Thoughts on North Korea After 1 Year

We visited Pyongyang on a four-day trip, ran in the Pyongyang Marathon, explored the underground metro, and observed people going to school, work, play sports, and perform. We spoke with locals, drank beer with people on the street, and found them friendly and relatable despite the country’s heavily organized tour system and serious problems outside Pyongyang. We reflected on the trip’s controversies and concluded that, although we do not regret going, we probably would not return because of the risks.