in Places & People

Vintage Brochures Show How North Korea Used to Tempt Tourists Back in the 1970s and 80s

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North Korea today is known for being very secretive. Getting inside is tough. Taking photos is often not allowed. It’s hard to know what life is really like there. But it wasn’t always this way. Old travel brochures from the 1970s and 1980s show a surprising side of the country. They paint a very different picture.

These brochures were made when Kim Il-sung led the country. He was the first leader of North Korea.  His goal was to bring tourists to visit. The brochures make North Korea look like a fun vacation spot. The brochures are filled with colorful pictures.

The photos in the brochures show people having a great time. You can see smiling families on sunny beaches. Kids are laughing on theme park rides. People are enjoying meals of tasty-looking local food. It looks like any other place people would want to visit.

These old advertisements show activities like swimming. There’s boating, too. Some brochures show off nice hotels.  They have big, clean rooms. There are pictures of restaurants serving many dishes. The goal was to attract visitors from other countries.

These images are quite different from what we see of North Korea today. Back then, only people from communist-allied countries could visit. It was very rare for anyone else to go. These brochures were part of a specific plan. The plan was to present a positive image.

The old ads also show cultural events. You might see pictures of dancers in colorful costumes. There are photos of parades and festivals. They emphasize the unique parts of North Korean culture. There were images meant to intrigue potential tourists.

The brochures were meant for people from countries that were friendly with North Korea. These were mostly other communist countries. It was part of building relationships with these nations. The brochures aimed to show them a positive side of the nation’s life.

#1 Men and women queue to go on the teacup rise at Taesongsan Funfair some time in the 1980s. The theme park has been updated little since it was first built, and now struggles to operate.

Men and women queue to go on the teacup rise at Taesongsan Funfair some time in the 1980s. The theme park has been updated little since it was first built, and now struggles to operate.

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#2 This is how North Korea advertised itself to potential tourists back in the 1970s and 80s when only visitor from allied communist countries were allowed within its borders.

This is how North Korea advertised itself to potential tourists back in the 1970s and 80s when only visitor from allied communist countries were allowed within its borders.

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#3 Among the many attractions potential tourists had waiting for them include volleyball, a favorite sport in North Korea, which is pictured being played here on Wonsan beach.

Among the many attractions potential tourists had waiting for them include volleyball, a favorite sport in North Korea, which is pictured being played here on Wonsan beach.

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#4 Gymnastics classes were another of the cultural offerings for potential communist visitors. Women are pictured taking part in a class on Songdowon beach here.

Gymnastics classes were another of the cultural offerings for potential communist visitors. Women are pictured taking part in a class on Songdowon beach here.

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#5 The beach in Wonsan is filled with tourists, most like from the USSR, in this 1980s snap that was included in a brochure given to prospective visitors.

The beach in Wonsan is filled with tourists, most like from the USSR, in this 1980s snap that was included in a brochure given to prospective visitors.

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#6 This is the beach at Majon, in North Korea’s second-largest city of Hamhung, photographed some time in the 1990s.

This is the beach at Majon, in North Korea's second-largest city of Hamhung, photographed some time in the 1990s.

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#7 Unlike the beaches of Spain or Greece, which would have been packed with tourists in the 1990s when this snap was taken, the sand in Hamhung is virtually deserted.

Unlike the beaches of Spain or Greece, which would have been packed with tourists in the 1990s when this snap was taken, the sand in Hamhung is virtually deserted.

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#8 People enjoying a diving platform in the city of Wonsan. Tourism was and is an important source of income for North Korea, as well as helping spread its propaganda.

People enjoying a diving platform in the city of Wonsan. Tourism was and is an important source of income for North Korea, as well as helping spread its propaganda.

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#9 A woman hails a taxi outside Ryanggang Hotel, in Pyongyang, in 1986.

A woman hails a taxi outside Ryanggang Hotel, in Pyongyang, in 1986.

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#10 A mother and her children relax at Taesongsan Waterpark, located near the capital.

A mother and her children relax at Taesongsan Waterpark, located near the capital.

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#11 A family enjoys a ride at the Taesongsan Funfair, which is located close to Pyongyang and is still open today. The park is named for Mount Taesong, which it sits at the base of.

A family enjoys a ride at the Taesongsan Funfair, which is located close to Pyongyang and is still open today. The park is named for Mount Taesong, which it sits at the base of.

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#12 A view of the Mansu Hill Grand Monument in central Pyongyang in North Korea. A statue of Kim Jong-il has since been added to stand next to the one of his father, Kim Il-sung, who is pictured here.

A view of the Mansu Hill Grand Monument in central Pyongyang in North Korea. A statue of Kim Jong-il has since been added to stand next to the one of his father, Kim Il-sung, who is pictured here.

