Korea.
Hi Drew, i was in North Korea in Dec 2018 for 5 days, pretty much the same experiences as you, i was however able to speak freely with citizens as i took the train to and from Dandong. I have also traveled to nearly every country in the world and agree that its a very interesting experience (when i was there only 6 people in our hotel yet everything was open and staff on duty 24h we were able to leave our rooms but not the hotel at night.
I was very blessed to be stationed for two years in South Korea. Absolutely loved the country and its people. We were able to live in a Korean apartment--so very lucky. I would have extended, but had to get back to the US to begin my masters degree.
Love from Lagos Nigeria 🇳🇬 I feel the pain of my brothers and sisters in North Korea and hope they will get the freedom they deserve pretty soon. Drew keep the good work going and stay safe please.
you were lived in south korea!! i found you by chance, and im south korean...amazing. and thanks for exact travel experience and deliver reality for seriously!
Thank you for sharing your experiences with me, Drew! I have heard of North Korea and the human rights violation but not to that extent specifically, I would love to go to North Korea and meet the people there also like you did, I will follow the rules of the country and I would love to record my moments when I go to North Korea in the future!🙏🏽💞
@@dragisa1500 North Korea isn’t communist, it’s fascist, people don’t get paid enough for their jobs and they are forced to do whatever their dictator wants, they have no choices and therefor it is not a commune
I love your channel Drew! You are living my dream life! I’m originally from Liberia but I grew up in the US and still live here. Yes, of course I saw your video on Liberia! Lol. Btw, do you learn the languages of all these countries you visit?! Your life has gotta be crazy awesome and you’re probably one of the most well rounded people out there. Keep doing what you’re doing!!
Few weeks ago, I had a nightmare: I was in North Korea. When I did something without thinking (or by accident), I was called by one of North Koreans that I was going to be arrested. And that's it. I instantly woke up from a nightmare, not to mention my heart beat fast in fear. Good thing, I'm still at my home. Greetings from Philippines. 🇵🇭
Your dreams are the manifestation of ur thoughts. Control it. Like Jiren from Dbs, how did he get so strong? Through strength alone, he believed strength, he was hungry more strength.
Then take this dream as either as a warning or nothing. Usually a nightmare means an unlucky number for me inevitably. But mostly it's just major jumbo messed up messages from my brain.
Hi Drew, you may enjoy seeing Fun for Louis and his visit to N Korea. I recognized your tour guide in this one, Louis Cole is from the UK, and has a lively RUclips channel. While in N Korea, he and his tour group taught this tour guide surfing, skateboarding, and made a video of her singing over shots of her surfing lessons. She was delightful and they made her laugh a lot. Really brought out her personality.
@@VASIGTravelingLifeinLondon porto, lagos, lisboa, theres a lot lol. theres a spot in sintra called castle of the moors and it was built in the 700s o you could go there.
Wow you are great!! I really appreciate you taking the time to answer our questions!!! You are really passionate about what you do!! God bless you!! 🙌🙏
@@slaykween9 malaysia did ask them to leave in 48 hours after NK severed ties with malaysia...they did covid test and then left in a bus all provided by malaysia government
My new JUST GO shirts/hats/masks just launched! Only 100 of each color and size - grab yours before they sell out 😊 shop.drewbinsky.com/
I think you are in Thailand. The way the AC duct is constructed I feel that it is thailand
Im buying them right away! And best wishes from Bavaria! (Sadly no Bavarian Flag)
Love the Clothes by the way
The Subway is from Germany
Your haircut is messed up
the way your old video was is the exact reason why it went viral. It was original, raw, no crazy edits, no order. The moral, it's all good my friend. Keep the content real. The imperfections are all part of the plan
💪🏼
Yeah, I do agree it was very simplistic and very good content. It actually gives a basis on the country in general.
fax man
@@drewbinsky hey there drew I've been a fan for years and I'm excited to see you in Saudi Arabia soon
@@abdullahalharthi2429 jew in saudi arabia 😆😂
8:04 The precious nod and smile from the girl there. We’re all humans and able to connect. No matter where your are from! ❤️
Very true
It really gives us a different view about North Korean people.
I'm from Mars.
@@slushie3061 hello fellow Martian!
Which region are you from?
@@QasimAli-to5lk ?
