Ryugyong Hotel: North Korea’s Hotel of Doom

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/ @geographicstravel
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Credits:
Host - Simon Whistler
Author - Morris M
Producer - Jennifer Da Silva
Executive Producer - Shell Harris
Business inquiries to [e-mail]
Source/Further reading:
History of the hotel: edition.cnn.com/style/article...
Overview: www.atlasobscura.com/places/r...
North Korean famine: www.history.com/news/north-ko...
In depth: www.theatlantic.com/business/...
Tales of the famine: www.newyorker.com/news/daily-...
Cannibalism in the famine: www.washingtonpost.com/news/w...
Kim eating pizza as his countrymen starve: news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacif...
History podcast on Kim Jong-il, the handover of power, and the famine: www.stitcher.com/podcast/joe-...
How the LEDs were installed: www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-a...
Some words on Pyongyang architecture: failedarchitecture.com/pleasu...
Juche explained: www.vox.com/world/2018/6/18/1...
2014 apartment collapse: www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-2...

[@geographicstravel]

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[@clifforddang5947]

I wish I could be like this guy

[@Sean2002FU]

Simon, over the years you seem to be slowly sliding to the right....welcome friend!

[@ringor5410]

@@clifforddang5947 bald?

[@ltsgobrando]

Why interrupt content though??? I mean this is one of the few commercials I'm exposed to, hell I literally pay to no see these. No hate towards you, and I know that you gotta put food on the table. I just know that their paying for such a slot is why I'll never use great courses. As an aside in your position I'd have a frank sitdown video style video. It's the same thing I'd reccomend to any and every large KZbinr really. Just have an open discussion with your audience and say "look, it's no secret that I make a living here. This is my passion and I want to procuse it, but my family needs to eat. More than that these videos aren't free to create. The overhead may be less than sitcom's in the 90's, but none the less it costs more than food stamps. If I can find enough support from the community then we can survive with recused or even without sponsorship." It may even be advantageous to provide rough metrics. I'd even point out that a few patreon supporters help doesn't pay come corporate bigwig, but real people with real lives... and that it sure beats cable companies extortion rates 🤣 Just a thought man, nothin but love for you and yours ❤ keep up the stellar content!

[@RWBHere]

No thanks, Simon. I'll never use them, mainly because of the ways in which they take over a channel. You're missing out on many more subscribers too. You should have at least ten times the number you have gleaned by now with your otherwise high standard of presentation and content. Why? Because this channel has been reduced to just an advertising mouthpiece for 'Great Curses Pus'. Lots of people scrub through the ads, or stop watching the videos altogether. I used to watch all of your videos, years ago, but stopped when the ads became the reason for the videos. That's sad, because the information in this channel is often very educational, and you're very skilled at your job.

[@Emilis2023]

Kim Jong sounds like me in minecraft. Eager to jump into ambitious mega structures, he neglects the early necessities like food farms, creates a gigantic cobblestone frame, then realizes he doesn't know how to do interior decorating and gives up with this massive empty shell.

[@chaosultimamage]

saaaaaaaaaaaame

[@stein1885]

@@chaosultimamage but do you fard and shidded and coom?

[@itspurplepaw6163]

ikr?

[@ianeons9278]

Exactly

[@OmegaVestoLord]

damn you are so right lol. I once literally built a 50,000 concrete block pyramid that I was too lazy to finish

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

The Ryugyong, that’s my favorite hotel. Love that place

[@hoefenghost79]

I buy it for a dollar

[@xxxsaraHelloxxx]

Will leave the light on. Maybe

[@janellehoney-badger6525]

Hi Kim, I'm very impressed by your horseback climb of Mount Paektu, but how did you manage it wearing a suit? Also, have you ever thought of changing your harstyle, being a man-of-the-world type, I would've thought you'd try something a bit more.....grown-up?

[@xxxsaraHelloxxx]

no u Sarcasim;)

[@jamesdicus5468]

My favorite part is bungee cord elevator ride from the top floor rotating restaurant, and the non edible dog statues that look so real the have fork marks in them.

[@GonkDroid0923]

Protagonist: The villain's lair could be anywhere The villain's lair:

[@fpcooper95]

Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated up in this b

[@lusia3104]

BAHHAA

[@Spingerex]

Lol

[@Dietrich_Kaufmann]

G O N K

[@FittedSheetGaming]

@@fpcooper95 was gonna say the exact same thing lmao

[@MrTaurenshaman]

The hotel that perfectly represents the Kim's in their entirety, flashy, overbearing, looming over its populous, but hollow, empty and souless inside.

[@silverancient7840]

Well said.

[@kylerennie30]

I know the kims personally.... Really down to earth and very generous people. I have a great holiday every year when we visit uncle kim and have BBQ and pool parties...

[@colly3333]

I'm sure Kim is a delightful person.

[@catherinemarchand3555]

I’m pretty sure they don’t bbq in North Korea

[@kylerennie30]

@@catherinemarchand3555 you'd be right...

[@Adam-cj2jg]

It looks like a supervillain's headquarters

[@melodie-allynbenezra8956]

Seriously and truly. I posit that it probably actually is.

[@36mrblu]

I was thinking of Dr. Evil

[@xsailor85]

Adam Nothing a few cruise missiles can’t fix.

[@Adam-cj2jg]

xsailor85 nah they got a death ray on top where the helipad is

[@springbloom5940]

Its actually pretty cool.

[@MetalheadAndNerd]

One day an aged Gordon Ramsay will once more grab the UV light and the sleeping bag for a last and very special episode of Hotel Hell.

[@mushrump]

this is extremely ominous and gives the vibe that he will die there ✌️😳

[@grunkythegrandpaofcheese5241]

@@mushrump He knows he will. That's why it will be the last and most special episode. He will go all in, and then he will disappear.

[@I.am.Sarah.]

And find that nothing lives in there, not even cockroaches

[@blakelowrey9620]

@@I.am.Sarah. not even bacteria lives there

[@TfL1901]

@@grunkythegrandpaofcheese5241😅

[@ezviro]

Could you imagine if one day, and yes I know merely in saying this it's highly unlikely, the hotel is transformed into an agricultural center. Indeed the interior floorplan is estimated at a 89 acres. Using similar technology to the Dutch for interior growing, you'd have 1.3 million vertical grow systems capable of producing a staggering 71,500,000 plants every 35-60 days (depending on species). This would go a tremendous way not only to feeding the people but to making the cause of so much suffering into a symbol of hope.

