A documentary from the Olympic Channel – Running in North Korea – follows Olympians Aimee Fuller, from Great Britain, and Mirjam ‘Mimi’ Jaeger, from Switzerland, in the intriguing country of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) as they run the 2019 Pyongyang Marathon.
The Olympic Channel original documentary premieres worldwide on Tuesday, 24 September at olympicchannel.com, its mobile apps and on connected TV devices.
Running in North Korea captures the journeys of the two Olympians as they travel to Pyongyang to participate in the 2019 Mangyongdae Prize International Marathon, also known as the Pyongyang Marathon. During their week-long visit, Aimee Fuller and Mirjam ‘Mimi’ Jaeger experience the local sports culture and meet fellow Olympians from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
The Olympic Channel original documentary is an inside look at the isolated country and ‘showcases the power of sports to go beyond politics’.
The Mangyongdae Prize International Marathon is held annually every April and is one of the largest sporting events on the DPRK sporting calendar. Runners from around the world, including nearly 1,000 foreigners, participated in the 2019 event.
The 26.2-mile course started in front of a near capacity crowd at the 50,000 seat Kim Il Sung Stadium and led participants by many of Pyongyang’s important landmarks, along the Taedong River and through residential neighbourhoods.
“Drawing upon their personal experiences, Aimee and Mimi are able to provide us with a fascinating perspective of the local culture as well as an inside look at the perspective of Olympic athletes in North Korea,” said Mark Parkman, General Manager of the IOC’s global Olympic Channel.
“Through their connection with fellow athletes, interviews with local sports heroes and exclusive footage from Pyongyang, Running in North Korea sends a powerful message that sports truly has no boundaries that is sure to resonate with audiences worldwide.”
The Olympic Channel original production is made possible through the efforts of the National Olympic Committee of the DPRK, which helped the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to give the film crew access to the country.
In January 2018, the IOC paved the way for the DPRK to compete at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 resulting in an athlete delegation of 22 athletes who competed in three sports and five disciplines. DPRK athletes joined the Republic of Korea (ROK) at the Opening Ceremony under the Korean Unification Flag.
Offering access to Olympic sports and athletes all year round, the Olympic Channel is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year in 11 languages. The Olympic Channel over-the-top (OTT) service is available worldwide and subscription-free at olympicchannel.com, its mobile apps and on connected TV devices.