I was in the DPRK in 2014 for about a week, same tour group as yours, Koryo as well. We flew into Pyongyang from Beijing and saw a few of the sights there, then did an overland train across the country and spent nights in Wonsan, Hamhung, and Chongjin in the far northeast. I extended my tour too to Sinuiju and Dandong. My big highlight: shaking hands and saying “hello” in Korean to a little boy in Hamhung, probably his first time seeing a foreigner let alone connecting with one!
How was the food compared to South Korea?
Thank you Drew. You are a Godsend. I am 75 years old with lots of physical maladies. I depend on brave young guys like you to keep me informed. I am very gratful for you. Godspeed
How is no one talking about how cute this little girl is at 8:03 when she was about to eat her ice cream but took it out to bow towards the camera
Yes, I find that very cute :) we didn't know the whole scenario but the fact that the little girl communicated through a simple gesture is really something, plus the smile! :)
@@kevinboseman1461 Its asian culture bowing to older people and I did that too
@@kevinboseman1461 it's just a sign of respect that you'd also find people doing elsewhere like South Korea or Japan.
@@oryxcocoa also China or India or Vietnam or Taiwan
@@fluto6997 yeah literally anywhere in Asia
2:22 As a South Korean, it is very sad for me to say that it was “One family chain”. My grandfather hadn't seen his family in North Korea since the Korean War, and he always looked at pictures and missed them, but he eventually passed away. Many of my friends have grandparents from separated families, and most of them never saw their faces again until they died.
Same happened in india with many families
Some went to pak after partition
Some went to india
Im so so sorry.
I'm so sad to know that. 😔
That is very sad, I know many Korean families were separated. It's easy to blame the Kim family in the North, but Stalin (and his growing rivalry with Churchill and Roosevelt) played a huge role in what happened on the day the Soviet and American occupations were supposed to end. Hopefully one day Korea will be one again.
@@jbm0866they play a huge role, absolutely. But for 2 generations now the Kim's, who have absolute power, have the complete control over the current situation. Truthfully there is no longer an excuse. :( the only thing that could save North Koreans is a revolution by their people, which is highly unlikely
7:43 loved the way how the girl greeted you...shows how they respect people..
Yeah!!! ❤🙏🏻
@@drewbinsky What did the Koreans think of meeting an American?
Ikr she’s so cute I feel so bad for her 😢
I have a crush on her now hahahaha
@@jacobvillos4988 how old are u
Thank you for your beautiful and interesting knowledges of North Korea. Much love and God bless you from Dhaka Bangladesh.
Thanks for watching 💕
@@drewbinsky you welcome. 👍😍
I am Bangladeshi too
@@deedatizergaming3274 cool
Yes
Drew, you deserve the greatest credit for your channel.
I usually don't comment many YT videos but after watching dozens of yours, I cannot refrain from leaving at least one comment.
In my view, you display a naturally curious, unbiased and yet critical attitude, making your films truly authentic, fun and instructive.
By encountering local people with humility and on eye level, you set an example for any (Western) traveller.
I do believe that if schools began using your videos as material in geography classes, the world would indeed become a better place.
P.S. I travelled to North Korea, too and could identify with your emotions in most situations.
Buen viaje, gute Reise, goede reis, szerokiej drogi, bon voyage, boa viagem, 一路平安, safe journey!
I swear, this is the only channel where the comments section is decidedly wholesome, regardless of the video's content. I think it's because you set the foundation for a lot of comradary with your humble nature. It's so nice to scroll through a section so filled with appreciation for people of different cultures. Really puts faith in humanity back into my sorry old soul.
Of course,Drew's channel fans are from diverse countries all over the world.Drew spreads positivity to all of us and shows wherever we are,we are not than much different despite of our different races,religions and skin colour
I would be so happy if you saw the truth my wise friend. If you didn't i pray that you see the truth if you did i am happy for you. God bless!
You would like Tom Macdonald’s comment sections.
Check the comments on his Brunei video
Most of the time. I remember once he made a video on how the USA is different from the world and the comment section was very passive aggressive.
Im so early there isn't random people blessing my family.
May whoever is reading this, your mom live a 100 years 🎉
There was
@RecUwU condolence
@RecUwU shut up anime
@@theycallmedonjuan5430 don't you say that to my waifu
Did I hear KENYA 🇰🇪 continues to win as athletes. We run faster than antelopes.
Great video Drew!
The amount of insanley fast runners from kenya is really remarkable, i would love to visit one day
@@Ferdi2724 You are welcome.
@@halooooooo931 It's not Kinya but "Eh" sound -Kenya.
