Latest news with #HarryJaggard
Express Tribune
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
YouTuber infiltrates North Korea marathon and films shocking reality of life inside totalitarian state
When North Korea opened its doors to international competitors for a marathon this April, YouTuber Harry Jaggard seized the opportunity to infiltrate the reclusive country. As a frequent traveler to offbeat destinations, Jaggard saw this as his chance to capture rare footage for his YouTube channel. Though he isn't a marathoner, he quickly prepped for the challenge, finishing the race in 3 hours and 40 minutes, which he called 'a huge personal achievement.' Jaggard was stunned by the level of freedom he was granted to film during his five-day stay in Pyongyang. He expected minimal access, with only a few brief clips allowed, but to his surprise, he had the freedom to vlog openly. "It was crazy," Jaggard recalled, "they were very relaxed about it." This unexpected leniency was especially shocking given the country's authoritarian regime, which typically restricts foreign media presence. During his visit, Jaggard and his fellow competitors were given a curated tour of Pyongyang, including the subway system, war museums, and monuments to former leaders. Jaggard likened the experience to visiting only the most polished parts of a country, similar to a tourist only seeing the bright lights of Las Vegas in the U.S. Despite the rigid controls over what tourists could see, he was still impressed by the cleanliness and calm atmosphere of the city, though he noticed the ever-present propaganda. Jaggard was also surprised by the candid conversations he had with locals. One guide openly praised Kim Jong Un, describing him as the "source of strength" for the country, while another jokingly claimed that COVID-19 had been sent by air balloon from South Korea. Although much of the population is indoctrinated, Jaggard sensed a level of curiosity about the outside world, as his guides asked about American culture and international politics. These interactions left him with more questions than answers, as he tried to navigate the complexity of life in a tightly controlled regime. Despite the challenges of filming in such a restrictive environment, Jaggard's trip highlighted the stark contrast between the North Korean people and their government. While the regime pushes a strict narrative, Jaggard found that the people he met were warm, curious, and eager for human connection. He concluded that, "The people of North Korea are different from the government," a sentiment that he hopes resonates with his audience. Ultimately, Jaggard's visit, which may have contributed to the shutdown of tourism shortly after, was a reminder that behind the authoritarian state, there is a nuanced reality. His experience serves as a rare glimpse into a country that remains largely hidden from the outside world.
News18
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
YouTuber Visits North Korea, Here's What He Saw In World's Most Isolated Country
Last Updated: Harry Jaggard was allowed to shoot for five days in April. North Korea is one of the most isolated and secretive countries in the world. Now, a YouTuber has shared rare glimpses of the country in his new video. Harry Jaggard used the Pyongyang International Marathon as a chance to enter North Korea and film a travel video. The marathon was the first opportunity for many international tourists to visit North Korea. The YouTuber, in a chat, said that North Korea had been on his radar for years and the international marathon afforded him a loophole to enter the country. In an interview with The New York Post, Jaggard recalled, 'I'm not a runner, but they told me you have to be there in a month, and I made all the preparations and made it happen." He managed to run the marathon in three hours and 40 minutes Talking about his experience in the secretive country, he added, 'My tour guide said that you'll go into North Korea with 100 questions and you'll leave with 1,000 questions, and it's so true." The YouTuber, known for his travel videos, was allowed to shoot for five days in April. He mentioned that he was surprised by how much he was allowed to film in the country. A few areas, however, were restricted- a view tower, a war museum and a supermarket. According to Jaggard, he and fellow runners were given a curated tour of the capital Pyongyang, similar to a 'highlight reel." 'It's like going on a tour of America but only seeing Las Vegas — like the shiny parts," he said. The tour guide showed them the city's subway system, a beer joint, war museums and monuments dedicated to former leader Kim Jong-il and the Workers Party. In his vlog, Jaggard mentioned that many North Koreans appeared deeply indoctrinated and unaware of what was happening in the outside world. He was also surprised to hear one of the tour guides say that COVID-19 entered the country via air balloons sent by South Korea. For the YouTuber, his experience in North Korea was something he would remember for a long time. 'For me, the experience was more about the people that I met," he said. 'They are portrayed to hate all foreigners and hate the West, but that's not really true. We had so many interesting conversations off camera that were just very heartwarming," he said. Jaggard declined to talk about the conversations he had with North Korean citizens off the record. First Published:
Toronto Sun
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
British YouTuber allowed into North Korea to run marathon
British man Harry Jaggard, who runs a travel channel on YouTube, managed to enter North Korea for an international marathon in April. Photo by Harry Jaggard / YouTube A British man who runs a popular YouTube travel channel managed to set foot in North Korea after he signed up to participate in an international marathon. Harry Jaggard said it was his best chance to see firsthand the country under Kim Jong Un's repressive rule. 'I'm not a runner, but they told me you have to be there in a month, and I made all the preparations and made it happen,' Jaggard told the New York Post . 'I've been making YouTube videos going to less visited areas of the world for a while now, and North Korea has been on my radar for years.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account To get to North Korea, the 27-year-old Jaggard said he flew from Beijing to Pyongyang. He spent five days in the capital in April and thought he would not be able to film much of the country. 'I was not expecting [to be able to vlog] at all,' he said. 