NORTH KOREA

SEEN FROM MY CAR

PHOTOS : ALEXANDRINE BOUFFLERS

TEXTS : JEAN-FRANCOIS FITOU

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 Life in North Korea is about understanding what’s forbidden (most things) and appreciating what’s not. In this respect photography is a
peculiar case. They would like you to leave the country with hundreds pix from the mausoleums, the (carefully framed) new buildings and some
prestigious and innocuous landmarks, like KIM Il Sung’s birthplace or some newly reconstructed theater or museum.

For years I too dutifully shot these places, like any long term resident in DPRK. But I also tried my best to scratch the surface. Not because
I wanted to come back with pictures of the “dark side of DPRK”, or “DPRK unveiled”. I don’t fool myself: even with a bit of luck and a bit of
pluck, you are not able to dig far deep in a country that goes to so many lengths to hide itself from outsiders. But at least I was able to capture a
few pix of ordinary people not posing for the camera. This is what this book is made of. I consider these pictures as a token of friendship and
closeness towards to North-Korean people.

The title of this book is self-explanatory. A car is the best place from where to shot forbidden pictures in DPRK. Most of the following
have been taken behind the tinted windows of our Nissan Paladin, then from our Haval 9. These cars are the true heroes of this book. Day on, day
off, especially during the weekends, we would set off for a photo safari. There is plenty of free time in North Korea. We were looking for something
interesting. It could have been a ceremony or the preparation of a big celebration, the rehearsal of the mass games. But more often it was the life
of Pyongyangites that interested us. We were more focused on people’s lives than on anything else. This book is about North-Koreans as they
really are.

Not all the pictures are taken from my car though. Some were simply allowed, for reasons unknown. Some I took with my smartphone,
calculating risks and benefits carefully (I miscalculated twice and had to extricate myself from the grip of local policemen and morals wardens).

I am not claiming that these pictures are the true, the deep, the real North. It is a quick glance at a shifting, elusive reality. But this book I
swhat I saw and what I lived.

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CHORES

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Every spring a new coat of paint (May 2019)

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Endless sidewalk repairs in Pyongyang (2018)

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Tree pruning: not a twig is lost (January 2019)

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Scraping buildings before painting (May 2019)

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A major task before celebrating Kim Il-Sung’s birthday: painting streetlamps (April 2017)

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What is your favorite shade? (May 2017)

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Balancing act (March 2017)

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Spring chore: weeding altar lawn (April 2019)

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Winter chore: shoveling snow at altar (2017)
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Shoveling snow in front of the Peoples ‘Theater - under reconstruction since its construction (2018)

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 BUSINESS

IN

THE STREETS

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Carrying coal (April 2019)

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Shopping spree (April 2019)
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Pyongyang back streets: hidden street vendors (March 2017)

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Penny Lane (street vendor in hiding) - (April 2017)
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Flower shop (July 2018)

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Meals on wheels (lots of vendors sell on bikes) – (January 2019)

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Monkey business? (July 2017)
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Bike repairmen: open on Sundays only (March 2017)
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Kimchi sales (November 2018)
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Businessmen in Pyongyang (January 2019)

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FIELD

WORKS

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Keeping Pyongyang speck and span (May 2019)

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Farm in Mount Chilbo (October 2016)
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Cabbage picking in Pyongyang (November 2018)
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Rural dwellings (on the road to Wonsan) – (April 2018)

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Dad’s army: military picking rice (May 2019)
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Rice paddy with tractor, bikes, and banners (May 2019)

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Crops drying off on roofs (Mount Chilbo - October 2016)

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Road to Kaesong: waiting for one’s share of cabbage (November 2017)
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Cabbage distribution in Pyongyang (November 2016)

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A passage to Sinuijiu (June 2018)

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YOUTH

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Mixing pleasure and work (November 2016)

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Young fashionistas (April 2019)

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More conventional schoolgirls (April 2019)

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Sis and bro (April 2019)
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Students’ picket at crossroads (April 2019)

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New year's gift (January 2019)
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Helping Mum (April 2016)
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Boys will be boys (May 2019)
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Pyongyangites pamper their toddlers (April 2019)
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Guitar heroes … North Korean style (November 2018_

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TRANSPORT

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Pyongyang airport in full swing (2018)
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Whose plane is it? (May 2019)

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Collector items at Pyongyang International Fair (May 2019)

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A First: electric bikes in Pyongyang 2017
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The business model (November 2017)

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Trolley repair car repainting trolley cables (July 2018)

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Highway code: The A-Z guide (2017)

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Vintage: 1 star = 50.000 km safely driven (2018)
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Old trolley towing a brand-new one (January 2016)

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I won't make it for dinner... (2017)

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The mysterious Pyongyang subway (May 2017)

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Some animals are more equals … (2018)

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Air Koryo check-in at Beijing airport (August 2018)

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NORTH KOREAN

CULT

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Groom and bride paying respects to the Merry cavaliers (March 2017)

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Students rehearsing for mass games (Kim Il-Sung square - July 2018)

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Door prize at Pothonggang hotel (July 2018)

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Visiting the factory: you pay respect to the altar showing Kim Il-Sung visiting the factory (2018)
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Children laying flowers (July 2018)

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Rehearsals for mass games (March 2016)

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Students inspecting wreaths at altar (May 2019)

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New Year's Eve last minute shopping (2016)

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“Kimilsungia Day” or if you prefer “Mauve Orchid Day” (April 2019)

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Pioneers laying flowers at Mangyongdae, Kim Il-Sung’s birthplace (April 2017)

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WOMEN

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Vegetable vendors at Tong Il market (May 2019)
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Sunday street vendor (April 2019)
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Going back home (Kaesong) - (November 2016)

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Wonsan pier (2018)

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Beautiful people in Pyongyang (2018)
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Going to the market (June 2017)
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Uplifting hearts at crossroads to maintain the revolutionary spirit (November 2017)

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Military builders (March 2017)

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Street vendors in the shade (August 2018)
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Sunscreen: SPF 50 (March 2017)
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CHECKS

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Morals keepers looking for female offenders (women only) - (2017)

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Railroad surveillance is a women’s job - (June 2018)

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Checkpoints at Pyongyang exits (November 2016)

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Military checks protecting public works (March 2017)

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Being fined for not wearing a skirt (Skirts are mandatory from April 1st) (April 2017)

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Students looking for student offenders (tie, length of hair…) (July 2017)

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State security (January 2019)
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Policemen do not take their helmet off! (May 2019)

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Who is guiding the guide? (at Mount Paektu) - (2018)

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Fresh news: reading the paper in the streets by -10℉ (February 2017)

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Street patrol (January 2019)

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