A fake Starbucks, Ikea lookalike products and a seaside resort fully stocked for tourists. CNN’s Will Ripley talks to some of the first international travellers to visit North Korea since the Covid-19 pandemic to find out what they saw.

Pyongyang

North Korea has developed the Wonsan Kalma Beach Resort, featuring new hotels and extensive white sand beaches, in an effort to present a modern image to the world. However, the resort remains almost empty, with only a small group of Russian tourists permitted to visit, as Western and Chinese tourists are still not allowed entry. Strict COVID-19 rules persist, and foreign visitors are kept separate from local North Koreans, interacting only with staff.

In Pyongyang, signs of a growing consumer culture are visible, with cafes and stores resembling Western brands and amenities. Despite these developments, most North Koreans do not have access to such privileges, and the country remains largely closed to outsiders, with only rare exceptions for events like the Pyongyang Marathon.

Gleaming hotels, empty beaches: A look inside North Korea’s resort

North Korea wants the world to see this as it's Waikiki, miles of white sand, brand-new hotels. But one big difference — it's nearly empty. So far, no Western or Chinese tourists are allowed here. Just a handful of Russians, including Daria Zhukova and her friend. There were no other foreigners apart from us — 15 people, she says. They were in the first group of foreigners allowed to visit the Wonsan Kalma Beach Resort on North Korea's east coast. Strict COVID rules still apply. North Korea, always isolated, has yet to truly reopen. Daria says they basically had the whole place to themselves. The resort is divided into domestic and international zones. Russian tourists are not allowed to mingle with everyday North Koreans, essentially keeping the foreigners in a bubble. The only North Koreans they met were staff, always close by, always watching. And in the capital, Pyongyang, a growing consumer culture, with a North Korean twist. A posh cafe serving $8 mochas, the layout and logo just like Starbucks Reserve. A furniture store staged almost like Ikea, with nearly identical products. It doesn't get more American than French fries and milkshakes. I remember eating at a fast food place in Pyongyang. The packaging? A lot like McDonald's, minus the golden arch. I also visited their version of the Apple Store, smartphones selling for hundreds of dollars. People wouldn't expect to see this kind of thing here in North Korea. Of course, most North Koreans don't live like the privileged class in the capital and along the coast. Hey, that's pretty good. Swedish visitor Johan Nylander and his son ran in this year's Pyongyang Marathon, the only time Western tourists were allowed in the capital since COVID. Were you surprised to see all of that, given how isolated North Korea has been? Oh man, when you go to North Korea, you will be surprised by so many things. I was surprised by the amount of Western brands, that mobile phones are everywhere. He says these days, mobile payments with QR codes are standard in a nation cut off from international banking. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un wants his country to appear world-class, open for business. But for almost all outsiders, the doors remain bolted shut.

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