Big blow-out in Pyongyang

I remember reading a Lonely Planet guide to Korea in a shop and though the overwhelming part of the book was devoted to the Republic of Korea, there was a section for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, in which it described that, despite the obstacles, taking a sojourn in the North "will instantly make you the most interesting person you know."   After a group of students were patsies for an undercover Panorama investigation in the the country, taking media heat for visiting this odious regime and thereby supplying it with much needed hard currency, I found myself dissuaded from ever making the trip to this place.  Not because of the opprobrium that fell on the students, a small part through not wanting to replenish the coffers of the government, but mostly because what they saw was thoroughly boring.  A few magnificent vistas of distant peaks, a hospital which was made to seem deserted (no-one ever gets ill in a communist paradise), gargantuan blocky architecture - you may well become the most interesting person you know, but the trip will be the least interesting you have made.
Maybe Dennis Rodman gets access-all-areas to the precious little cool stuff that there is.  There is a long history of entertainers and showmen making themselves available to tyrants.  Hilary Swank, Jean Claude Van-Damme and Seal were the artists making themselves available to Chechen 'strongman' Ramzan Kadyrov for the latter's birthday bash.  Though Swank had the grace to sack her manager, Seal demanded not to be 'drawn into politics' after facing criticism from human rights groups.  Rodman falls back on the same line, even though this deal with North Korea to stage a basketball exhibition game will line his own pockets too.  The 'Big Bang in Pyongyang' with ex-NBA players following Rodman's to this benighted land for the delight of Kim Jong-Un will be a washout in terms of any genuine sporting significance but bring further disgrace to Rodman (on his third visitation now), as he steadfastly refuses to attempt to moderate the young megalomaniac yet lends a spurious legitimacy to the government/dynasty.