On this episode of Discover North Korea, I take you on a much-awaited AIR KORYO flight back to Pyongyang for the Pyongyang Marathon. We start in Beijing Airport and finish with some conversations with North Korean colleagues at Pyongyang Airport. The next couple of episodes will be covering my time in Pyongyang & the Pyongyang Marathon! The Pyongyang Marathon 2026 has not yet been announced. Watch this space for more info! Follow me on: @zoediscovers / @zoediscoversnk Koryo Tours - @koryotou...
May 09, 2025•43 min
The final episode of our Rason trip! We enjoy our last few sights on the tour as well as have a little interview with our young guide Miss Kim. Tune in next time when I TAKE YOU TO PYONGYANG. Thank you to my Patrons and to the Koryo Tours gang for your constant support. NOTE: North Korea borders are once again CLOSED indefinitely. Rason tours are now suspended. I will be posting updates on my Instagram & all other platforms. (@zoediscovers / @zoediscoversnk). 🔗 North Korea Tours - https://k...
Apr 03, 2025•1 hr 3 min
In the second of this 3-part episode, I take you on a tour around Rason in North Korea. Thank you to my Patrons and to the Koryo Tours gang for your constant support. NOTE: North Korea borders are once again CLOSED indefinitely. Rason tours are now suspended. I will be posting updates on my Instagram & all other platforms. (@zoediscovers / @zoediscoversnk). 🔗 North Korea Tours - https://koryogroup.com/tours/dprk-north-korea/group 🔗 Read about my first trip here - https://koryogroup.com/blo...
Mar 27, 2025•1 hr 5 min
I am so excited to finally be able to take you on a trip to North Korea. In this 3-part episode, I take you on a tour to North Korea so you can experience yourselves what a North Korea tour is like - plus some extra insights from me throughout, too! Thank you to my Patrons and to the Koryo Tours gang for your constant support. NOTE: North Korea borders are once again CLOSED indefinitely. Rason tours are now suspended. I will be posting updates on my Instagram & all other platforms. (@zoedisc...
Mar 22, 2025•1 hr 1 min
On this episode of Discover North Korea I catch up with you all on what on earth has been going on, as well as giving you a bit of an inside scoop on life working in North Korea tourism. Hint: it’s been a bit crazy. Tours to Rason - https://koryogroup.com/tours/dprk-north-korea/group Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 02, 2025•52 min
North Korea has been closed for 5+ years. And we all waited for it to open. Finally, now the day has come. Well, is coming. Rason will open on the 20th Feb and maybe Pyongyang soon after, let's hope. For now, I chat to special guest, friend, and colleague Greg who just got back from Rason in North Korea after being invited there on a special delegation. Tours start on the 20th Febuary, tours open for booking that I'm leading in March are as follows; March 1-8 (from Beijing) https://koryogroup.co...
Feb 17, 2025•55 min
I chat with Veronika who was one of the Russians to visit North Korea recently and who posted her trip on social media. She tells us all about her trip to North Korea! NOTE: The North Korean borders are NOT yet open. Some limited Russian tourist groups are currently permitted to go in only. Sign up to this newsletter or WhatsApp group for border opening updates. My biggest thanks to Veronika for spending her time for this episode, and forever jealous of your visit! Check out Veronika's page on t...
Jul 04, 2024•1 hr 13 min
The podcast is back after a non-deliberate break! A little update from me and about the podcast in the future. Next full episode coming out next week. North Korean borders are not yet open to tourism. Sign up to this newsletter or WhatsApp group for border opening updates. Can't wait any longer? Check out the North Korea From a Near Distance tour and get $150 USD discount with code ZoeDMZ! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jun 28, 2024•9 min
The last in this series* and we go out with a bang! I chat with Greg, Lesley, and Peter about a very unique trip to South Korea - one truly like no other. That you can be part of this year, too! *Don't worry, I'm just taking a break and will be back in mid-September time :). I'll be back after a trip and also with another podcast in the making... watch this space! -------------------- Follow me on; - Instagram @zoediscoversnk for pictures, videos, and live sessions (when it's possible) from insi...
Aug 03, 2023•1 hr 31 min
The second part in the 2-part episode "Inside the North Korean Countryside". In this episode, we head to a few key spots in the North Korean countryside known for their beauty or indeed because they're hardly known at all and worth a mention... More details of each of these in the Travel Guides section on koryogroup.com (links below). Places we cover; Pakyon Falls Ryongmun Caves Ulim Waterfall Samil Lagoon Sinphyong Lake Sijung Sijung Beach Pujon Highlands Pujon Stone River Chongsokjong DMZ ----...