[@lannamama2034]

Kim isn't interested in food production unless it's going directly to his waistline.

[@Takingcareofbusiness669]

@@lannamama2034Kimberly and her waistline and the whole damn family gone...wiped out... exterminated, I personally would wish nothing less for North Korea.

[@deadonentry]

thats hella of a weed grow

[@irohnic473]

North Korea don’t have the most fertile environment or enough soil to support that much growth. If they did, they wouldn’t need the interior growing plan, and with heavy sanctions on just about everything, I doubt they’d be able to fill the bottom floor.

[@johnsonmonkeman5766]

This is in a dictatorship

[@suzyolsen4820]

Mary Antoinette -"Let them eat cake" Kim Jong Un - "Let them eat grass"

[@jheanelltabana8713]

More like "Let's eat grass!"

[@bury_the_elite65294]

Scotty From Marketing (AU Crime Minister) - "Let them eat coal!"

[@dyansis]

Yeah. Only she got her head chopped off. The Kim's still have theirs.

[@carlsaganlives4036]

That's how N Korean landscape outfits pay their workers.

[@Robin_Goodfellow]

Me at the beginning: That building's not actually that ugly Me at the end, after learning about the famine: You're right, that's the ugliest damn building I've ever seen in my life

[@therealrobertbirchall]

@@goldenhawk352 good idea for a post Brexshit UK theme park.

[@Aliens1337]

@@goldenhawk352 I doubt that North Korea wants to open its border for tourism. Remember that they closed off their country to feed propaganda to their people and to make their people believe that NK is the best country in the world and the supreme leader can do nothing wrong. Having millions of foreigners coming in the country and telling the North Korean people about how good life is outside of NK, and how NK is actually just a 3rd world country is a no-no. As long as NK is being ruled under a dictatorship that is built on lies, they will never open their country up for tourism.

[@reyo6353]

@@goldenhawk352 the true 'hotel California' where you can checkout any time you like, but you can never leave....

[@kash125]

@@Aliens1337 North Korea is open to tourism rn. You can litteraly go anytime you want. They are actually really desperate to get people to visit. They even have a tik tok page where they advertise how “great”North Korea is and how people should visit.

[@sammy080798]

A monument to represent socialism. Looks great on the outside, but totally useless on the inside....

[@LaurentiuBadea]

Me as a kid: "I hate history. Why the hell do I need to learn every damn nation's history?" Me as an adult: "MORE HISTORY, KZbin!!"

[@MattyMoores]

History is amazing, It was badly taught in schools and probably still is. I hated that class too.

[@EVERTONFC.]

I agree. Badly taught in my school too. History is boss.

[@EuroUser1]

In the same way that an activity often ceases to look so much fun, when you have to do it for a living; a subject can cease to look as interesting, when you have to learn it as an obligation. Rigid syllabus, exams, time tables, deadlines, a teacher you don't like, dull readings... All of these, put together, can well spoil the best part of any knowledge area.

[@waynebryan9496]

I agree. I hated history, now I love it. Funny how that works.

[@simpcity69]

well I'm not very fond of cultural distinctions in terms of "quality" info e.g reading a book vs watching a 20minute video but this is certainly NOT a history lesson and not because of the medium. pretty good and entertaining piece of condensed information on some topic but not scientific

[@DeliveryMcGee]

He didn't mention it, but in case you didn't know, even though it's kinda obvious: most Asian cultures put the family name first. And "Kim" is like the Korean version of "Jones" -- 21.5%of South Koreans have that name, and are only very distantly, if at all, related to the ruling family in the north. (Lee is 15%, and Park is 8.5%. There aren't many family names in Korea, is the joke.)

[@sdot5389]

It’s because heir surnames come from clan names and there was more than one Kim clan.

[@Gail1Marie]

More like "Pak" than "Park." The character doesn't have a "B" sound and it isn't a "P" sound, but right between them.

[@shinigamiunikorn]

@@Gail1Marieq

[@quirkygirlboss]

The Ryugyong is the perfect metaphor for the nation itself, shows that its shining to outsiders but dying, empty and sad inside

[@tilldernarr7185]

"The Ministry of Truth - Minitrue in Newspeak - was startingly different from any other object in sight. It was an enourmous pyramidal structure of glittering white concrete, soaring up, terrace after terrace, three hundred metres into the air" George Orwell 1984

[@kaistaat2549]

Best comment ever for this Hotel

[@pyromania1018]

I thought all three ministry buildings looked like that. Been a while since I read the book.

[@cmdrflake]

I wonder if any one in the Kim dynasty read 1984.

[@RJStockton]

@@cmdrflake Every apartment in the capital has a radio hardwired into the wall that broadcasts propaganda all the time. You can turn it down, but never off.

[@tilldernarr7185]

@@pyromania1018 yes all four buildings are pyramidal but for some reason I fought of the Minitrue when I watched the video

[@SplitMaw]

"If that sounds unlikely, well . . . I mean, so does everyone flocking to the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany." "AH-"

[@matthewbibby8921]

@john riva I think you missed the joke here. See he went "AH-" on an image of the Nazi flag proudly being flown next to British and french flags while thousands of spectators, likely including many foreign ones, are casually Nazi saluting, which in hindsight is horrifying. Of course this is all known only because of hindsight - they wouldn't be DOING that if people at the time had any inclination of what would happen with the regime, but it's funny because of future context.

[@SplitMaw]

@john riva I was literally quoting the video and the sound effect he used. Did you make it that far, or?

[@sedanwheel4146]

@@SplitMaw He just got the Impulse to defend nazi germany, give him a break. Smh my head.

[@larealidad6695]

@@sedanwheel4146 It's strange though because I was very shocked to recently learn of a black American who participated in those Olympics and he had said the Germans were very respectful and gave him a standing applause, and that he experienced no negative treatment there. I also learned that Hitler and Gandhi were friends, and Hitler spoke admiringly about Japanese and Chinese culture. I'm not defending the Nazis but damn those facts are hard to integrate into what I've been taught about the man.

