Lots of videos claim they show you INSIDE the Ryugyong Hotel... But since so few have been in there, can they really show you the inside? I can't take you around with me, but I have the next best thing. I tracked down one of the only two foreign tourists to have ever gone inside the Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang and chat to him about his experience.

What's inside the Ryugyong Hotel?
HOW did he manage to get inside?
... and will it ever be completed?

And with his permission (thanks @simonkoryo) we see some exclusive never-before-seen images from inside the Ryugyong Hotel - including pictures from the construction site on the inside and the incredible view looking down onto Pyongyang from the 99th floor.

More images of Ryugyong Hotel & North Korea:
@zoediscovers

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00:00 - Intro
4:12 - Ryugyong Hotel Quick Facts
6:14 - Ryugyong Hotel History
11:04 - Guest Simon Cockrell
16:59 - Images INSIDE the Ryugong Hotel


---- RYUGYONG HOTEL

The Ryugyong Hotel (류경려관) is the tallest hotel in North Korea. The name means 'capital of willows'. It is currently listed in the Guinness World Records for being the world's tallest unoccupied building. It is 105 stories, and 330-metres (1,080 ft) tall.

Construction first began in 1987. Upon completion, the Ryugyong Hotel originally planned to have somewhere between 3000-8000 rooms, and 5 revolving restaurants. But that hasn’t happened, yet…

But… There is VERY little information out there on how the INSIDE looks. And that’s for one reason. No one has been inside… Apart from...

------- RYUGYONG HOTEL FACTS & HISTORY

1987 - Construction begins

The construction of the monolithic Ryugyong Hotel started in 1987 and was intended to be completed in time for the 13th World Festival of Youth and Students in June 1989. Lifts were originally planned to run up on the edges of the building.

1987 - 1992: Construction continues

For 5 years, construction on the Ryugyong Hotel went as planned, and it looked as if it was on course for the planned completion date.
The Ryugyong Hotel started to stand tall on Pyongyang's skyline as the pyramid shape started to take form, topped off with the 'pyramid top' which is slightly distanced from the rest of the building, housing a revolving restaurant and various other bars and entertainment facilities.

1992 - Construction Ceases

Construction ceased in 1992 and it remained an unclad concrete structure. The building would remain desolate for more than 10 years with no more work being done on this giant structure in the middle of Pyongyang city, a city famous for its various famous structures such as the Juche Tower and Mansudae Grand Monumentstatues.

TheDaily Mail called the building ‘The Hotel of Doom’ whereas we saw it as a more impressive building than The Shard in London!

2008 - Construction restarts

After over 10 years, construction on the once-abandoned Ryugyong Hotel begins again - as if it had never ceased. With the help of the Egyptian company Orascom (always good with pyramids) the construction for the outer cladding of the hotel began.

The new opening date for the Ryugyong Hotel of 2012 was announced and then halted back to 2013.

2011 - Construction ceases a second time

- The outer exterior of the Ryugyong Hotel is completed, clearly showing the pyramid structure with the top of the pyramid also complete and planned to hold bars and restaurants that revolve, showing a 360-degree view of Pyongyang city.

- Construction for the Ryugyong Hotel is ceased for a second time in 2011, with no further word of when it would start back up or any news on an opening date.

2018 - Entrance driveway completed, lights show on the top of the pyramid structure

- The entrance driveway was completed in 2018.

After this completion, it was uncertain what was next for the Ryugyong Hotel. Until one evening...

- The 'pyramid top' of the Ryugyong Hotel suddenly lit up to represent a moving image of the North Korean flag.

- To add to the excitement was another addition a couple of months later... Little did we know, that the exterior of the hotel that was completed not long ago was made up of panels of LED lights, and the entire front surface of the Ryugyong Hotel began to turn into a light show!

2019 -

New sign out front!

What will become of the Ryugyong Hotel?

Literally anyone’s guess.


---- MORE INFO, THANKS, & SOURCES;

Special thanks to Simon Cockrell, General Manager of Koryo Tours for his time and expert knowledge. (Find him on Instagram @simonkoryo).

Music start; Glory to the General
Music throughout; Arirang Classical Version

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#ryugyong #ryugyonghotel #northkorea

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