Jul 27, 2023•42 min
In this 2-part episode, I delve into the North Korean countryside to give an overview on what the North Korean countryside has to offer. This first episode is all about mountains; North Korea's most famous mountain ranges. Indeed, of the 6 famous mountains on the Korean Peninsula - 5 of them lie in the northern half. So, there's a lot to cover! A lot of this information was taken from Koryo Tours' North Korea Travel Guides section, a comprehensive online travel guide into North Korea. Contact me...
Jul 20, 2023•49 min
I chat with Nick Bonner, Koryo Studio director and producer/director of several movies & documentaries inside North Korea. He's the go-to man for facilitating these kinds of projects (and much more) in North Korea, and a film he co-directed also won an award a the Pyongyang International Film Festival. He's also the associate producer of Aim High in Creation, a film by an Australian movie producer Anna Broinowski. The film is newly available on Vimeo and there is also a competition running w...
Jul 13, 2023•1 hr 2 min
What makes the North East so special? I chat with my colleague and friend Pete who works as a freelance tour guide for Koryo Tours (pre-pandemic..!) and visited the DPRK 6 times alone in 2019. He first visited North Korea on a simple trip to Pyongyang but decided that he needed to go back to explore more. Pete also gave a really interesting insight into an SEZ that came up as a topic in the Rason episode. He's also an avid podcast listener, so thanks for the constant support Pete and was lovely ...
Jul 06, 2023•1 hr 21 min
From shooting pheasants (chickens?) and taking them home for dinner to having a soak completely naked with the locals at the spa. In this episode, I chat about some things you probably never knew you could do in North Korea. This is a list mainly inspired by everyone's reactions when I tell them what I've been up to on tour. Sure, some of these actually surprised me too - but it's mainly the things that are everyday and mundane that surprise the most people. Contact me with your questions & ...
Jun 29, 2023•47 min
I decided to get on the ChatGPT bandwagon and use it to see the best, most popular, and most ridiculous myths on North Korea and I discuss their origins and the truth behind them. Contact me with your questions & guest recommendations on zoediscovers@gmail.com. Follow me on; -> Instagram @zoediscoversnk for pictures, videos, and live sessions (when it's possible) from inside North Korea -> TikTok @zoediscovers for long and short-form videos inside North Korea -> YouTube @zoediscover...
Jun 22, 2023•1 hr 1 min
On this episode, I chat about North Korea's Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Rason, in the very northeast of North Korea. It's also the first place I ever visited in North Korea! Get a North Korean bank account, visit a casino, go to the local market, and say hi to the seals! Contact me with your questions & guest recommendations on zoediscovers@gmail.com. Follow me on; -> Instagram @zoediscoversnk for pictures, videos, and live sessions (when it's possible) from inside North Korea -> TikTo...
Jun 15, 2023•44 min
Today I'm joined by three special guests to discuss the US travel ban to North Korea, the impacts this has on North Korea, on a global scale, and indeed on American citizens themselves. We discuss everything from North Korean tourism to cultural exchanges in North Korea, and why even the US travel ban to North Korea exists. And finally, what you can do to help... A more political conversation today; please see the note at the end for a disclaimer in terms of this usually a-political podcast. A m...
Jun 01, 2023•1 hr 11 min
Do you either really want the North Korean passport stamp, or really don't want it? Whichever one you are, I let you know how to avoid the North Korean passport stamp as well as two ways (the only ways) to get it... ------------------ Contact me with your questions & guest recommendations on zoediscovers@gmail.com. Follow me on; - Instagram @zoediscoversnk for pictures, videos, and live sessions (when it's possible) from inside North Korea - TikTok @zoediscovers for long and short-form video...
May 25, 2023•27 min
So much to unpack with this episode as I sit with Rob Thomas - a Christian American who lived in North Korea with his wife and baby (and Bible?!) - who tells me all about his experience working in the DPRK. Only scratched the surface on this one as there are so many angles to go from! But we start with the basics... how does an American end up working and living in North Korea? And... what was it like? Thanks so much to Rob from Hwamok Fellowship for joining! Contact Rob at Hwamok Fellowship on;...
May 18, 2023•1 hr 3 min
Wonsan is North Korea's most popular place for a holiday. Domestic tourism is on the rise in North Korea and Wonsan is at the forefront of it. You may have heard of North Korea's Kalma resort before? We discuss where the Kalma Resort is up to now and why North Korea tourism as me know it may be about to change. ------------------ Contact me with your questions & guest recommendations on zoediscovers@gmail.com. Follow me on; - Instagram @zoediscoversnk for pictures, videos, and live sessions ...
