The narrator, Ben, recounts his journey to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea, driven by his desire to confront Kim Jong-un over the alleged killing of all dogs in North Korea. Ben hires a mysterious guide, Mr. Guy, and together they embark on a tour of the DMZ. Along the way, Ben takes risks by taking pictures and attempting to sneak a peek into North Korea. The tour includes a visit to an infiltration tunnel, a village within the DMZ, and a gift shop where Ben spends $200 on souvenirs. Ben also meets Mr. Guy's cat, Rusie, which he suspects may be a spy. At the end of the tour, Ben performs a ceremonial howl at the border and announces plans to troll Kim Jong-un by sending pictures of puppies to his actual address in North Korea, with the help of his fans who purchase a special merch shirt.
Here are the key facts from the text:
1. The narrator visited the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea.
2. They flew to Seoul, South Korea, which is a 14-hour flight.
3. The narrator used TripAdvisor to find a guide to take them to the DMZ.
4. The guide's name was not mentioned, and he remained anonymous throughout the trip.
5. The narrator and the guide visited the security checkpoint before entering the DMZ.
6. They saw a bridge that leads to North Korea.
7. The narrator had to hand over their passport to the guide, who wouldn't say why.
8. They were told to come back in an hour, and the narrator was worried their identity had been stolen.
9. The narrator and the guide had lunch together, and the narrator tried a traditional Korean soup.
10. The narrator visited the DMZ's museum gift shop and spent $200 on souvenirs.
11. They went on a hike with the guide and visited a waterfall.
12. The guide showed the narrator pictures of his cat, Rusie.
13. The narrator suspected that the guide might be a spy.
14. The narrator howled at the border in a ceremonial gesture to honor the puppies that were killed.
15. The narrator designed a t-shirt to troll Kim Jong-un and will donate 100% of the proceeds to animal rights and North Korean defector organizations.
16. The narrator plans to send pictures of puppies to Kim Jong-un via DHL, which is one of the few foreign companies still operating in North Korea.