Calvin Sun was born and raised in New York City by Chinese parents. By the time he reached his 20s, he had barely left the state. As an undergraduate at Columbia University, 20 minutes away from his home in New York, he didn't like venturing outside his comfort zone.

But a spontaneous trip to Egypt in 2010 sparked a thirst for exploring the world. He set up a travel blog, The Monsoon Diaries, and quickly gained a cult following.

Sun used every break and weekend to explore a new country, with the goal of never repeating an experience or going back to the same place.

Before his second year at medical school, Sun decided to use the summer break to embark on a trip that would start somewhere in the Middle East and end somewhere in Asia. He kept his itinerary fluid, allowing for spontaneous excursions with friends he would make along the way.

North Korea was not part of the initial plan. Neither was the secretive fifth floor of Pyongyang's Yanggakdo Hotel.
https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-44469005