A Tribute To North Korea’s Air Koryo By Arthur Mebius

The photo series ‘Dear Sky’ offers an insight to Air Koryo’s aircraft and crew, from the perspective of Mebius as a passenger. He presents a visual diary of a flight experience that includes “variety stage performances of North Korean musical bands, “I was simply struck by the love for flying”complete with a backdrop of military maneuvers.” As the two destinations that comply with North Korea’s international sanctions and environmental restrictions, the state-owned airline only travels to China and Vladivostok. Mebius captures the Soviet-era planes, their pilots and air hostesses, immaculately prepared and ready to take off despite an absence of passengers. In a statement about the series, Mebius comments, “I was simply struck by the love for flying. My intention was to picture the dedication of the crews I saw there and tell the story of the people and their planes.”