British YouTuber Harry Jaggard recently managed to visit North Korea, the most secretive nation in the world. Harry entered the country—ruled by an infamous dictator—not through conventional means but by participating in the Pyongyang International Marathon.
The British YouTuber, who has over 24 lakh subscribers, used his visit to record footage capturing the lifestyle of the North Korean people.
Jaggard told the New York Post that he is not an athlete but was asked to participate with just a month’s notice. "I made all the preparations and made it happen," he said.
Reportedly, Jaggard completed the marathon in 3 hours and 40 minutes and spent five days in North Korea. During his stay, he filmed content for his YouTube vlog. Jaggard expressed surprise at being allowed to film more than he had expected.
In a vlog video posted on his YouTube channel titled "First Tourist in North Korea's Capital After 5 Years," Jaggard praises his guide as friendly, warm, and welcoming.
With a guide leading the way, Jaggard and fellow visiting athletes toured war museums, political sites, and monuments honoring the Workers' Party and Kim Jong-il. He compared the carefully curated experience to "visiting America but only seeing Las Vegas—just the glamorous highlights."
In his vlog, the content creator noted the stark contrast between government propaganda and Pyongyang’s surprisingly orderly, peaceful, and welcoming atmosphere. He observed that North Korean citizens seemed deeply influenced by state ideology, with only a few appearing to grasp how much more advanced other countries were.
Several restrictions were imposed during their visit. Recording was completely banned in three locations: an observation tower, a grocery store, and a war museum featuring a provocative sculpture of a cow devouring an American soldier—an anti-American propaganda piece from the Korean War era.
After being closed for nearly five years, North Korea’s borders had reopened temporarily for just two weeks before unexpectedly shutting down again. Jaggard was among the small group of international visitors who gained entry during this brief window, using the marathon as their opportunity.
Reflecting on his journey, he said he left with "a thousand questions" about what daily life is truly like for North Koreans.
