Erased by bombing during the Korean War, North Korea`s trophy capital of Pyongyang was entirely rebuilt from scratch from 1953, in line with the vision of the nation`s founder, Kim Il-sung. Designed as an imposing stage set, it is a place of grand axial boulevards linking gargantuan monuments, lined with stately piles of distinctly Korean flavor, to be ”national in form & socialist in content.” Under the present leader, Kim Jong-un, construction has ramped up apace-” Let us turn the whole country into a socialist fairyl&, ” declares one of his official patriotic slogans. He is rapidly transforming Pyongyang into a playground, conjuring a flimsy fantasy of prosperity & using architecture as a powerful anesthetic, numbing the population from the stark reality of his authoritarian regime. Guardian journalist & photographer Oliver Wainwright takes us on an eye-opening tour behind closed doors in the most secretive country in the world, revealing that past the grand stone facades lie lavish wonder-worlds of marble & mosaic, coffered ceilings, & crystal chandeliers, along with new interiors in dazzling color palettes. Discover the palatial reading rooms of the Grand People`s Study House, & peer inside the locker rooms of the recently renovated Rungrado May Day Stadium, ready to host a FIFA World Cup that will never come. This collection features about 300 photographs with insightful captions, as well as an introductory essay where Wainwright charts the history & development of Pyongyang, explaining how the architecture & interiors embody the national ” Juche” ideology & questioning what the future holds for the architectural ambitions of this enigmatic country.