[@vikrots6167]

@@larealidad6695 And? Hitler was also a vegetarian and an animal rights activist (which was hilariously poked at by one of Soviet cartoonists: "I don't need the blood of lambs, I need the blood of humans!"), doesn't make what he did any less henious. Vice versa, Gandhi had many controvesial statements - opposing building hospitals *because* they reduce suffering and make repaying karmic debts harder comes to mind - but that doesn't change the fact that he is the father of modern India. There are no absolutely evil people, there are no absolutely good people. The sooner you cast off black-and-white thinking and hero worship, the better.

[@destroyerwill6122]

Imagine how bad it was in NK that China was considered a safe place

[@shauncameron8390]

Indeed.

[@unixtreme]

And sadly still is...

[@SaskoSam]

What's wrong with China?

[@Abhishek-fe3zs]

China is safe as long as you keep your mouth shut

[@kim_yong_un]

@@SaskoSam nothing less wrong with China than the fake democracy in the west.

[@Dallasbutnocowboys]

It feels like a punch right on the guts to think all the money wasted making this hotel, all the people that died of starvation and in the end it doesn't even serve its purpose, no one can even go there.

[@Alrightmukka]

Its Korean it has no purpose plus the people Ur saying are starving are Koreans so it's not exactly people

[@joekaz5198]

This man spent almost 25 minutes roasting the shit out of the Kims

[@christinabolt1226]

Joe Kaz not that hard to do lol

[@janeadelaidelennox7193]

Heh he literally just stated facts

[@NickJohnCoop]

Considering the Kims almost literally murdered their country, I’d say he more polite than should be expected. For me THAT is the greatest irony of all of this. One of the last ‘communist’ nations of the world has become nothing more a that a autocratic Monarchy

[@Ayveh]

Lmao he better never visit NK

[@jonk7678]

If you were a starving kid in NK during the height of the famine, you might've been roasted too.... om nom nom nom

[@LikeAF0x]

The cutaway to the German olympics and the quick “Ah!” cracks me up 😂

[@sharkfae]

same lmaooo i was looking for a comment on this

[@drabolit]

People just siegin

[@TremereTT]

Well Germany brought the world the first modern day olympics and it invented what has become tradition today, like bringing the Olympic fire to the Olympics from Mount Olympus. People are just ignorant, panem et ludos works with basically 99,99% of humanity. All hail from Germany

[@amicloud_yt]

Gosh that absolutely killed me

[@ohifonlyx33]

Boy that did not age well.

[@spinaltapdwarf77]

I think it's actually a retro styled rocket for glorious leader to escape in.

[@mancamiatipoola]

"Welcome to the hotel Ryuguong, such a lovely place, such a waste of space..."

[@haroldwilkes598]

Dangerosu - I can name that tune in three notes....

[@Not-Great-at-Gaming]

They're living it up at the hotel Ryuguong

[@ventolin63]

You mistaken their official bird bro: it's not the Eagles...it's the crows to them :)

[@virginiaconnor8350]

@@Not-Great-at-Gaming Right. The Vulcans are having more fun at the Vulcan compound. (Trip Tucker) Too bad they really don't exist, but no one's having fun at this hotel anyway.

[@tomdefig6514]

Ready a room at the hotel ryuguong, Anytime of year, You can't stay here.

[@nonanon666]

In Pyongyang (Mordor), the LED flag (Eye of Sauron) gazed down upon a wasteland (a wasteland).

[@sherrattpemberton6089]

even Mordor had fertile lands for agriculture

[@SirThopas3]

Ok, the "a wasteland (a wasteland)" bit had me cracking up.

[@joehart6030]

'Lone and level sands stretched far away.'

[@madwolf0966]

Ah yes the Wasteland(A wasteland)q

[@wolfieinu]

@@joehart6030 I met a traveler from a Commie land Who said: a large and empty concrete tomb Stands in Pyongyang...

[@mousermind]

Hey, that single turnip is very important. That's an entire month's supply of food for the nation!

[@liamuys8998]

I was watching videos on the Paris Catacombs and stumbled on your channel which covered the topic by far the best and in the most entertaining way. Now i’m on a rabbit hole and watching all your videos and wanted to say you make learning history fun again! Thanks

[@DressedRunner]

No one: Ryugyong: Feeling lit, might blackout the entire nation later

[@SeSmokki]

We still making nobody memes?

[@Cyber_Kriss]

@@SeSmokki Still not officially dead

[@missmoxie9188]

Omg lmfao

[@EcclesiastesLiker-py5ts]

IDK

[@Sarubotai]

@@SeSmokki still better than "laughs in _________".

[@realitycheck3363]

14:00 "He couldn't manage the economy. He couldn't even mismanage it, like his father..." Dang!!!! That's a brutal family burn. XD

[@nathanseper8738]

It always the case: the son will almost always be worse than the father. In this case, a bad man was replaced by an even worse man.

[@curtisthomas2670]

@@nathanseper8738 speaking about any one in particular? 🤔😉

[@hilaryking2549]

That is such a funny remark

[@gkm2928]

@@nathanseper8738 more like a pathetic excuse for a man

[@just-dl]

do you think Simon dislikes that family?

[@Dallasbutnocowboys]

I can't express how happy I felt watching him roasting the Kim

[@Hammerhead547]

Fun Fact: this structure made a cameo appearance in the 2003 video game Mercenaries: World Of Destruction which was set during a second korean war. It's where the first "ace card" boss battle happens and you have to destroy it with a fuel-air bomb in order to access the boss.

[@Desiii122]

I feel like if you took off his glasses, the nose would come off with them.

[@RK-kn2yd]

Yeah

[@akristen4971]

I’ll now see this every time I look at him

[@Jemppu]

Roni, prkl 😅

[@akashaiz8815]

I'll never unsee this

[@mansisity]

Well yeah it’s a disguise he’s actually a block of cheese

[@zedantXiang]

15:54 To know how bad it was: in the 90s "fled for the safety of China"

[@dragonlordplacidusax9413]

unbelievable😅😅

[@Callsign-Blade_RunnerSG]

@Zedant Yup, it’s like jumping from the frying pan and into the Fire…

[@censusgary]

It was super bad. At least a million North Koreans starved to death in the 90s and 00s.

