A country where you can't get a haircut, you can't use condoms, and you can't even bring your own lunch box when you're a guest. It may sound like an absurd joke, but in North Korea, these "bizarre" regulations are real.
From hot air balloon drops to strict tourism controls, North Korea has shown us a world like no other with a series of jaw-dropping regulations.
Mysterious North Korea
Remember the news not long ago that North Korea dropped "feces" to Korea? At that time, the Korea government also issued an "emergency avoidance" notice.
This seemingly absurd behavior is not uncommon in North Korea. As a country that is tough on the outside world and strict on the inside, North Korea has many unique rules that are difficult for the outside world to understand.
Speaking of North Korea's bizarre regulations, we have to mention their strict control over haircuts.
In this country, barbershops are not small privately run, but genuine state-run institutions. You heard it right, the barbers are civil servants who receive state salaries!
The job of these "Tony teachers" is much easier than we thought. They only need to master less than 20 hairstyles to work from the beginning of the job until retirement.
North Korea's hairstyle rules are the strictest in the world. Men, women, and children, all without exception, must abide by it. Although women's hairstyle choices are a little more than men's, they are slightly changed on the basis of black and straight.
In North Korea, you don't see colorful hair, let alone "one size fits all", "wavy heads" or "wool rolls". Dark colors are king, and overly exaggerated hairstyles are absolutely forbidden.
There are also strict rules on hair length, which cannot be too long or too short. This has made the North Korean people worried. Many people would rather endure long hair than go to the barbershop frequently.
After all, who wants to have to choose between a handful of hairstyles every time?
Unbelievable provisions
With the story out of the way, let's talk about a more intimate topic – condoms.
In today's society, condoms can be said to be the most common daily necessities. But in North Korea, it's a prohibited contraband. Don't say you bought it, even if you use it and are discovered, you can't eat it and walk around.
North Koreans believe that condoms are not only a symbol of bad luck, but also a "foreign invasive" that threatens the security of the country's population.
In their opinion, there is strength in numbers, and the greater the population, the stronger the military strength of the country. Condom? Isn't that going to cut off the future of the country!
Therefore, the North Korean government has spared no effort to encourage childbearing. In North Korea, after giving birth, you don't have to worry about employment and further education, and you can basically get proper arrangements.
Speaking of which, you may ask, how do the North Korean people use contraception? I am afraid that only the North Korean people themselves know the answer to this question. Maybe they have their own local methods, but they don't know about them.
But North Korea's bizarre rules don't stop there. If you want to travel to North Korea, you have to discourage the idea of independent travel. In this mysterious country, tourism is a serious matter.
You have to sign up for a tour, follow the guide's baton, follow a fixed route, and see the designated attractions. Don't think about sneaking around on your own, if you get separated from the team, you might be arrested as a spy.
What's even more ridiculous is that in North Korea, it's even a problem for you to take a photo.
If a foreigner sneakily takes a picture with a mobile phone on the street, he may be arrested and sent to prison at worst, and he may even be shot dead on the spot. Scary, isn't it? Therefore, when traveling to North Korea, you must be vigilant and cautious every step of the way.
But then again, if you do go to North Korea with a regular tour group, you don't have to worry too much. With a guide, you can still experience the unique 80s style of North Korea.
It's also interesting to see what their big hotel looks like and get a feel for the different cultures of the country. Just don't think about independent travel.
When you come to North Korea, you will find that the use of currency here is also special. As a foreign tourist, you don't need to exchange North Korean currency at all.
You just need to bring your country's money and you can shop freely in North Korea. Sounds convenient, doesn't it? But in reality, this is a measure taken by the North Korean government to protect the national currency.
In the eyes of the North Korean people, the North Korean currency is a treasure bump, and foreigners are not allowed to use it, let alone take it abroad as a souvenir.
Therefore, it is important to bring some cash with you when you travel to North Korea, because you can neither use a card nor pay with a mobile phone. If you don't have enough money, it's really hard to move an inch.
A different way to socialize
Speaking of money, we have to mention the way North Koreans socialize.
In our opinion, it is normal to have dinners, drinks, and barbecues with friends. But in North Korea, such scenes are rare. North Koreans' nightlife is quite monotonous, and they basically stay at home after 8 p.m.
What's even more interesting is that if you have to have a dinner, it's a matter of course.
In North Korea, you have to bring your own lunch box when you go to someone's house. That's right, you heard it right! You have to prepare your own meals in advance and take them to someone's house in a lunch box.
Imagine a group of people greeting each other, each pulling out their lunch box and starting to eat. After eating, you have to wash the dishes yourself before leaving. I am afraid that there is no second way to be a guest in the world.
The reason why North Korea has this strange habit is probably related to their economic situation. In a place where everyone can't get enough to eat, you rub other people's food, that's really not enough friends.
Therefore, bringing your own lunch box not only avoids the embarrassment of the host, but also is a kind of courtesy. It's just that this kind of politeness seems to us to be a bit spicy.
In addition to these rules in everyday life, North Korea's attitude towards foreigners is also interesting. If you're a foreign tourist, don't just talk to ordinary North Koreans.
If you talk to the locals in broken Korean, you will be treated as a monster, and if you are serious, you may be reported.
The reason why the North Korean people have such a strange attitude towards foreigners is partly because of the strict regulations of the state, and on the other hand, it is also related to their relatively isolated living environment.
Walking the streets of North Korea, you will find that the scene here is very different from other countries. No crop tops, no miniskirts, let alone bells and whistles. The North Koreans dress rather conservatively, as if taking us back decades.
Seeing this, you may ask: Are the North Korean people happy? I am afraid that there is no standard answer to this question.
In our view, there are indeed many inconveniences and restrictions in the lives of the North Korean people. But for the North Korean people who have lived in such an environment for decades, this may have become a way of life that they are accustomed to.
Each country has its own characteristics and regulations, and while these regulations seem out of place in our eyes, they also reflect the uniqueness of the country. It allows us to see a world like no other, a country that seems to be stuck in the past.
The existence of these regulations also makes us cherish the freedom we have even more.
At the same time, it also reminds us that the world is diverse, and different cultures and institutions will create different ways of life. While we are surprised by North Korea's "strange" rules, we should also learn to understand different cultures with a more open and tolerant mind.
After all, for the North Korean people, their way of life is their daily routine. We may not be able to fully understand, but we can try to understand.
There are so many things in this world that we don't understand, and it is these differences that make up the richness of this world.
So, the next time you hear news about North Korea, think about it: Is there a reason behind these seemingly strange rules that we don't yet understand? Or how do these regulations affect the lives of the North Korean people?
Only with this kind of thinking can we truly understand the uniqueness of this mysterious country and better understand this complex world.
Resources:
Pyongyang Tour: A Four-Day Trip to Be an Observer and an Observed——The Paper 2018-12-18 17:47
How much do you know about the life of the North Korean people? ——Xinmin Weekly2018-05-02