"Pyongyang is a Paradise on Earth"... North Korean YouTuber Yumi Goes to Amusement Park After PT Session

YouTuber Introducing Daily Life in Pyongyang Emerges
Channel Launched Last Year

A YouTuber introducing the daily lives of residents in Pyongyang, North Korea, has emerged, attracting attention. The protagonist is Yumi, who runs the YouTube channel 'Yumi's Space (Olivia Natasha - YuMi Space DPRK daily)'. Since last year, she has been intermittently uploading edited 'daily vlog' videos of her life on YouTube.

YouTuber Yumi Releases 'Pyongyang Vlog'

Yumi, who shares daily life in Pyongyang on YouTube, is introducing herself. [Image source=YouTube screen capture]

As of the 17th, the channel has about 2,200 subscribers. Since its launch in June last year, a total of 10 vlogs have been uploaded to the channel.

In the videos, the woman introduces herself as "Yumi living in Pyongyang." Speaking in English, she said, "Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been no opportunities to visit North Korea for several years, so you must be curious about Pyongyang," adding, "I want to show you the changing scenes of Pyongyang, the daily lives of its residents, and myself."

In a video uploaded on the 14th, she visited the Unification Street Sports Center in Nakrang District and showed herself receiving personal training (PT). She explained about the sports center, "Originally, this building was constructed for a different purpose, but Dear Comrade Kim Jong Un ordered it to be converted into a service base for the people and named it the Unification Street Sports Center."

Besides this, Yumi visited ice cream shops to introduce products and enjoyed rides at the Pyongyang Neungra People's Amusement Park. She also produced a video introducing bulgogi as a representative Korean dish. Notably, Yumi emphasized that Pyongyang is a "good place to live." In a video introducing snacks, she explained how Chairman Kim Jong Un is making great efforts to improve the dietary nutrition of Pyongyang residents.

Is Yumi from the Core Class? ... Speculations Abound

Yumi introducing the fitness center. [Image source=YouTube screen capture]

However, there are criticisms that the daily life shown by Yumi in the videos differs somewhat from that of ordinary North Korean residents. This is because most of the places she introduced are recreational facilities enjoyed only by the privileged class. Considering Yumi’s attire and other factors, it is presumed that she comes from a well-off family of at least middle-class status. This has led to speculation that she might be a child of North Korea’s core elite class.

There are also suspicions that North Korea is continuing propaganda activities using YouTube and other platforms. This is because Yumi mentioned in many videos that Chairman Kim is striving to improve the living conditions of Pyongyang residents. Previously, last year, an 11-year-old child YouTuber named Song-a, who introduced Pyongyang in British English, appeared.

Meanwhile, North Korean residents themselves cannot actually watch YouTube made by North Koreans. North Korean law stipulates that even if individuals broadcast on the internet, they must all follow the sole guidance of the authorities, and personal devices are also subject to government control.