🔔 Episode Highlights: 🎅 The History of Christmas: Tracing its origins from pagan festivals to modern-day celebrations. 🎁 Weird Traditions Around the Globe: From Japan's KFC feasts 🍗 to Austria's terrifying Krampus parades 👹. 🌟 The Oddities of Santa Lore: Who knew about Iceland's Yule Lads or Italy's Befana the Christmas witch? 🧙‍♀️ ❄️ Quirky Facts: Why do some countries hide brooms on Christmas Eve? 🧹 🍷 Christmas Drinks & Food: Mulled wine, figgy pudding, and yak milk (Donnie, we’re looking at you). 🔎 Fun Moments: Kate's hilarious attempt at singing carols 🎤 The Best Christmas Presents Donnie diving into Christmas in Asia 🎎 #ChristmasAroundTheWorld 🌍 #SantaStories 🎅 #HolidayTraditions 🎄 Mention: Iceland, Austria, Japan, Italy, and more!

On today's episode of Drop A Pin, Donnie and Chaps dive deep into the Hermit Kingdom with two-time defector Charles Ryu. Charles talks about: 🇰🇵 Life under North Korea's dictatorship 🏚️ Growing up in poverty with a father in China and a struggling mother 🚨 Prison camps and forced re-education systems 📜 North Korean history & its closed-off regime ❌ Lack of access to the outside world 🕵️‍♂️ Regime's deadly control: Assassination of Kim Jong Un's family members 🗣️ Guest: Charles Ryu 🌟 His harrowing escapes from North Korea—twice 🛑 The risks of defying the regime 💔 A personal account of survival and resilience ⏳ Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes 🎧 Deep dive into life inside the Hermit Kingdom—a gripping journey you won’t forget! Charles Ryu North Korea Escaping North Korea podcast Life in North Korean prison camps Kim Jong Un family assassinations Forced re-education in North Korea North Korean dictatorship stories Hermit Kingdom life #NorthKorea #EscapeStory #CharlesRyu #HumanRights #Dictatorship #PrisonCamps #KimJongUn #Freedom #PodcastDeepDive #NorthKoreaSecrets Special thanks to Charles Ryu (@CharlesRyuNK) for sharing his story Discussing life under Kim Jong Un’s regime Shoutout to advocates for human rights in North Korea Listen now and gain a deeper understanding of one of the most secretive regimes in the world!

Former NFL player & two-time Super Bowl champion Chris Long (@JOEL9ONE) joins the show! 🚶‍♂️ Discusses climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro 🏔️—the highs, the struggles, and the ultimate triumphs. 💧 Shares his mission to bring clean water to underserved communities through Waterboys (@WaterboysORG). 🌍 Cultural Deep Dive ✈️ Donnie (@DonnieDoesWorld) & Chaps (@UncleChaps) Drop A Pin in Tanzania 🇹🇿: 🗿 The rich history of the region, from its tribal roots to colonial times. 🦁 The incredible wildlife and Serengeti vibes 🐘🦓. 🥘 Food, music, and the welcoming spirit of the Tanzanian people. #Podcast #ChrisLong #NFL #SuperBowlChampion #MtKilimanjaro #Waterboys #CleanWaterInitiative #TanzaniaTravel #AfricanCulture #AdventurePodcast #TravelHistory #GlobalTravel #WildlifeExploration #TanzaniaWildlife #KilimanjaroClimb #Philanthropy #CleanWaterAccess #DropAPinPodcast #TravelPodcast #InspiringStories #SportsAndTravel