The VICE Guide to North Korea

About This Movie

The VICE Guide to North Korea is a fascinating dive into the surreal landscape that is North Korea. The documentary captures the absurdity of the state's tourism facade with candid moments that expose the underlying tensions. The pacing is uneven at times, almost mirroring the disjointed realities of the country itself. The filmmakers balance between humor and serious commentary, showcasing bizarre performances and staged events that feel like they’re from another world. It’s a strange mix of raw and polished—raw in the sense of the atmosphere, but polished in how VICE presents it. The tone is very much 'we're here to show you the odd and unsettling,' making it distinct in the realm of documentary filmmaking.

Unique exploration of totalitarian tourismHighlights the absurdity of state-controlled narrativesA mix of humor and unsettling reality