North Korea’s Secret Pastel Interiors Look Like a Wes Anderson Movie
To most of the world, North Korea is a mystery. The country is so isolated that it’s been nicknamed the “Hermit Kingdom,” with insiders and outsiders knowing extremely little about the other’s daily lives.
But one photo diary, created by London architecture critic Oliver Wainwright, is changing that. Wainwright was able to visit Pyongyang, the capital city of the Juche State, on a guided tour this past summer, photographing its strikingly symmetrical, pastel interiors along the way. Wainwright, himself, described the style as bearing a striking resemblance to a Wes Anderson movie set.
Many rooms are centered around portraits and statues of North Korean rulers. “It’s a very theatrical device, which is why I think so many North Korean spaces feel like stage sets—they’re designed to evoke an emotional response, usually one of monumental power of the leader, compared to the insignificance of the masses,” he wrote in a piece for The Guardian.
Click through for a rare glimpse inside North Korea’s surprisingly candy-colored world.
(All photos: Oliver Wainwright)
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