What were people in old age hunting in Kenya cheetas ? Like they passed on some pretty fast and long leg genes
@@Beatrice.Ndungu had to do a school project about kenya and your country is very impressive!
8:03 The way the lil girl bowed warmed my heart 😍😭💜
Shut up
Yaa cute
True
@@Advaith.v uno reverse card
@@Advaith.v "shut up"
~Advaith V
I clipped that
Good day from somalia 🇸🇴🇸🇴🇸🇴🇸🇴
Love Somalia from spain 🇪🇦❤️🇸🇴
@@JstZeldablackie
Flamenco
@@mohdadeeb1829 paella
@@JstZeldablackie
Guitar
@@mohdadeeb1829 gazpacho
Drew you sound like such a nice guy ! I think your lucky to have been in every country in the world but I think all the countries on the world are luckier to have you visiting!
Amazing video drew. I am a 13 year old boy from Pakistan you have motivated me to travel. So when I grow up I will visit every country in the world
Hi I am Indian I hope u come to india
I'm 13 years too and Drew also motivated me to travel around the world when I grow up
Expensive, man!
@@Dracopol its not that expensive if ur going a few countries every year
@@Dracopol It's not expensive when you have a job. It's not expensive at all, because Drew he buys cheaper hotels etc. he doesn't travel to relax, he discovers the countries.
drew binksy isnt biased hes just honest which we all appreciate from him
Me too! I learn so much from his videos, it’s incredible ☺️
yeah, that's what I like about him. If he don't like, he just say it based on his experience. If he like it, eventho someone call it a terrorist country, they like it and share his thought with us
@Phillip hanna And that's exactly what Drew DIDN'T do. He didn't glorify it, he was honest without getting political.
He is though because he clearly doesn’t know the history of the Korean War what was the background and why North Korea is unAmerican.
When he said the winner of the marathon was Kenyan I wasn't even surprised.
I was surprised that they allowed someone from another country to win!
It was probably Kipchoge collecting another medal.
Kenyans have won a marathon in every country that holds marathons.
I was surprised that there were actual foreigners taking part.
Please don't cringe when you watch your old work. Growth is never embarassing ❤️
I clicked so fast, I ignored my science homework for Drew’s video
LOL Erwin homework sucks!
Yeah, screw HW watch Drew commander Erwin Smith
@@fallin5707 yes u which country
ruclips.net/video/qn4qE_4tjxs/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/qn4qE_4tjxs/видео.html
Thanks Drew just for talking about Korea so that ppl around the world can have an idea what's going with these countries. Im from Seoul and my granpa was also refugee from north Korea. He almost got killed if he couldnt find a hide spot luckily somewhere in toilet while escaping. I'm now studying in US as graduate student and sometime I just got surprised by this significantly big contrast between the two same but different countries... We don't have a clue when this will end like how Germany did, and maybe it might not happen until I die. As a Korean this is emotional and very sad :(
Yeah, for a whole year I’ve been listening to what’s happening there and I’ve been watching yeonmi park on RUclips and it’s so sad. The media and news outlets don’t even talk about this so I was completely oblivious until a year ago. I wish nukes were never a thing because if nukes never existed then every country in the world would invade North Korea and stomp them out, unfortunately nukes exist so now every country is hesitant and don’t want to fight north korea
Im so happy i wasn’t born there
@Sencsay uhm, ur asking WHY?!
@Sencsay Would u like to live there? If no, then u know why
ruclips.net/video/sRYph5Tx9mA/видео.html
Never gomna give you up
@@waynebais1783 let you down.
When I saw “paid promotion” I genuinely thought he is getting sponsored by Kim himself LMAO
😂
We dont sponser americans.
< 자 는 미국 사 람 입 니 다
@@poptartbumblebeepoop9540 wth where are u really from
@Abhirup Nath there no accent in text
7:40 That is the first shot of a North Korean child smiling I have seen that doesn't look staged.
It felt staged after seeing your comment.
Kim shit his pants yesterday
@@frenchlasagna8138 😟
where
It is because the West is fed with the US perspective of the DPRK
Nice, looking forward to meet Drew in Moscow in the coming months.Happy weekend to the community from Russia 🇷🇺 👋😀
Thanks for the invitation 😀
Hello comrade
@@drewbinsky Will pleasure”Tavorish”Drew .Can’t wait ☝️😀
Russia is also a hellhole lol corrupt officials violating their own constitution if a us president did that then they would be charged
Love you from Ghana 🇬🇭
Love ghana from spain 🇪🇦❤️🇬🇭
From Ghana 🇬🇭 too!
