YouTuber enters North Korea to compete in marathon and is shocked by what he finds

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For the yearly Pyongyang Marathon, the borders of North Korea were unveiled, leaving a competing YouTuber astonished by his findings within the nation.

Each April, even though North Korea is known for its seclusion, they permit foreign participants to join the Pyongyang Marathon.

33 years after its establishment in 1981, the Mangyondae Prize International Marathon started welcoming non-local runners in 2014. Fast forward to a decade later, a 27-year-old YouTuber named Harry Jaggard took part in this competition and was taken aback by his experience.

As an ardent fan, I’d put it this way: I’m just a regular guy who proudly labels himself as a “professional idiot,” tackling side missions left and right. With an impressive following of over 2 million subscribers, I embark on journeys to lesser-explored corners of the globe, such as Syria and Papua New Guinea. I then delight in sharing my heart-stopping experiences with everyone online.

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A post shared by Harry Jaggard (@harryjaggard)

In April 2025, Jaggard opted to remove North Korea from his travel itinerary once the nation ultimately welcomed tourists again, following a five-year closure of their borders.

Yet, he didn’t come as a typical tourist; rather, he participated in the Pyongyang Marathon on behalf of the Amateur Athletics Association, allowing him to explore North Korea’s capital city independently and without constant supervision.

YouTuber gets unprecedented view of North Korea as country opens to tourists for first time in 5 years

To his astonishment, he was granted permission to create content for his channel with minimal limitations, noting how relaxed both the North Korean people and their administration seemed regarding his vlog.

He told the New York Post that he hadn’t anticipated being able to create vlogs at all. He believed they would only consist of a handful of clips with his narration, but the flexibility and relaxation allowed was astonishing.

To put it simply, he understood well that what he was observing in North Korea were essentially its most impressive or appealing aspects, which seemed like a carefully curated collection of its finest moments.

He clarified that they had taken us on the specific tour they intended. It’s as if you were visiting America, yet all you saw were the bright, flashy areas, similar to just seeing Las Vegas.

During his journey, Jaggard found himself astonished by the sight of contemporary residences, impeccably tidy roads, and lively nightspots, which included stopping at a tavern to taste some locally brewed beverages.

He expressed how much he was enjoying the tour, stating that every moment was delightful, and he found it fascinating, extraordinary, and simply fantastic.

After finishing the marathon, Jaggard was even more astounded, managing to cover the 42 kilometers in just 3 hours and 40 minutes, an achievement all the more remarkable given he had only prepared for a month.

Yet, after Jaggard’s visit for the marathon, North Korea swiftly halted tourism and unexpectedly revoked numerous visas – an action that CNN hypothesized could be related to his vlog.

In summary, the YouTube content creator found the North Korean people remarkably kind, using the term “heartwarming” to describe his encounters with them. He emphasized that the general perception of the country’s population is quite different from its global image.

He shared with the Post that for him, the experience was primarily about the people he encountered. Contrary to their stereotype as hostile towards foreigners and the West, these individuals were quite the opposite. Off-camera, they engaged in numerous intriguing conversations that turned out to be genuinely heartwarming.

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2025-05-22 21:18