Eating grass, sleeping on the floor and lights out at 9pm doesn't sound like much fun, but these are the ingredients that make up an Airbnb - North Korean style.
These eye-opening images of life inside the country were snapped by a photographer who ventured to the notoriously secretive nation for a unique project.
And the images have been termed so damning by the totalitarian dictatorship that Eric Lafforgue has since been BANNED from returning there.
The 52-year-old first visited the country in 2008 and has since been there five times, and was thrilled to be able to return as a guest at a "sort of North Korean Airbnb", as he describes it.
As a guest of a fisherman in the village of Jung Pyong Ri, in Myongchon county, situated in the North Hamgyong province, Lafforgue points out that the remote village with white sandy beaches "doesn't exist on any map".
To get there means spending several hours on a bus taking muddy, pothole-filled roads on the east coast, and he notes: "I see an electric fence lining the beach as an attempt to stall possible Japanese invasion.
"The poverty in these rural villages is palpable.
"From the comfy seat in my bus, I see old, dilapidated houses with roofs ready to collapse.
"Only huge murals of the smiling Kim Il Sung bring colour to these bleak landscapes. My guide informs me that most tourists do not journey this far into the countryside, and that I may be the first European to ever visit this area
Lafforgue arrives at the village near a little bay adjacent to a mountain.
"As I expect, the houses I am to stay in are very well kept. Jung Pyong Ri seems to be a community that has received ample government funding.'
"Only 23 families reside here. Immediately, I fear I'm in a North Korean tourist trap, complete with actors portraying reality."
Greeted by the village chief - a tall, friendly looking man with a flat cap with a warm smile, and not a word of English - Lafforgue is led into his home.
The house is fully equipped with televisions and fans with "pretty kitschy" decoration "consisting of huge plush toys one might find at a carnival, plastic flowers, and of course, propaganda".
"The living room seems to double as a greenhouse, with plants growing in large pots in front of the sofa. On the wall, the Dear Leaders watch me through their ubiquitous portraits.
"I'm surprised to see three televisions in the house. According to my guide, every family in North Korea has at least three television sets.
"One TV is broadcasting an old black and white Russian movie while the home stereo plays melodious anthem-like songs. The combination of the two creates cacophony."
Lafforgue feels he is being shown as a tourist that the country has the latest technology.
"In the living room, I see a Mickey Mouse picture frame holding a faded photo of a soldier.
"'He's my son,' says the chief. 'He is doing his military service. He is a sergeant.'
"I ask when he will return home. 'We have not heard anything from him in a long time. We'll see him after the reunification of North and South Korea,' he responds, his voice betraying his pain."
The clean bedroom is decorated with 1960s wallpaper and, surprisingly, no bed.
"Apparently, I'm going to sleep on the floor on something resembling a very light futon. This is how the locals do it."
Invited to the neighbour's home that night, Lafforgue sees a very similar living space, complete with images of the Dear Leaders on the wall
"My guide changes his Vinylon black suit and Kim Il Sung pin for a blue sweatsuit. This is the first time I do not see him wearing his pin.
"North Koreans have been charged with treason for this.
"He tells me that he feels more at home here."
Told they were dining on 'sea duck' Lafforgue is unable to identify what the meat is and he saves his appetite for giant fresh crabs - a most unusual meal for these poor families.
"The leader of the village lets me in on a few secrets regarding their quaint town. Until the 1990s, the area was cut off from the rest of the country.
"'Life is very hard in the winter and sometimes the food supply is low,' the Chief tells me, giving a modest portrayal of the famine they experience."
He is told that 80% of the tourists here are from China, and that the Chinese, especially those from Beijing, are amazed by the cleanliness of the air.
"'They wonder how labourers like us can afford such luxurious houses!' he continues.
"'I tell them that it is because the North Korean regime is more successful than the American government!' The Chief laughs."
After his hosts deem his constant questioning too much, Lafforgue is asked to retire to his room.
"The guides wanted to hide from me the reality of this life, but from my bedroom window, I can see emaciated oxes with carts full of wood and women carrying heavy loads.
"I also see some girls picking flowers for a bouquet, and others picking grass in Red Cross bags to eat for lunch."
On the last day, Lafforgue discreetly tries to tip his hosts, but it is "politely but firmly refused".
His diary concludes: "Like old friends bidding farewell, we pose for a photo together.
"The kindness and warmth my hosts showed me proved that they were more than the automatons that they are made out to be, even if they are forced to sing the praises of their 'Dear Leaders'.
"They urge me to return. I promise I will, but alas, this is a promise that I won't be able to keep.
"Since that final goodbye, I've been banned from North Korea."
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