@@JstZeldablackie beautiful ❤️
@@JstZeldablackie 😊❤️
Your video inspired me to do more research on North Korea as an international relations student. NK is an isolated country and it’s extremely interesting in many aspects. Thank you for sharing an awesome video!
Can’t miss any videos of Drew! Such an inspiration
Thank you for your support 🙏🏻❤
I went 2 times to North Korea, first time as tourist, I spent a 5 days tour there and as you mentioned in the video, its also for me the most interesting country in the world. After this 1st trip I had more questions then before and these brought me to write my master thesis about tourism in north korea. Basically about the motivation to travel there and how the perception is changing. At the beginning I wanted to collaborate with tour operators doing tours there but didnt get any positive response so I decided to do a tour again in order to get to know more people who travelled there and afterwards was conducting an online questionnaire. Summarising, I am glad to have done this so I was on my own trying to get to know more about this isolated country. Thank you for creating this content about NK, it always amazes me how other people experienced this country.
what were your thoughts on being there? did it feel staged? what stereotypes or preconceived notions were challenged/reinforced? is there anywhere we could read your thesis?
sounds very interesting. cheers
The perception is changing? An American tourist was returned to his family in a vegetable state no less than 10 years ago… North Koreans still eating crickets in prison camps..
@@unique_mushroom
Obviously when you do a tour there, you will only visit places they want to show you. Individual traveling is with a few exceptions not possible and therefore a major limitation. Nevertheless, we had many random situations, e.g. when taking a break/walking randomly on a street where we had spontanous encounters with pedestrians which can't be staged. Stereotypical was definitely the repeating praising of the "great" leader by the North Korean tour guides.
When you go there you are supporting a violent cruel regime. The leaders are lunatics and put many millions of their own people in prison…including their children and entire families.
This is an awesome channel that provides a unique view of a bunch of countries. Keep it up! Seriously man!!
Thank you so much for this. I would really really love to have some opportunity some day too.
yes
Ray mak?! Wow u are everywhere😂🤣
its my bday today and i got a scooter
ruclips.net/video/v8LyoS7lS3Q/видео.html
Bruh
For all ya travelers who want to get to North Korea...but you’re afraid or don’t have that much money...you still can get a glimpse of the country if you visit the DMZ by a day tour from South Korea and it actually counts as a visit
As drew drunil would say “best Korea”
ruclips.net/video/sRYph5Tx9mA/видео.html
How many subs can I get from this comment? Current 36
What do you mean: "counts as a visit"?
Why would anyone wanna a visit their and fund that awful oppressive regime
I love you back Drew. I worked and traveled all 50 states from 20-73 on vacations and retirement. My favorite USA cities were Las Vegas, Rapid City, and Kalispell, Montana, Singapore and Acapulco were my favorite foreign destination out of many.
Thank you so much.
What did you like about Montana? Interesting place not what I though tourists would go
Small correction: The Korean Peninsula was already split before the Korean War, since the end of World War Two, as the US and Soviets both established regime-loyal governments for their own influence in their sides of the peninsula.
Josef Stalin put Kim il sung in charge and that’s when it turned into the place it is today
Thanks WW2 😒
Korea hasn't been united since 1910. Before 1945, Japan annexed Korea.
@@Buttcakes15 i mean not trynna be that guy but before ww2 korea was part of Japan and life is pretty much the same as it was back during japanese times in North Korea (Aka. Terrible)
I think he meant waaaaaaaaay before WWII
I'm thinking about Malaysia now after you uploaded a video about North Korea...
Same as me😬
Ohh I've heard the news that Malaysia & N.Korea cut ties their diplomatic relations. Honestly what happened? I don't really follow the news. Just curious.
@@dwivaraditya8079 pengubahan wang haram diorg ditangkap oleh malaysia dgn us
@@dwivaraditya8079 money laundering they has been caught by Malaysia with USA
Sori I'm bad inglis
@@dwivaraditya8079 money laundering and not too long ago they assasinate their own brother at kl international airport...they did all that shit so we aint gonna keep em here anymore
You're an artist too, besides being a content creator. The more raw and unedited, the more real it is. I love it!
This is the main reason why im still comparing you to other traveller/s vloggers,content creators.I just found out that you being raw and natural is just satisfying.The way you deliver your opinions and sympathy towards people of a certain country makes it beautiful.
Even though I am South Korean, it is so impressed what i can feel and see North Korea from your channel. and thank you for your effort!
