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DPRK Explained is a YouTube channel dedicated to educational content about the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), commonly known as North Korea. The channel focuses on history, culture, society, infrastructure, and revolutionary history, deliberately avoiding the sensationalism and political reductionism that characterizes much Western coverage of the country.
The channel is created and hosted by Benjamin Weston, a British researcher, tour operator, and former Koryo Tours staff member who has led tours to the DPRK and worked with Korean cultural institutions including the Pyongyang International Film Festival.
| Creator | Benjamin Weston |
|---|---|
| Years Active | 2021 - Present |
| Genre | Educational, documentary, history, cultural studies |
| Subscribers | 61,000+ |
| Notable series | DPRK Explained (main), history of Pyongyang, North Korean television, revolutionary biographies |
| Affiliation | Independent (no formal affiliation with DPRK institutions) |
Content Focus[edit | edit source]
Unlike many content creators who approach the DPRK exclusively through the lens of nuclear geopolitics, human rights reporting, or defector testimony, DPRK Explained emphasizes:
- History — from ancient Korean kingdoms (Gojoseon, Goguryeo) to the Japanese colonial period, the Korean War, and postwar reconstruction
- Culture and everyday life — television programming, film festivals, public transportation, architecture, and urban development
- Infrastructure and technology — the Pyongyang Metro, the Manbang on-demand streaming service, broadcasting systems, and construction booms
- Revolutionary history — biographies of anti-Japanese guerrilla fighters and figures from the Workers' Party of Korea
Weston has stated that politics receives sufficient coverage elsewhere and that his aim is to illuminate aspects of the DPRK that are rarely discussed in Western media.
Notable Videos[edit | edit source]
What is North Korean TV Really Like?[edit | edit source]
This video examines the four television channels broadcast from the Pyongyang TV Tower:
| Channel | Focus |
|---|---|
| Korean Central Television (KCTV) | Primary channel: news, movies, documentaries, children's programs, military parades. Broadcasts from 9:00 AM. |
| Mansudae Television | Entertainment programming on weekends. Named after Mansu Hill, site of the Grand Monument. |
| Yongnam Television | Educational channel targeting university students. Named after Yongnam Hill, site of Kim Il-sung University. Broadcasts science, foreign language programs, and relays KCTV news. |
| Sports Television | Sports programming on weekends (football, taekwondo). |
The video also covers the Manbang set-top box (introduced circa 2015-2016), which allows on-demand streaming, live broadcasts, and access to educational and cultural programming, including radio and newspaper headlines. Weston notes that Manbang has expanded access to rural areas where analog signals are weak.
The video ends with a characteristic touch: the same sign-off used by KCTV, accompanied by the channel's closing music.
The History of Pyongyang: 5,000 Years in 22 Minutes[edit | edit source]
A historical survey of the Korean capital from its origins to the present day. The video is structured chronologically:
| Period | Key developments |
|---|---|
| Ancient Gojoseon (24th century BCE) | Founding of Wanggeom-seong, the fortified settlement that became Pyongyang |
| Goguryeo kingdom (37 BCE – 668 CE) | Pyongyang as secondary and then primary capital; 23 km outer wall; Anak Palace; military reorganization |
| Silla-Tang conquest (668 CE) | Fall of Goguryeo; Pyongyang under Silla and Tang control |
| Goryeo dynasty (918–1392) | Pyongyang renamed Sŏgyŏng ("Western Capital"); spiritual and military center; Buddhist temples |
| Joseon dynasty (1392–1910) | Pyongyang neglected; attacks by Japanese, Chinese, and American forces (General Sherman incident, 1866) |
| Japanese colonial period (1910–1945) | Renamed Heijō; industrial development with Korean forced labor; anti-Japanese revolutionary activity |
| Liberation and Korean War (1945–1953) | Kim Il-sung's victory speech; US bombing flattened the city |
| Postwar reconstruction | Chŏllima movement; monumental architecture; Pyongyang Metro (1970s); Grand People's Study House (1980s); Rungrado Stadium (1990s); new boulevards (2000s–present) |
The video concludes at the Taedongmun gate, a sixth-century structure rebuilt in 1635 and again after the Korean War. Weston notes that the gate, repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt, symbolizes Pyongyang's history of surmounting foreign aggression, occupation, and subjugation.
Who Was Kim Chaek?[edit | edit source]
A biographical documentary about the anti-Japanese revolutionary, DPRK vice premier, and industry minister (1903–1951). The video covers:
- Early life — born Kim Hong-gwon in North Hamgyong province; moved to Manchuria as a child after Japanese annexation
- Anti-Japanese activity — joined the Korean Communist Party; arrested multiple times; fought with the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army
- Meeting Kim Il-sung — first meeting at a Comintern conference in Khabarovsk (November 1940)
- Post-liberation career — vice premier of the DPRK cabinet; minister of industry; vice chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea
- Korean War — member of the Supreme Command of the Korean People's Army; died of heart failure on January 30, 1951, after visiting military headquarters in Kanggye
- Legacy — the city of Kimchaek, the Kim Chaek Iron and Steel Complex, and the Kim Chaek University of Technology are named in his honor; his remains are interred at the Taesongsan Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery
The video draws on Kim Il-sung's memoirs (With the Century), which recount Kim Chaek's final visit to the Supreme Headquarters and his last words urging the General not to overwork.
Other notable videos[edit | edit source]
The channel also includes content on:
- The Pyongyang Metro (architecture, stations, daily use)
- The Arirang Mass Games
- Visiting Sariwŏn (provincial city)
- North Korean film and animation
- Military parades and their significance
Creator: Benjamin Weston[edit | edit source]
Early life and education[edit | edit source]
Benjamin Weston was born in 2000 in the United Kingdom. He first became interested in the DPRK at age 11 after seeing the country on news broadcasts. During his secondary education, he represented the DPRK at a Model United Nations conference and completed an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) on DPRK foreign policy.
Move to East Asia and Koryo Tours[edit | edit source]
At 18, Weston relocated to Seoul, South Korea, to study Korean. Within six months, he moved to Beijing to work for Koryo Tours, a travel company specializing in DPRK tourism for Western travelers. At Koryo Tours, he:
- Worked directly with Korean colleagues
- Became the International Submissions Coordinator for the Pyongyang International Film Festival (PIFF)
- Began leading tours to the DPRK
Absolute Nomads and the start of DPRK Explained[edit | edit source]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Weston relocated to Mongolia and established Absolute Nomads, a travel company. Drawing on his marketing experience at Koryo Tours, he produced initial video content on the DPRK. The videos gained traction, and he continued developing the channel.
Return to DPRK tourism[edit | edit source]
In February 2025, Weston led the first group of Western tourists into the DPRK since the country closed its borders during the pandemic. He continues to work on foundations for future DPRK cultural exchange projects alongside his media and tour operations.
Methodology and disclaimer[edit | edit source]
Weston has cited input from Korean friends and colleagues as central to his understanding of the country. He emphasizes that the channel has no formal affiliation with the DPRK or any organizations within the country and is an independent educational project.
Reception and significance[edit | edit source]
DPRK Explained occupies a unique niche within English-language educational content about North Korea. Unlike:
- News media (which focus on missile launches, nuclear tests, and human rights)
- Defector testimony (valuable but necessarily limited to personal experience)
- Tourist vlogs (surface-level and often sensationalized)
Weston's work attempts to present the DPRK on its own terms, using primary sources (including DPRK broadcasts, archival footage, and Korean-language materials) and on-the-ground observation.
The channel has been cited by academics, journalists, and educators seeking contextual material on North Korean society, infrastructure, and revolutionary history.