North Korea and its people seem to be trapped in time

Idol worship: Visitors paying their respects at the statue of Il-sung in Pyongyang.

KUALA LUMPUR: When I had a rare chance to visit North Korea about 10 years ago, it felt like entering a drab and bland country.

Nearly all the things I saw – be it the clothes the North Koreans wore, or the buildings there – were either in shades of blue, black, white and grey only.