Just amazing one Drew, especially I am also very curious about North Korea.
LOVE YA ALL FROM ITALY❤
Francesco virgolini
ruclips.net/video/qn4qE_4tjxs/видео.html
Love italy latin brothers from spain 🇪🇦❤️🇮🇹
@@thegoldenpyro fiauuuu
@@JstZeldablackie love spainnn
That gaves me goosebumps that how hard is their lifes. I hope one day all of them can live happly and people who made them live like this is just gone to anywhere where they cant make same things again
I’m so happy you mentioned Eritrea. Because Eritrea is also a dictatorship and people have an extremely hard time. They are the kindest people but there is a military regime. I love you went there, such a beautiful country but many people do not know what is happening. I know many Eritrean refugees and their story is hardbreaking. Such kind people with a beautiful culture. I hope maybe you could make a video about Eritrea and tell people more🌹
So much thoughts and I loved it! Aside from sharing the story of North Korea, your insights meant so much on the realities every country face day by day. That aside from all the beautiful places, there are indeed pressing issues that we (from other places/outsiders perspective) cannot see or unable to see. Glad that you’ve shared this. Fascinated and would want to visit this country soon.
Love y’all from Norway🇳🇴
Me too
ruclips.net/video/qn4qE_4tjxs/видео.html
🇸🇦❤🇳🇴
Me too
Hello I'm from finland
Wow! Great story. Reminds me on Bulgaria in the 70‘s. You were only allowed to go to restaurants prepared for the tourists. The people looked all very depressed. In Sofia they all had pale faces. All looking on the ground running to their jobs. I had the feeling I am in a Kafka movie. So that is Communism at it‘s worst.
Speak to any Bulgarian today and they’ll tell you it’s worse actually. My grandfather lived a happy life under Bulgarian communism then died bankrupt with medical debt afterwards, a medical debt no one in a yes flawed socialist Bulgaria had to deal with.
Just a quick fact about the Pyongjang Metro: It was the public transport system of East Berlin, North Korea bought it after the German reunification.
Also very interesting and high quality video you did there, Drew. I just love your channel because in many cases, it is just the only way to find out about some countries without the prejudice of western media. Thank you so much❤️.
I hope that one day we can all be as one free people without repressing systems!
Actually the current rolling stock of the Pyongyang metro I'm pretty sure were the West Berlin ones, but yeah
@@herodesees3767 Maybe you're right, I'm not completely sure.
I'm a railway Enthusiast and I didn't know that! Well as they say,you learn something new everyday!
@@herodesees3767 I think the Pyongyang subway trains are indeed from the former GDR/East Germany. I once watched a documentary about North Korea in which people from several countries shared their experiences in NK via video logs and it was super interesting. One of them was a guy who grew up in former East Berlin and he said stepping into the Pyongyang subway was like a slap to his face because he recognized the wagons from his youth in the GDR, only the paint was different. Unfortunately I can't find this documentary anymore. It was one of the older documentaries and I guess it has been deleted from RUclips which is a shame because it was super interessting what different people from different countries noticed about North Korea. The guy from East Germany focused on different things than the guy from the US, for example.
@@cthulhuseyelash6569 Actually were are two types of rolling stock in the Pyongyang metro. Originally there was both East Berlin and West Berlin rolling stock. The east Berlin metro was a slightly different type than then West Berlin ones. However, the Pyongyang metro these days only runs on the West Berlin ones. They have retired East German rolling stock.
I'm malaysian 🇲🇾. The average person here knows about the Malaysia-North Korea issue. We will continue to oppose and will not bow to the selfishness of North Korea and also oppose the insults from Malaysia's own neighbors.
Kim tu cam budak tadika ah
which of Malaysia's neighbours insult Malaysia and regarding which matter?
You need to chill down and have some respect for your brothers and sisters .
Why so serious? Why dont you just ignore them? Whole world knows which country is in the right side. We are not blind.
Yes, that's right!
Fascinating content. So very sad for those dear people. I visited Czechoslovakia while on active duty as a U.S. naval officer, 1985. What stunned me is that it was every bit as depressing and gloomy and sad as my advance information said it would be, and that was nowhere near the level of the DPRK.