May 11, 2023•53 min
How do you prepare for a trip like no other? I run through all the things you need to consider for your North Korea tour. From packing essentials to how to mentally prepare yourself for this trip of a lifetime... ------------------ 17 things to know before you go; https://koryogroup.com/blog/north-korea-travel-16-things-you-need-to-know-before-you-go ------------------ Contact me with your questions & guest recommendations on zoediscovers@gmail.com. Follow me on; - Instagram @zoediscoversnk ...
May 04, 2023•56 min
What's it like getting a local train in North Korea? Greg and his expertise on all things North Korea travel is back for another episode of Discover North Korea. Whilst the theme this week was supposed to be transport, but again we got stuck flitting between different topics on the DPRK including touring the South Korean - North Korean border from west to east as well as why Greg has been spending so much time with planes recently... Thanks Greg for being an awesome guest as always! To contact G...
Apr 27, 2023•1 hr 18 min
The second part of a two-part episode that is a bit different... I take you on a journey from Beijing in China to the North Korean border in China's northeast. I hope you enjoy the train experience in podcast form as much as I did in reality (probably a lot nicer in podcast form, to be honest!). If you're after some visuals to accompany you on your journey, head over to Instagram where I have the journey saved in my highlights. And coming soon on YouTube will be the video I made of the journey a...
Apr 20, 2023•46 min
This episode is a bit different as I take you on a journey from Beijing in China to the North Korean border in China's northeast. This is a two-part episode. I hope you enjoy the train experience in podcast form as much as I did in reality (probably a lot nicer in podcast form, to be honest!). If you're after some visuals to accompany you on your journey, head over to Instagram where I have the journey saved in my highlights. And coming soon on YouTube will be the video I made of the journey as ...
Apr 13, 2023•57 min
I take you on an audio-guided tour through what some have said to be one of the most dangerous places on earth; the DMZ, the border dividing North and South Korea. Visiting from the northern side, it's actually a lot more chilled out than you might expect. But nevertheless, a visit here should not be taken lightly and you should understand the context of where you're visiting in order to get the most out of your experience. I take you through the history of the DMZ that led to this separation, b...
Apr 06, 2023•54 min
Which Korea makes the best soju? What would you recommend to visit in North Korea that’s mostly not part of the standard tourist tours? North Korean documentary recommendations? What kind of souvenirs do tourists usually buy? Were you scared the first time you visited vs now? North Korean beer; what's it like? And many, many more of your questions; answered! In this episode, I asked for all your questions on Instagram and answer them here, as well as some that have been sent in over the past few...
Mar 30, 2023•1 hr 3 min
On this episode, I welcome special guest and comrade Xiang Yu - an American Taiwanese musician who made a music video in Pyongyang some years back. We chat about his time in North Korea, making music there, how he got into the world of North Korea and how his family also has ties to the Korean Peninsula - including in the North. We end up just having a good ol' chat and I hope you enjoy it as much as enjoyed making it! A massive thanks to Xiang Yu for the great conversation, the great soju, and ...
Mar 23, 2023•1 hr 24 min
In this episode, the interviewer becomes interviewee as I feature on Safety Last Podcast. Stanley has some well-thought-through and well-researched questions that challenged me, too! Hope you enjoy this episode which you can also find at Safety Last. Thanks to Stanley for having me on the show & producing this podcast! Tune in next week to discover North Korea some more! Contact me with your questions & guest recommendations on zoediscovers@gmail.com. Follow me on; -> Instagram @zoedi...
Mar 16, 2023•1 hr 34 min
Ever wondered what business class on a North Korean flight is like? Or wanted to know if Air Koryo really is THAT bad? Aviation geek (and good friend) Greg talks us through what it's like to fly on a North Korean airline; the differences you might find at a North Korean airport (including smoking openly in the coffee shops) and how you go about actually buying a ticket to North Korea... Thanks Greg for coming onto the podcast and don't worry - I'll be getting him back on soon! Mega Tour (incl. i...
Mar 09, 2023•1 hr 16 min
Heading out of Pyongyang down North Korea's west coast to Nampo, home to North Korea's most impressive engineering feat at the West Sea Barrage, as well as the infamous petrol clam BBQ at the hot spring resort... Tune in next week to discover North Korea some more! ---------------------- Contact me with your questions & guest recommendations on zoediscovers@gmail.com. Follow me on; -> Instagram @zoediscoversnk for pictures, videos, and live sessions (when it's possible) from inside North ...
Mar 02, 2023•51 min