[@Beryllahawk]

Yeah I got to this line, and I had to pause the video for a moment and just sit with that. Just. Oof.

[@ImGoingSupersonic]

Safety they thought anyway

[@seansandoval700]

You can completely level this building to the ground in the game "Mercinaries: Playground of Destruction" on PS2 and og XBOX

[@nathansheldonlance]

Thanks for doing all the research that you do and making all these videos

[@lexaproqueen9681]

This didn’t matter when Mao was essentially a mustacheless Stalin tribute act...” lmao best line I’ve ever heard

[@kaydog890]

Bro, get with the format. It’s, “quote here” followed by 😂😂😂🤣

[@kat3217]

@@kaydog890 THANK YOU

[@SandraLily2]

I got to this comment EXACTLY when he was saying it! Sigh, I need to get a life.

[@codeman953]

Honestly, growing up we are taught about how North Korea has separated themselves from the modern world and how behind the times they are. However, I have never heard about any of this, truly fascinating and horrifying how gruesome of a life this country has experienced.

[@freddyb.b8120]

They did being it upon themselves in large parts.. Refusing to admit they need aid, letting ego and stubbornness get in the way of their own best interest.. The people should've overthrown that sick family ages ago but they live in fear over it. A life like that is no life at all..

[@Ai-kichona]

Yes which makes me feel so bad for these people

[@garygraham4679]

@@Ai-kichona Don't! Way things are going you will get to experience it here in America soon!

[@sherrimiller5258]

Nah. Communism always leads to a thriving economy that benefits its citizens. 🤪

[@anthonyrios8566]

@@garygraham4679 TRUMP in 2020. UNLEASH the FULL POWER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT and MILITARY MIGHT AGAINST THESE CRAZY LOOTERS, RIOTERS, ANARCHISTS, HOMEBOYS, LAW, ORDER, and PEACE, MUST DEFEAT, ANARCHY, CHAOS, LAWLESSNESS. TRUMP IN 2020, SEND HIDEN BIDEN, KRAZY KAMALA and that other LUNATIC KATHY GRIFFIN ON A 1 WAY TRIP TO PLUTO. WITH PLENTY OF DIET PEPSI AND DORITOS. AMEN.

[@Deadpool3203]

Simon, great video, albeit sad story. Very informative- I’m finding myself watching more & more randomly-selected videos from your many channels, literally learning something new everyday🤘🏽. I appreciate the insight you offer, keep up the good work.

[@DocBree13]

I’m learning of a new Simon channel every day.

[@adrianherbert5384]

That was brilliant. Where were you when I was growing up at school. That was fascinating and so informative. Thank you for broadening my perspective. Awesome

[@MonnyArcade]

Thought this was a hotel, but actually got the best summary of North Korea's history that I've seen! Horrifying, thank you.

[@bobbythomas6520]

If you’ve never seen it you should watch Americans going to North Korea and staying. It’s like a scary hotel

[@kristoffer3000]

@@bobbythomas6520 Shameless propaganda do be like that

[@christopherstrand830]

Man between this and Stalins Cannibal Island I need to have a hard drink. Thanks for all the research and work you put into these videos. Your teaching history that so many either want to cover up or forget.

[@TheTDA]

Literally just watched those two videos back to back. Heavy lifting indeed, Bro

[@lucianene7741]

I kinda like it. It seems very stable in the case of an earthquake, and access to sunlight is nicely optimized. From the aestethic point of view, it blends nicely in the general landcape. Had it been built in Dubai or such, nobody would have called it ugly.

[@christiankeil7845]

That's the feeling I had in New York City. On one side you see all these luxurious buildings and when you walk around in the morning you see thousands of homeless people desperate for their next meal in a soup kitchen.

[@thecollector4332]

Comparing Pyongyang to New York City (or most American cities) is a very far off comparison.

[@14funnybunny1]

Rich people problems. SMH Spoiled much?

[@ClementinesmWTF]

The building is a very interesting case from almost any angle you look at it: it is one of very few ego-based supertall skyscrapers, it represents a government that is disgusting, it also shouldn’t be demolished if/when the government falls, but it also shouldn’t be valorized if/when that were to happen. It’s one of those edge cases in history where history meets contemporary ethics and getting rid of it would be more destructive to culture and understanding than keeping it around

[@evantambolang3052]

Same goes to every BLM movements that vandalized every historical statues or sites just because they're represent slavery or they were slavers

[@patpowers9210]

I like the frank description of the Kim family's blunders, the sense of outrage over the needless deaths of so many North Koreans. Too often, in trying to be objective we sugar-coat history. This video avoided that, and is much more powerful for that reason.

[@frankcastle4715]

Hi. I did not describe this but i will gladly take credit.

[@parakrambasnet6317]

I agree but also the humble beginnings of America started from the genocide of the natives.

[@Azerkeux]

@@parakrambasnet6317 The United States history is riddled with the worst of societies malfeasance, and as a citizen it disheartens me just how few of it is taught to us in public education. Clearly we are bound to repeat these travesties in order to protect our ego and self image from teaching children about our dark past.

[@sjie1874]

@@parakrambasnet6317 not even that , I mean ofc the country started out as a mass genocide of the natives , but then the country was worked by slaves , and then the whole system in the country ( political , social etc) was based around slavery It’s so horrible the things USA has been throughout , the so called land of the free was paved entirely on slaver

[@amargabela7018]

Honestly, the "Don't sleep outside" sounds like some creepypasta title.

[@mshaqed2538]

I mean, what happened in North Korea was basically a real life creepypasta, only it was actually horrifying and creepy.

[@DonVigaDeFierro]

Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction, because fiction is inevitably bound by plausibility... Truth is not....

[@nancygaleucia9915]

This was a great video on many levels. Thank you , Simon!