I clicked so fast, North Korean soldiers failed to capture me trying to cross the border
Seriously? Tell the story pls
@@PlutoniumSlums he told a meme broo
@@rhoydplaz2853 no he’s telling the truth i want to know what happened
@@PlutoniumSlums oh your being sarcastic
@@rhoydplaz2853 perhaps
So proud of this guy. I subscribed back when he had 80,000 subs
Thanks Drew. I can really relate to your DPRK video. My interest in the DPRK was piqued a few years back by the captivating BBC series, ‘Michael Palin in North Korea’. Also, several years ago, my intrepid son (like you) visited Pyongyang for their annual marathon and was enthralled by the experience. I’m an Australian who's been living and working in Vietnam since 2017, and have taken every opportunity to explore neighbouring countries. So, back in late July 2019, and at very short notice (8 days), I managed to book a three-night, four-day sightseeing tour of the DPRK with Explore North Korea tour company in China. On the 25 July I joined a Chinese tour group at Shanghai’s Pudong Airport, and we caught the night flight to Pyongyang. I was the only Westerner in the group of forty wonderful Chinese tourists. I have lived and worked in China for a total of about four years, so I am very much a Sinophile! The airport at Pyongyang is modern, and the DPRK customs and immigration officials were polite and efficient. The tour began immediately after lunch on the first day and the itinerary was very full and very much designed for my Chinese companions. I discovered that there is a very strong bond between China and the DPRK. Food for thought. Fortunately, I was assigned an English speaking DPRK tour guide, Hong, who was extremely helpful, a fountain of knowledge, and good fun. When we first met, he did however ask me where I worked, and when I mentioned the American University in Da Nang, Vietnam, his brow wrinkled with that look of consternation. Whoops! ‘Nice weather today Hong...’ Hong was nonetheless surprisingly open in terms of the topics we discussed. Pyongyang is completely out of step with cities as we understand them: wide and bare and spotlessly clean tree-lined streets, with smartly dressed locals walking with purpose alone or in pairs. There is no advertising (save propaganda billboards), no shops or shopping centres that you could identify from other buildings, no crime, no graffiti, barely any traffic (a consequence of the sanctions) and giant candy-coloured government apartment blocks everywhere. On the second day, I was wandering through an exhibition and chatting idly with Hong when he said to me ‘We launched another missile yesterday. I was surprised to hear that!” I feigned shock and said jokingly “Quick get me out of here!” He grabbed my arm, and laughingly started to escort me away. He then looked at my arm (I had goose bumps from the chilly aircon) and said to me “You’ve got chicken skin!”. That evening we attended ‘The Grand Mass Gymnastics and Artistic Performance Arirang’ at the 150,000 capacity May Day Stadium in Pyongyang. ‘The Mass Games’ involve 100,000 participants and performers. Spectacular! On the final day we visited the DMZ where, at a guide’s suggestion, I was afforded ‘the rare privilege as a foreigner’, of being photographed with a DPRK soldier (I do acknowledge that some readers might be ‘uncomfortable’ with that). Cheers! Paul LP
fascinating story thank you for sharing
Man, millions of kids are there who have so much potential in life. Some have amazing talents and ideas but unfortunately it is blocked by the country
Unfortunately yes 😕
@Antonio Sosa bruh u ok. There's plenty of talent in America. Sure a vast majority are average but that's not because of freedom or anything that's because most kids are well average regardless of location.
@Antonio Sosa why the hell are they depressed
O5 Council: 🤪
Other me: Hey!! Get ur messing around out of here!
Me: I can agree on both ideas. Either; The people are too busy to protest or too little info on their government's system and the outside world.
Other me: Bruh... The O5.
Other me: Why is there a SCP character here? *Both banned 🚫 from this video*
*Censor beep screen*
8:05 best part of this video... love this child ♥️♥️
Thanks man, good vids! I spent a year in Korea as a soldier back in '96. The only NK we experienced was constant propaganda being blasted at us from the North. Some of us would actually hallucinate during training because of it.
We always wondered about Puyang, not much known about it at that time. Also caught malaria.
Hey Drew, thanks for all of your great content, your a great guy, in a bigger picture, what you are doing helps reunite us as a society. Being informed of other countries helps get rid of the closeminded stereotypes we tend to put on countries.
Amen!
it's sad how people can't leave this country. i feel really really bad for them..
There is reason nk is poor, salary 60$ etc, if they allow people to leave, nk will lose tons of population and counrty would die.
@@dragisa1500 reason why NK is poor is because of US led economic sanctions that make the lives of the people hard.
It's not a prison.
