Vice Guide to North Korea

Vice TV is pretty crazy. Herein lies a perfect example of the possibilities that smaller modern media outlets can provide. By entering North Korea via northern China, Shane Smith has the incredibly rare opportunity to make a documentary in a country that limits bringing technology, such as recording devices, along with you. Previous exploits also include journeys to Bolivia, Sudan, Chernobyl, Houston's screwed & chopped scene and Baghdad's metal scene. Here's a brief example of the North Korean visa process:

"At the airport the North Korean consulate took our passports and all of our money, then brought us to a restaurant. We were sitting there with our tour group, and suddenly all the other diners left and these women came out and started singing North Korean nationalist songs. We were thinking, “Look, we were just on a plane for 20 hours. We’re jet-lagged. Can we just go to bed?” but this guy with our group who was from the LA Times told us, “Everyone in here besides us is secret police. If you don’t act excited then you’re not going to get your visa.” So we got drunk and jumped up onstage and sang songs with the girls. The next day we got our visas. A lot of people we had gone with didn’t get theirs. That was our first hint at just what a freaky, freaky trip we were embarking on..."

Check out all 14 segments here.