[@typerroud8753]

I can’t be the only one that thinks it looks kinda cool

[@lisachiappetti6092]

Superficially, sure it looks kinda cool, but the reason it's ugly is because it essentially ruined millions of people's lives

[@ignitionfrn2223]

1:30 - Chapter 1 - Sibling rivalry 5:00 - Chapter 2 - One last , shining moment 7:55 - Chapter 3 - A taste of armageddon 11:55 - Mid roll ads 13:00 - Chapter 4 - The disaster begins 16:30 - Chapter 5 - Don't sleep outside 20:00 - Chapter 6 - A modern building

[@slovenianoaktree8853]

chapter 6 - without description

[@PedroFinGuitar]

@@slovenianoaktree8853 wow

[@slovenianoaktree8853]

@@PedroFinGuitar damn, I totally ~forgot I made this comment

[@PedroFinGuitar]

@@slovenianoaktree8853 I have recently sat trough EATEOT, that hit hard 😂😂

[@slovenianoaktree8853]

@@PedroFinGuitar good job dude, I never managed to go beyond stage 4 or 5, I just couldn't

[@smeva26]

“He couldn’t manage the economy. He couldn’t even mismanage the economy like his father, that would have required a basic grasp of how the economy worked in order for him to screw it up” Damn! I haven’t seen you worked up like ever! Haha

[@singemfrc]

I know Simon's utter disgust with North Korea just drips from this whole video, as it should

[@BenefitCounterbench]

As an economist, that's my favorite line ever.

[@terrypennington2519]

If one does not find it difficult to contain any form of disgusts or disdain for the failed country that is North Korea, there may be something wrong with that certain individual.

[@bury_the_elite65294]

Sarz93 I thought you were talking about Scotty From Marketing (AU Grime Sinister, former treasurer). He doesn't even bother to mismanage Australia - he leaves it for his equally useless colleagues to balls it up X-P

[@omarzowila]

I feel bad for all the North Koreans because of what they have to go through on a daily basis and it’s by far the strictest, yet poorest country and the fact that it they have banned some everyday things that other countries have is pretty sickening

[@lindamorris9120]

New subscriber. Refreshing, absolutely hilarious, yet feeds the peculiar I often search for. Thank you!

[@AsbestosMuffins]

"Spewing radiation like an atomic kettle." Hey! just because my kettle glows blue doesn't mean it doesn't boil tea quicker than everybody else's

[@theresonly2genders857]

Maybe he said cattle ?

[@danijelujcic8644]

Completely normal phenomenon.

[@duddude321]

And I for one appreciate that you knew it would glow blue. Most people think radiation makes green light thanks to pop culture.

[@flappy7373]

The world's spiciest tea. The tea that keeps on boiling, even after you drink it. The gamma changer! The tea for Generation X.....ray!

[@flagmichael]

@@duddude321 I often wondered about that. I learned about Cherenkov radiation before I ever heard about the "green glow."

[@Erin-Thor]

Ahh... there’s a HUGE difference between never needing to leave the hotel vs. never being ALLOWED to leave. 😳

[@dabrown110]

There's plenty of room in the Hotel California

[@milqueandtoast323]

I see your comments everywhere and I just wanted to say that you're such an insightful person and it's such a breath of fresh air in the comment section.

[@dsloop3907]

Erin Thor -- Hotel California.......

[@Erin-Thor]

Gracie Abbots - I never thought I commented THAT much! LOL! But thanks, I think! 😁

[@fenriz218]

The "never being allowed to leave" isn't the main problem... the main problem would be the room service. Or the catering. In the other Korea, there's a speciality, called Naengmyeon. A cold soup, with noodles, meat and vegetables. Very refreshing in the summer. The northern variation is similar... but comes without the noodles, meat or vegetables...

[@EdwardCullen667]

North Korea really is hell on earth. I feel awful for those who are trapped in that horrific nightmare. Hitchens said it was the most evil place he’d visited. An absolute hell hole. And from what I gather, I agree.

[@kristoffer3000]

It's a fairly normal country when you learn about what it's actually like instead of shameless propaganda like this.

[@fraxizztv6433]

​@@kristoffer3000nice try

[@kristoffer3000]

@@fraxizztv6433 Ok, thanks I guess. Let me guess, you're immune to any sort of logic?

[@fraxizztv6433]

@@kristoffer3000 yes

[@kristoffer3000]

@@fraxizztv6433 Good on you for admitting it. :)

[@tajci38]

Very interesting and informative. Thank you for posting this - I've learned a lot.

[@ld121]

When you go there they tell you it's still in construction and will soon be a five stars hotel LMAO

[@jesreyes1472]

"The ugliest building in the world" - My first initial impression was, - wow! look at that. Impressive. - After your story I was like, - eylf!! Horrifying.

[@tenemosroads]

That's propaganda for you…

[@Klosterfrau666]

Its actually the tallest concrete building in the world. Because they only used concrete they had to built it in a pyramid shape, because for a "classical" skyscraper you need steel, which is much lighter and more stable. As each floor needs to be able to carry all the following floors, they had to become smaller the higher you go up: pyramid.

[@Klosterfrau666]

@Don Duke I read somewhere that after all these years exposed to the environment the structural integrity is considered to be permanently damaged. Apparently to repair it, you would need to dismantle and rebuild large sections of the top, probably even the entire building.

[@manuelmateo3392]

It still looks pretty cool. What it was used for doesn't necessarily override its appearance.

[@BrekkaJones24]

I thought it was a joke lol. The Dildo in the UK is by far the ugliest

[@AwokenEntertainment]

Maybe one day tourist would stay there

[@audebs4376]

Je découvre ta chaîne ! Merci c passionnant et super bien raconté ! Curieux quand même que le Kim actuel, avec tous les building qu'il a construit, ne se soit pas attelé à achever cet hôtel... affaire à suivre...

[@rofljohn23]

Country is wholly dependent on food imports to feed itself. “This is a problem! We must be selfsuficient in case we get cut off” Builds agricultural system wholly dependent on fertilizer imports to feed itself “Great! Now we need nothing from outside sources” Not how that works Kim...

[@hoodagooboy5981]

Kinda like the US relying on imports instead of making everything on US soil.

[@rofljohn23]

Hooda Gooboy No not really. The US does not attempt to be selfsuficient and not require imports

[@abbie_joan]

@@hoodagooboy5981 You really don't know much about the American economy, it costs more money to make things on US soil. Hence why most companies rely on imports for some of their biggest economic investments.