Americans be like:
Why is NK poor and depressing?! It's not as if sanction medical equipment or anything like that
@@nedifar-haunts-you i consider it a prison because people can’t even leave (if they are citizens and they’ll end up getting shot if they do, some people managed to escape it alive.) but ok then
8:06 the way that little girl was cutely bowing 🥺😭💜
4:47 😂😂😂 the guy right there
👌👌
What about him? I keep looking.
Ohhhhhhh I see nvm lol
Such a unique experience you were able to have! I also taught English in Korea! I was there from 2017 until last fall and it is one of my favorite countries as well. Have you been able to hold onto the Korean you learned or have you lost most of it from lack of use? I learned a lot while living there and I'm actively trying to keep my ability to speak/read/write it because I think it is such a beautiful language
first of all thanks for that clear subtitles and clear voice of yours. so we can understand the English of yours...thanks buddy
8:04 , cutest moment
Such an interesting perspective, thanks for sharing! Your story telling inspires me to improve my travel videos!
Thanks for watching 💕
Enjoyed your video. I went to North Korea twice, in 2011 & 2013, brought back lots of memories. I also went in with Koryo Tours. They were great & Simon's a great guy & was most helpful.
Drew is an amazing person living the most thrilling life
I agree, hope one day I’ll able to travel as much as him ☺️ where would you like to go?m after lockdown?
@@VASIGTravelingLifeinLondon well luckily I got a chance to go to kashmir twice in lockdown . I would like to travel to Hawaii after lockdown. It is my dream place
Great video as always, Drew! I was also able to go to North Korea in 2019, and just like you, I was naive and didn't know much about foreign cultures and didn't have a lot to put into perspective.
My trip was very similar to yours, as I also went there during the Marathon event and it was indeed a unique experience to be able to run on the streets of Pyongyang without feeling restricted to a tour guide or the bus.
Unfortunately I don't speak korean (yet), so I wasn't able to communicate with the locals just like you, although highfiving the kids was still absolutely surreal and remains one of the coolest things I've done to this day. :)
I did go to South Korea 2 months later (as this was part of a 3 month long travel), and the contrast was just how you described it. Absolutely surreal! I did have the most amazing time in South Korea and definitely the most surreal time in North Korea.
Oh btw! I see we stayed at the same hotel in North Korea! Did you also check out the casino in the basement? They actually had wifi down there when I was visiting. I was able to text my friends, but they freaked out and thought it was North Koreans who texted from my phone, since there was no way I should be able to text from inside North Korea haha! :D
Stay safe! :)
Thank you so much for going on all of your adventures. You're much more brave than I. Stay well, stay healthy and keep traveling!
It would be amazing if he went there with his team and created a documentary
He can't lol Americans are banned
Korea has been united for around 1000 years since Taejo Wang Geon unified the later three kingdoms in 936 AD, founded Goryeo until the division in Korea in 1945 which resulted in North and South Korea.
Love from Nairobi, Kenya
Hi Drew, i was in North Korea in Dec 2018 for 5 days, pretty much the same experiences as you, i was however able to speak freely with citizens as i took the train to and from Dandong. I have also traveled to nearly every country in the world and agree that its a very interesting experience (when i was there only 6 people in our hotel yet everything was open and staff on duty 24h we were able to leave our rooms but not the hotel at night.
I love your videos from INDIA 🇮🇳🇮🇳
Love india from spain 🇪🇦❤️🇮🇳
Love spain from india
@@JstZeldablackie same too you
Love from pakistan
Love from UK🇬🇧
I was very blessed to be stationed for two years in South Korea. Absolutely loved the country and its people. We were able to live in a Korean apartment--so very lucky. I would have extended, but had to get back to the US to begin my masters degree.
I am in South Korea now and I love this country. I always wonder what life is like on the other side of the 38th Parallel.
?? 북한을 왜 좋아하냐?
Love from Lagos Nigeria 🇳🇬
I feel the pain of my brothers and sisters in North Korea and hope they will get the freedom they deserve pretty soon.
Drew keep the good work going and stay safe please.
you were lived in south korea!! i found you by chance, and im south korean...amazing. and thanks for exact travel experience and deliver reality for seriously!
Yeay!!I'm early! I JUST FINISHED WATCH YOUR NORTH KOREA VIDEO!!
From Kannur, Kerala, India🇮🇳
Love Drew 🥰
I was there in 2017, best state in India💃
There are so many things we take for granted, & your video just reminded me of how blessed we are to have what we have.