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#13 Parents watch their children take a ride on the funfair at Taesongsan in 1980. The park was first opened in 1977 and features 10 rides, though its main rollercoaster was damaged by flooding in 2007 and does not operate.

Parents watch their children take a ride on the funfair at Taesongsan in 1980. The park was first opened in 1977 and features 10 rides, though its main rollercoaster was damaged by flooding in 2007 and does not operate.

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#14 The rocket ride at Taesongsan Funfair. North Korea operates several theme parks around the country, the most famous of which is Pyongyang Zoo, which continues to be a major tourist draw to this day.

The rocket ride at Taesongsan Funfair. North Korea operates several theme parks around the country, the most famous of which is Pyongyang Zoo, which continues to be a major tourist draw to this day.

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#15 The log flume ride at Taesongsan, which is now not operated except on the park’s busiest days having falling into disrepair.

The log flume ride at Taesongsan, which is now not operated except on the park's busiest days having falling into disrepair.

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#16 Kwansong Tancha, the main rollercoaster at Taesongsan, operating in the 1980s. The coaster, once the park’s star attraction, was heavily damaged by flooding in 2007 and now does not operate.

Kwansong Tancha, the main rollercoaster at Taesongsan, operating in the 1980s. The coaster, once the park's star attraction, was heavily damaged by flooding in 2007 and now does not operate.

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#17 Guests enjoy some North Korean cuisine at an upmarket restaurant in Pyongyang, in this image taken in 1976.

Guests enjoy some North Korean cuisine at an upmarket restaurant in Pyongyang, in this image taken in 1976.

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#18 Young people dine at Songdowon where an international summer camp for children takes place every year, 1989.

Young people dine at Songdowon where an international summer camp for children takes place every year, 1989.

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#19 Parents and children attending the Songdowon International Children’s Camp, held in Pyongyang, 1989. The camp is largely aimed a foreign visitors, and so was advertised in tourist brochure.

Parents and children attending the Songdowon International Children's Camp, held in Pyongyang, 1989. The camp is largely aimed a foreign visitors, and so was advertised in tourist brochure.

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#20 The brochure for the Songdowon International Children’s Camp. The summer camp still operates today, and attracts 400 children from around the world with activities such as swimming pools and video games.

The brochure for the Songdowon International Children's Camp. The summer camp still operates today, and attracts 400 children from around the world with activities such as swimming pools and video games.

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#21 Bumper cars modeled to look like vehicles from the 1970s and 80s were advertised to potential tourists as a reason to visit.

Bumper cars modeled to look like vehicles from the 1970s and 80s were advertised to potential tourists as a reason to visit.

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Written by Kevin Clark

Kevin Clark is a historian and writer who is passionate about sharing the stories and significance behind historical photos. He loves to explore hidden histories and cultural contexts behind the images, providing a unique insight into the past.

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11 Comments

  2. I’ve noticed that North Korean media aimed at foreigners always features their amusement parks, which has always stuck out to me because outside of like Disney World, amusement parks don’t really headline tourism in most places. You’d expect more along the lines of museums, performing arts, or nature. Does anyone have any insight on why this is?

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    • I think intuitively it makes sense to choose amusement parks over museums in that museums are kinda difficult in a closed information environment. You need to either carefully choose what history or culture you want to display, or you need to fabricate it. You need to make sure it can stand to scrutiny too and that there aren’t contradictions.

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    • I would assume these people have a bit of a misguided view about the West, just like we probably don’t really have a accurate idea about their society.

      Maybe they watched some western show, news or such, saw a amusement park and then made some educated guesses on how things are “over there”.

      Maybe they aren’t even that aware what sets Disney land apart from a normal amusement park. I doubt they watch much Disney stuff and realise it’s themed on fictional characters from well known stories, for an outsider it might just look like a whacky fun place.

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  3. I figured out what I find so unsettling about the “faraway smile” portraits where everyone in the photo is looking off to one side and smiling appreciatively at something behind the photographer.

    It’s that the subject of these type of photos is not the people themselves, we aren’t looking at a snapshot in time of someone enjoying the act of getting into the taxi or sitting at the beach with their friends. The subject of the photo is the thing that they’ve paused their life to admire.

    You know how in older pre-cgi action and horror movies often the audience experiences, and understands how to react to, whatever is happening in the story by a character’s facial reaction to something happening off screen? We can’t see the monster, but we can see the damsel in distress’s face go through a range of emotions, and our imagination fills in the blanks.

    That lady isn’t getting into a taxi. She’s standing in front of the taxi looking around at the bright lights of Pyongyang. Pyongyang is the subject of that photo.

    The only photos here that have me a sense of actually being a photo of people doing people thin

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