[@imjashingyou3461]

@@abbie_joan You do realize the majority of things are manufactured in america that america uses. We manufacture a greater proportion of goods here then from the 1960s, 1970's, and 1980s. The loss of jobs in manufacturing plants is largely due to automation. Low skill consumer items are what has largely moved overseas and is why there is this perception of a complete lack of manufacturing base.

[@victoriagonzalez5774]

"It's exterior gleaming, it's interior empty and dead, a handy metaphor for the regime it was commissioned by."

[@jamesmcinnis208]

It's = it is

[@jimjambananaslam3596]

It's like you cut the words in half and stick them together and the apostrophe is like a friendly little piece of tape to hold it :D

[@mickey4125]

@@jamesmcinnis208 Actually in this case an apostrophe is correct as it denotes possession rather than contraction.

[@jamesmcinnis208]

@@mickey4125 "Actually" you're wrong.

[@mickey4125]

@@jamesmcinnis208 Care to explain in what way?

[@michaelmann8800]

I have never thought this building is ugly, and still don't. Yes, the circumstances behind its construction are disgusting, but from an architectural perspective, I find the Ryugyong far more interesting and compelling than most skyscrapers in the United States.

[@matthewrussell4679]

Could’ve been epic, especially since I believe the cone up top could rotate??

[@royfearn4345]

Not that bad. Plenty worse in stevenage and Milton Keynes!

[@denaziyaye7579]

It looks like a spaceship/jet inspired building!!

[@denaziyaye7579]

It looks like a spaceship/jet inspired building!!

[@jamesru1]

Top 3 floors were meant to be restaurants

[@eglantinepapeau1582]

i really feel bad for the people living there 😞

[@christinanorwood5940]

I highly recommend the book "Under the Same Sky" by Joseph Kim if you'd like to learn more about the famine. It's about his experience growing up during the famine and eventually escaping to freedom. It's...horrifying, to be honest. But I think it's important for us to be aware of the realities in NK. And there is hope, because Joseph Kim and others like him have escaped to freedom with the help of organizations like Liberty in North Korea.

[@denniswhite166]

Have you read "The Kite Runner"? Because that was the most depressing book I have ever read and I'm an avid reader and 66 years old. I wanted to relax in a warm tub of water and slit my wrists after that book. Is "Under the Same Sky" as depressing?

[@Someguy_watchin]

It’s sad how these people live and are being lied to.

[@carlwessels2671]

@Allie Unfortunately you might be right

[@maitlan]

@Allie Maybe foreign aid shouldn't have been given to them. If it had just collapsed as all communist states do, the regime wouldn't still exist.

[@warwickproud7746]

escaped to freedom lmao

[@Ponja__]

My dad was actually in high school in Romania when they overthrew Ceaucescu. I had a really interesting conversation with hiim and my uncle about it; it's crazy to think what happened there, with Ceacescu's slow decline into madness. Apparently, it wasn't even that bad when they were kids in the 70s; it was mostly the 80s where things really started going bad for the average person. Funny enough, that was after Ceaucescu visited North Korea, saw what Kim was doing, and wanted to emulate that in his own country.

[@marilynguinnane4663]

Dashamburger -- Interesting. Always good to get information from people who were 'there'.

[@PivotStryker]

Born and raised in Romania, my parents were there during the revolution. From their tellings what I gathered is that while Ceausescu managed to completely pay back the debt our country owed to any and all external parties, and even lent out oil to arab countries in turn having them be indebted to us, in the latter years of the regime his ego and descent into insanity pushed him to sacrifice many Romanian youths for some of the stupidest things. As it usually happens under communism, human life comes second to the interests of the Great Leader, and when teenagers died due to exhaustion while toiling away at shitty canals or gianormous buildings, in workplaces with little to no safety regulations, Ceausescu wouldn't even bat an eyelid. When people would starve in their homes and shiver during winter due to him enforcing a curfew for electricity and gas services, he didn't bat an eyelid. In the end, he crawled meakly on the ground begging for forgiveness, but the Romanian people didn't bat an eyelid. When people preach communism they always tend to forget that human nature is easily bent by power, and communist regimes will always create a power vacuum. All it takes is one Great Leader and the whole thing goes to shit within, at most, two generations.

[@Janovjev]

My dad's a historian, Serbian/Hungarian, he said the most insulting thing for the Romanian populous was the wealth the dictator and his family hoarded. Well, to be exact the dictator only. The dictator's son lived in an apartment downtown. They found that he had a microwave and an electric iron, which were paraded on the street when he was caught, to show his neighbors what treasures he was hoarding in his apartment. That's how poor the poor were in Romania during that time.

[@ladymopar2024]

Wow thanks for sharing that's why I love this Channel all kinds of people and they add to the video thank you

[@michaelhunziker7287]

Same should happen to the Clintons.

[@Daniel_Borisov]

Such a powerful video. This history should never be forgotten!

[@Wackoart1995]

First video of yours I’ve watched. Subbed simply because I can listen to you roast the Kim family for hours. Stayed for the great content/beard

[@exposingproxystalkingorgan4164]

The Hotel of Doom seems like the headquarters of some James Bond villain.

[@mariosfunadventureswithlui6197]

Or a book for goosebumps

[@fuhrersavior9575]

Jones and the Peoples Temple of Doom

[@balazsszucs7055]

I kinda expected murder mysteries and ghost hauntings.

[@osets2117]

So apparently North Korea houses a Sith Temple, that's rather hilarious

[@VeryProPlayerYesSir1122]

not that hilarious since the NK gov is evil like the sith.

[@ojpistorius6369]

@@VeryProPlayerYesSir1122 that is exactly why it's hilarious

[@pyromania1018]

@@ojpistorius6369 Not for its citizens.

[@ojpistorius6369]

@@pyromania1018 nope that still makes it hilarious

[@_Vengeance_]

And with Kim Jong Un's obsession for weapons, I wouldn't be surprised if he's secretly building the Death Star.

[@johnnygray8160]

Thank you to Simon and your team! What a brilliant video!

[@NoName-pd8pu]

The 'don't sleep outside' segment actually happened in the USSR as well. Children were abducted by people to be cannibalised.