'I thought that it would be very minimal, maybe a few clips that I would voice over. To have the freedom that I was given was crazy. They were very relaxed.' He and other athletes received a strictly managed tour of the city's subway system, war museums, a beer hall, and state monuments, including one of former leader Kim Jong-Il. 'They showed us the tour that they wanted to show, it was definitely the highlight reel,' he said. 'It's like going on a tour of America but only seeing Las Vegas — like the shiny parts.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. He described his hotel room as clean and comfortable, despite it reminding him of the 1970s, and it was the only place with access to the internet. He also worried the room was bugged. Jaggard, whose channel boasts 2.43 million subscribers, thinks the regime doesn't understand the reach influencers have throughout the world. 'They say no journalists are allowed on the tour, and I think YouTubers are definitely in the grey area because we're not technically journalists, but you could argue that my piece was journalism — just not very good journalism.' During the trip, he was only restricted from filming a view tower, a supermarket and a war museum. He started seriously training a month before the marathon once he got the green light enter the country, and he finished the race in three hours and 40 minutes. 'Fifty thousand people cheering at the marathon, which I never expected to even finish, so I was very proud of that.' Read More Toronto Maple Leafs Tennis Editorial Cartoons World World
Mint
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
YouTuber shares ‘crazy' experience of visiting North Korea, very different from what was expected
British YouTuber Harry Jaggard recently joined a marathon in North Korea. His intention was not to run but to get inside the country and record videos. The YouTuber, who has over 2.4 million subscribers, was surprised to be allowed to record a lot more than expected. He spent five days in Pyongyang this April, visiting places like war museums, beer joints, monuments and even the subway. His YouTube video about the North Korean experience has gone viral, gaining 2.4 million views on the platform. Although it was a guided tour, he called it a 'highlight reel' meant to impress visitors. Harry, 27, had always wanted to visit lesser-known places and called the experience strange yet eye-opening. His guide had warned that North Korea would raise more questions than answers. After his North Korea experience, Harry agreed. 'To have the freedom that I was given was crazy. They were very relaxed,' Jaggard told the New York Post. 'They showed us the tour that they wanted to show, it was definitely the highlight reel. It's like going on a tour of America but only seeing Las Vegas — like the shiny parts,' he added. Jaggard believes North Korea doesn't fully understand how powerful influencers can be in revealing hidden realities. Though no journalists were allowed, Jaggard believes influencers like him fall in a grey area. He flew from Beijing to Pyongyang and found the city clean, grand and peaceful. It was very different from what he expected. However, propaganda was everywhere, praising the leader and warning against outsiders. 'It's literally everywhere you look. I couldn't read it, but what I got translated is pushing this one ideology that the leader is the best and keeping the country protected from the outside world,' Jaggard told the publication. His hotel felt like it was from the 1970s but was clean and comfortable. It was the only place with the Internet. He was worried about hidden microphones in the room. A local tour guide proudly showed him a photo with leader Kim Jong Un and called it 'incredible'. According to the guide, the people of North Korea see Kim as their strength. North Koreans are raised to solve problems without outside help, the guide added. One guide even claimed COVID-19 had come from South Korea through hot-air balloons. Privately, a guide asked him questions about America, Donald Trump and the reason behind people's apparent dislike of North Korea. Anyway, Harry Jaggard feels locals are heavily brainwashed. Some may know the truth about the outside world but stay silent out of fear, according to him.
NDTV
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
"Left With 1,000 Questions": YouTuber Enters North Korea Through Marathon, Shares Rare Glimpse
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. British YouTuber Harry Jaggard entered North Korea via a marathon. Jaggard filmed more content than expected during his five-day visit. He noted the contrast between state propaganda and daily life in Pyongyang. British YouTuber Harry Jaggard, known for his travel videos on YouTube, recently managed to enter North Korea, not through conventional tourism, but by participating in the Pyongyang International Marathon. The content creator, who has over 2.4 million subscribers, used the rare opportunity to capture footage from one of the world's most secretive countries. Speaking to The New York Post, Jaggard said, "I'm not a runner, but they told me I had to be there in a month - I made all the preparations and made it happen." He completed the marathon in 3 hours and 40 minutes, and spent five days in North Korea, enough time to film content for his YouTube vlog. Surprisingly, Mr Jaggard was allowed to shoot more footage than he expected. "I thought I'd be able to film just a few clips, but it turned out to be more than that," he said. Accompanied by a tour guide, Mr Jaggard and other visiting athletes were taken to war museums, political monuments, and landmarks celebrating the Workers' Party and former leader Kim Jong-il. Describing the experience, he said, "It was like going on a tour of America but only seeing Las Vegas - all the shiny parts." In his vlog, the YouTuber describes being struck by the contrast between state propaganda and the unexpectedly clean, calm, and friendly atmosphere of Pyongyang. He said North Koreans appeared deeply indoctrinated, and only a few seemed aware of the more developed outside world. There were certain restrictions. Filming was strictly prohibited in three places: a view tower, a supermarket, and a war museum that featured a disturbing statue depicting a cow eating an American soldier - a piece of anti-US war propaganda from the Korean War. North Korea's borders had been shut for nearly five years, and although they briefly reopened for two weeks, they were sealed again without warning. Mr Jaggard was among a small number of foreigners who managed to enter during that narrow window, using the marathon as a way in. Reflecting on the trip, he said he left the country with "1,000 questions" about life in North Korea.
