I don't know since when, "pretend to be somewhere" has become an unstoppable online fashion.
This fashion, after the popularity of online marathons across the country, has given horse runners across the country more reasonable and exciting reasons to "pretend to be somewhere". On April 10, 140,000 people participated in the Pyongyang online Marathon organized by Gudong, the country's largest sports social platform, and completed the unique sports social experience of "pretending to be in North Korea".
The Pyongyang International Marathon in North Korea has long been one of the "most mysterious" marathons in history -- none. In 2016, competitors were finally allowed to take selfies on Pyongyang soil. The decision even prompted some online users to joke:
"In the past, the most successful and fun reason for 'pretending to be in North Korea' was that you couldn't take selfies or post them. Now that it's deregulated, the fun factor is gone."
But the Pyongyang International Marathon still has strict rules -- runners are not allowed to wear national symbols, flags or corporate slogans -- and the online marathon doesn't have to follow such baffling rules. Otherwise the presence of the horse on the line will be lost.
Gudong Pyongyang Online Marathon may be the "most neglected" online sub-station so far in 2016. The "excessive mystery" of the offline event location failed to stop the great enthusiasm of the online race, and the flexible way of the online race of full horse, half horse and 10km is still popular among runners. every_wen, a user of Goodong, wrote on Weibo, "My first time running Goodong, Sungyeondo, 10km, and online marathon is actually the Pyongyang Marathon, which is said to be amazing! Am I awesome?"
One of the reasons for the growing popularity of online marathons is the rule that you can get certified results and MEDALS if you finish within a day. It's very user-friendly and flexible, giving runners great flexibility to compete. Running a horse on the line requires perseverance. In fact, running is just like doing things. It is easy to give up at the beginning. The fatigue in the middle also makes people have a strong desire to stop halfway.
A small online marathon medal may not seem like a bright spot in the grand scheme of life, but for persistent online marathon enthusiasts, it makes "pretending to be in North Korea" so real.
The Daily Mail reported that about 1,000 foreign runners took part in the Pyongyang International Marathon in 2016. By contrast, online marathon users are more likely to feel happy. In the process of grinding one's teeth step by step, everyone's body is getting stronger and everyone's spirit is getting stronger. After finishing the race, looking back at the thousands of miles they have run, it is the most proud moment.