[@markrandall3747]

With it lit up, I immediately thought of the Eye of Sauron.

[@rickc2102]

You should see the Kingdom Tower in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

[@marilynguinnane4663]

mark randall -- Tolkein fan, huh? He was Illuminati, I hear.

[@lisamac1986]

Marilyn Guinnane still wrote great books though.

[@marilynguinnane4663]

@@lisamac1986 -- Oh right. Here are other alleged members of the Illuminati: Lewis Carroll, Frank Baum, George Orwell

[@broodo1]

@@marilynguinnane4663 Don't forget Jay Z

[@princessmarlena1359]

“Come to North Korea! Where you will WANT to stay! And we will MAKE you stay!” 🇰🇵

[@charesmaescala3657]

😂😂😂

[@lylasaur6694]

*Looks at Otto Warmbier*

[@nanahuatli2144]

There's a game called "Stay! Stay! Democratic People's Republic of Korea!", itself a parody of "Go! Go! Nippon! My First Trip to Japan", which is pretty much based around that joke.

[@dirzx1979]

C O M E T O B R A Z I L *or else...*

[@princessmarlena1359]

@@nanahuatli2144 funny enough I saw this joke on a late night comedy show years ago (I forget the name of it). An actor playing Kim Jong Il (yeah it was that old) is frolicking on the beach with a young Korean girl in her bikini, and he says what I posted earlier joyfully to the camera (except he said “...and I will make you stay”), it was a travel promotion parody for North Korea.

[@dennisroland5654]

Superb presentation. Thank you.

[@mynameisjeff9124]

It literally looks like the headquarter of an evil villain from a movie

[@wolfbane4875]

“The ugliest building in the world” I’m sorry, but that distinct honor goes to the Boston City Hall

[@deadpool6072]

That brutalist design architecture is actually really interesting.

[@222oree]

Nah man you mean the Kotka city hall in Finland. Atleast the Boston shitshow has some style...

[@Nick_J_]

I dunno, there’s a LOT of contenders. For example, every oil refinery ever made

[@geridax7027]

@@222oree The Kotka hall has some slav in it. I feel it.

[@adolfhitlerwithinternetacc6259]

Nah it has to be the Bundstag in Berlin. 🤮 no pride at all. We should remake it to its former glory.

[@mrmanceres7653]

Harsh but true "He couldn't even mismanage the economy."

[@ReaperCH90]

Hard to mismanage something that barely exist

[@johnclark1925]

Excellent presentation. Well done.

[@mambutuomalley2260]

Beautiful ending! Very well worded.

[@zachs_way2749]

With the LED lights on it, it sort of reminds me of the Eye of Sauron.

[@Hessed3712]

Yikes

[@theredneckdrummerco.6748]

who else thinks that giant empty labyrinth would make for a great game of airsoft or paintball?

[@captainmorgan2530]

It would be sick if it was zombie map in COD

[@burningb2439]

That's a great idea , just try selling it to the North Koreans.

[@larrypage2793]

Yes paintball but north korean style, with rocks. The losers get to stay in a well defended "resort". And the winner gets to eat the rocks yaaay!!

[@vermas4654]

A great airsoft game. Just with real guns... And real bullets...

[@sebby324]

Airsoft With real guns

[@classicteachings]

Excellent documentary

[@dennisblankenship5979]

You serve Simon are great at this video stuff you give me a lot of knowledge I enjoy every video you make thank you sir for your hard work

[@1Reddd]

Ugliest building in the world? That’s debatable... There’s some ugly buildings out there.

[@danese1636]

I think the millions of dead people, and the potential cannibalism of children, greatly adds to its... atrociousness.

[@geographicstravel]

@@danese1636 Yeah, there's is more than one way for it to be ugly.

[@1Reddd]

Geographics strictly based on design it isn’t terrible. Quite good for a country of such magnitude actually... now for the money that’s funded it, and the lives that have been sacrificed for its construction, well that’s a different story.

[@S1nwar]

did you see that giant hotel in mekka? now thats ugly. but at least its functional.

[@HosNSmir]

Today we all realise that the us wants to destroy all the places where people have better lives. iran , nk, syria, iraq or afghanistan were devoid of the modern day slavery of living precariously paycheck to paycheck. To think their fuel generated all western progress and they get sanctions for gratitude.

[@boxheadboi1540]

the ryugyong is going to be finished before yandere dev adds osana

[@udonthavetoknowmyname]

i like how yandere dev transcends fandoms and interests lmao

[@not_obsidian]

Lmfaooo

[@Another_taco.Yes_please]

Very good. Thank you very much! Your humour is excellent as well.

[@AuntyLaniLee]

You talk so fast, so I slow down the speed and enjoy your presentations longer! I love it. You are so good!

[@Gersti96]

North koreans: “it’s so bad, we have to eat frogs” French: “so?”

[@censusgary]

It’s OK until you run out of frogs.

[@conanmoody2032]

@@censusgary dude it's easy af to breed em

[@stinkymart3173]

Louisianans: "wtf I'm communist now?"

[@daviebaggins]

Lmfao did the n Koreans eat snails as well?

[@DaniHMcV]

The American state of Louisiana would be game to join in too. And if there were squirrels thrown in, all the better.

[@stanojevicnatasa2514]

North Korea: we allow 600 tourists a year. Let's build a hotel that can accommodate 6 times that much.

[@Stuart267]

Nice to see a heart warming video from the channel for a change.

[@Azira_Amane]

Really interesting content - I've subscribed!

[@MihaiD259]

Looking at this from Romania, I realise that this is where we were heading to if not for 1989.

[@unimportantcommenter4356]

Interestingly, Ceauşescu was inspired by North Korea's political system: he wanted to implement it there.

[@Lyle-xc9pg]

Great work guys! Thank god for that

[@hammertiming8423]

And now you're a country of success? 80% of your working capable population is doing worse jobs in western Europe, otherwise in homeland they would starve to death.

[@riandraegon556]

Looking at this from the USA, I realize this is where we’re headed if the Republican obstructionists, Q-anon lunatics and Dominionists have their way.

