My answer about “What is the most interesting thing you’ve done as a Local Guide?” is that I went on a photography trip to North Korea in 2016.
At that time, I was doing various research using a 360 degree camera. In the spring, One of my bad friend asked me to lend VR camera. I declined because I used it to apply for some developers contest. I asked what was he want to do, he said, “I’m going to go to North Korea for a photography trip.”
In the first place, what I want from a VR camera is a tool to experience places that are not usually easily accessible. What I was making at the developers contest was a device for viewing real-time 360-degree images from the inside aquarium’s water (by the way, this was a prize).
For myself, “North Korea” was one of the “unexplored places” that I had only seen through the media. With information about North Korea, it is almost impossible to directly hear and hear the people inside. Anything you get from the media will always include the intent of someone. I want to get the information as flat as possible. As a local guide , curiosity has been aroused to see the state I never seen with my own eyes.
I asked my bad friend that I wanted to take part in the trip, and I was actually accompanied. I wanted to make video contents with VR camera.
Japanese tourists are always accompanied by officials from the state and are required to act in groups. Individuals cannot act freely. In addition, there is no opportunity to talk to local people other than the store clerk. I couldn’t even touch North Korean currency.
Nevertheless, I was able to know a lot about going to the site.
Rumors were false that “North Korean men are mimicking the hairstyles of national leader”
The foods were too light and cold, except the cold noodles at Gyokuryu-kan and the grilled duck.
North Korea’s Claims on the Korean War.
There is an amusement park in the middle of the capital that runs till night, and there is an old Japanese racing game “Hang on” in the game center.
The amusement park also has roller coasters, etc., but there was a sudden blackout and the playground equipment was fixed for many minutes.
A part of Daily life of citizens.
Other members brought high-end digital SLR cameras, but my main weapon was VR camera “THETA S” attached to the tip of a monopod.
Local citizens also know NIKON and CANON, so people who are likely to be able to fit in the pictures would be conscious of the camera. On the other hand, in my case, my camera had a shape that was hard to understand with the camera, so I was able to take a more natural figure.
Some of the 360-degree photo taken in North Korea were uploaded on Google Street View, so please take a look.
In the summer of 2017, I held an event called “Virtual North Korea Tour” using VR goggle made of paper and VR photos we took. Many people experienced “unknown places” without visiting there.