Thank you for sharing your experiences with me, Drew! I have heard of North Korea and the human rights violation but not to that extent specifically, I would love to go to North Korea and meet the people there also like you did, I will follow the rules of the country and I would love to record my moments when I go to North Korea in the future!🙏🏽💞
the reason why it is a deep metro is so that it can be used for a nuke shelter
Proof please?
@@AlxzAlec it's North Korea.. c'mon
@@AlxzAlec Communism.
@@AlxzAlec Google. My country has a same one(Beijing).
@@dragisa1500 North Korea isn’t communist, it’s fascist, people don’t get paid enough for their jobs and they are forced to do whatever their dictator wants, they have no choices and therefor it is not a commune
I agree with ur opinion....keep going brudah ❤️🇮🇳
I love your channel Drew! You are living my dream life! I’m originally from Liberia but I grew up in the US and still live here. Yes, of course I saw your video on Liberia! Lol. Btw, do you learn the languages of all these countries you visit?! Your life has gotta be crazy awesome and you’re probably one of the most well rounded people out there. Keep doing what you’re doing!!
Few weeks ago, I had a nightmare: I was in North Korea. When I did something without thinking (or by accident), I was called by one of North Koreans that I was going to be arrested. And that's it. I instantly woke up from a nightmare, not to mention my heart beat fast in fear. Good thing, I'm still at my home.
Greetings from Philippines. 🇵🇭
We have the same dream but i was sent to labor camp
@@jacquesvincentdionmones115 Oh, man.
But that didn't happen in my nightmare. I was told only to be arrested.
Your dreams are the manifestation of ur thoughts. Control it. Like Jiren from Dbs, how did he get so strong? Through strength alone, he believed strength, he was hungry more strength.
@@kenneth_blah_blah_blah9228 But controlling your dreams is called 'lucid dream'.
So that dream I had wasn't lucid dream.
Then take this dream as either as a warning or nothing. Usually a nightmare means an unlucky number for me inevitably. But mostly it's just major jumbo messed up messages from my brain.
Hi Drew, you may enjoy seeing Fun for Louis and his visit to N Korea. I recognized your tour guide in this one, Louis Cole is from the UK, and has a lively RUclips channel. While in N Korea, he and his tour group taught this tour guide surfing, skateboarding, and made a video of her singing over shots of her surfing lessons. She was delightful and they made her laugh a lot. Really brought out her personality.
i want to visit every country. ive visited the us a few times. greetings from portugal! 🇵🇹
Love my Portuguese neighbors from Spain 🇪🇦❤️🇵🇹
Portugal is so beautiful ❤️ One of my last trips in 2019 was in Algarve 😍 where do you suggest me going?
@@VASIGTravelingLifeinLondon porto, lagos, lisboa, theres a lot lol. theres a spot in sintra called castle of the moors and it was built in the 700s o you could go there.
*Now You're Going To Brazil*
@@ianbat7092 i went to Lisboa as well! So beautiful and you have great food scenery in there 😍
I feel for the people out there
Drew, have you thought about doing a follow-up on the people you interviewed (like Evelyn) who escaped from North Korea and how they're doing now?
Love you bro
You are my travel inspiration
Thankyou for motivating me🤘
Thanks for watching 💕
Please make a video on “Truth About Pakistan” - we love you Drew! Much love from Pakistan 🇵🇰 ♥️
Yesss ❤️🇵🇰❤️
Wow you are great!! I really appreciate you taking the time to answer our questions!!! You are really passionate about what you do!! God bless you!! 🙌🙏
North Korea's embassy left Malaysia not long ago😁you just learned something
Didn't leave Malaysia, it's that North Korea retracted the embassy from Malaysia after a controversy over a criminal case
@@slaykween9 wow
@@slaykween9 thank you
@@Jacklee-ps3pi :)
@@slaykween9 malaysia did ask them to leave in 48 hours after NK severed ties with malaysia...they did covid test and then left in a bus all provided by malaysia government
I could never bring myself to go there. As much as I want to go and visit to see North Korea, I just couldn’t find that regime
Same, for me it’d be hard be in curious and I’d end up asking the wrong questions
Kudos Drew. Wonderful insights as always.
This is knowledgeable
Drew I was the last American guy in North Korea
Trump are you sure about that
He said that he is 'one of the last' not the actual last
ruclips.net/video/sRYph5Tx9mA/видео.html
8:05 this is the cutest part of the video
Hello! Love videos
Kim Jong Un wants to know your location.
No
Loving your content from Kenya❤. Thanks for sharing this perfect and informative video.