[@MihaiD259]

@@hammertiming8423 Depends on how you define success, but the simple fact that I can watch anything and say anything means that it is better. A lot of people have migrated to work in other countries, not 80% but it is a phenomenon. This is what happens if you increase the population artificially as the communists did, and to imagine they wanted 30 million people...

[@Winterbasse]

16:00 Unfortunately, it wasn't just villages. Basically any place aside Pyongyang and the most prestigious families were starving. Popular port cities like Chongjin, which used to be a very prosperous port city, had starving children right outside the train stations. It's important to talk about children here because famines usually have the same symptoms: first the sick die, then the elderly, then the poor, then the young and then the children. It has to do with health. Healthier people are more resistant to dying from hunger, as it deeply damages your health. It's interesting, if a bit morbid, to think about famine in that way. If you ever hear about famines, think about how many younger people die from it, that will show you some of the extent of the famine. Anyway, Everything in North Korea was closing down all at once as the famine struck, worsened by NK's obsession with isolating itself from a world that was "dangerously" turning capitalist (as Russia and China, their closest allies, were also "succumbing" to capitalist ideology). That, included with the military seizing resources wherever they could, lead to such a massive famine that the stories still linger with me today. If you want to read more about it, I can highly recommend Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick. It's about the lives of seven North Korean defectors, some of which were there from the very inception of North Korea. Very interesting, but also very sad. Also, the rumors about cannibalism are just that: rumors. I bet there were some cannibalism, considering the scale of the famine, but I think that saying there was cannibalism implies that it was on a much larger scale than in reality. After all, there'd be more people surviving the famine if they'd have eaten each other as much as some people like to imply.

[@cubemissy]

I did not know that - judging the level of a famine by what groups are starving...but it makes perfect sense.

[@kaydog890]

@ Alex Ambriz Soto, come talk to us about nutrition/diet when you’ve finish puberty.

[@davedraycott5779]

@Tyler Braden he meant what he said, fasting is voluntary hunger involuntary and leads to malnutrition and he was making a serious point about a tragedy that had nothing to do with being fat in the USA

[@SilverDemon456]

If the people they ate were starved to the point the had no fat on them, the cannibals still would have starved. It's like rabbit starvation.

[@josephgriffin2388]

That's a long story dude. Let me shorten it for you: ALL periods of modern famine are perpetuated by governments. THATS ALL FAMINE. We expect this from Communist nations, as they do this in order to ENFORCE EQUALITY. Or you can have a free market economy and have some inequality. In short, you can have some INEQUALITY or you can have MASS STARVATION. When I see a Democratic voting bloc in America that would gladly vote for Bernie Sanders, that tells me that liberal voters should be watching this video.

[@alistairmcelwee7467]

Just chilling: “a luxurious symbol of deprivation”. With millions dead in the 1990s, this is beyond any emotion. Well said, Mr. Simon Whistler.

[@cliffsheffield2592]

well done love history keep it commin

[@censusgary]

I’m a little surprised you gave a summary of the birth of the two modern Koreas without mentioning the Korean War (1950-53). That was kind of a big deal.

[@rollovaughan]

I was waiting for they too but it is a subject on its own.

[@shonenjumpmagneto]

Haha impressive really. So seemless. I barely thought of it.

[@control_the_pet_population]

In the grand scheme of things, the Korean War was a stalemate. Both independently declared Koreas stayed in tact with the same borders from before the war. With or without the war, the north still would have been rocky and infertile while the south would still have all the farmland.

[@noelv1976]

It really didn’t change anything

[@rks5457]

@@noelv1976 uhh.. it kinda created the split btw the two koreas lol.. along with fueling further wars and conflicts across Asia btw the US and USSR for influence

[@lostjujubes]

It’s hard to believe that a place like this actually exists.. I hope for their freedom.

[@Zamolxes77]

Hope is something that doesn't exist there. You see, their citizens WANT this abuse.

[@nayomie.e]

@@Zamolxes77 nobody wants abuse. However, after years of conditioning through fear, death penalties, starvation, and executions, people can be fooled and convince themselves accepting abuse is the better option than opposing it.

[@randominternetprofile8270]

Don't forget about the 3 generations rule. They're living the modern dark ages

[@BierBart12]

@@nayomie.e That's not the only catch. They literally couldn't live without the abuse at this point.

[@jamesmcinnis208]

"actually"

[@BunneRabb]

"The people are starving" "I'm not." "You're our leader?" "Want some lobster and truffles?"

[@robertmanfredthurrigl9424]

Animal Farm : 'All animals are equal , but some are more equal than others'.

[@CHT_8732]

“Before we get into this catastrophe, I’d like to thank our sponsor”

[@hayamura8195]

I like how the greatest enemy communism ever faced was agriculture. You know the most basic thing in civilization.

[@ludwigvanel9192]

Communism's greatest enemy is communism. I was going to say 'the people', because all socialists hate people, which is why they want max power over them; so they can cause max suffering. But communism can never survive because it is an ideology of abuse. That can never last (I am now reading Gene Sharp's ""from dictatorship to democracy" about non-violent resistance, and enjoying ever minute of it; it offers hope.)

[@ludwigvanel9192]

Mitchell Adams not: "I wanna be super duper equal" But: "I am in charge, and I want you to do exactly as I say: you are all equal, ya hear! I am telling you, you are all equal under me." (Apart from the political prisoners, they deserve special maltreatment, because they are displeased at my abuse.)

[@foxymetroid]

@Mitchell Adams It has more to do with ego. In the USSR, Ukranians starved to death because Stalin wanted to be able to brag about how much food the Soviet Union could export. In China, the Great Leap Forward was Mao's attempt to "revolutionize" agriculture and industry. He likely wanted to prove Communists could come up with a better way to feed a nation. Since he didn't know much about agriculture or industry, it was a huge disaster.

[@Desmigalhation]

Big Rikki lolololololokololololololooolololololololol yeah right

[@jmitterii2]

Ultimately it was trade between nations. The communist nations and capital nations initially embargoed one another. Communist nations seeking trade for goods started to play one upsmanship with each other. When USSR fell apart Russia's dictators went for the big payout.

[@Logan-wu5kr]

The screaming voice in my head that is the embodiment of my rage.....it just got louder.