North Koreans, particularly teenagers, are showing growing enthusiasm for sports as rental shops offering athletic equipment pop up near parks and other public areas across the country.
A Daily NK source in North Pyongan province reported recently that “sports equipment rental shops have been appearing more frequently near public spaces like parks in Sinuiju and elsewhere in the province,” making these areas “packed with people in the evenings.”
“This trend started mainly in recreation areas along the Yalu River, but then other places began copying the idea and investing too,” the source explained. “Now you can easily find sports equipment rental shops near parks and public spaces, even in rural counties like Kujang.”
Private operators fill recreation gap
According to the source, private individuals run these rental shops with permission from agencies like city management centers or commercial management centers.
The shops typically operate from 5:00 or 6:00 PM until 11:00 PM in separate facilities. They rent out table tennis paddles, badminton rackets, roller skates, skateboards, and other equipment.
Rental fees run about 2,000 to 3,000 North Korean won per hour for roller skates. For badminton or table tennis, customers can rent equipment for just 30 minutes at the same rate, since these sports require tables or nets.
The shops stock roller skates in all sizes, from children’s to adult, and replace broken table tennis or badminton equipment during use.
Parks transform into affordable entertainment hubs
With sports equipment rentals available at reasonable prices, open public spaces like parks have become “low-cost leisure destinations” for many residents, the source noted.
“The parks stay lit at night, so when the weather’s nice, lots of people rent sports equipment and enjoy their free time,” the source said. “Teenagers especially love the parks because they can hang out with friends.”
The recreational atmosphere extends beyond just sports. “Street vendors sell ice cream and fruit juice near the equipment rental spots,” the source added. “People really appreciate how public spaces have become places to actually enjoy themselves.”
Parks have also installed large inflatable waterslides and pools for the summer season.
“Pay playgrounds have expanded really quickly, and now big inflatable water parks are showing up everywhere,” the source said. “People who can’t afford state-run amusement parks are thrilled because they can use these water parks instead.”
