EBS1’s World Theme Travel lifts the veil on everyday life in Pakistan—the moments and faces that flashy headlines tend to hide.
“Pakistan! People Are the Landscape,” a four-part series airing from the 11th through the 14th, follows travel writer and creator Kim Woong-jin as he travels across Pakistan. Instead of ticking off famous city sights, the show zeroes in on old alleys, markets, mountain trails, border towns, and—most importantly—the people who give these places life. With more than 50 days of travel experience in Pakistan, Kim immerses himself in everyday local life for this journey.
The trip starts in Pakistan’s heartland, Punjab. In Rawalpindi’s packed alleys, Kim bargains with rickshaw drivers and digs into halwa puri at a restaurant that’s been serving locals since 1948. In Lahore, the gritty energy of Ravi Road—the logistics artery for northern Pakistan—unfolds. Pakistani truck art, decked out in vivid colors and ornate decorations, appears not just as transport but as drivers’ living spaces and a bold form of self-expression.
Old-city scenes follow. Lahore’s lanes still carry traces of the Mughal era and narrow the deeper you go. At the end of the one-person-wide Nika Wali Gali, traditional markets and charpai workshops reveal themselves. Craftsmen hand-weave the ropes for the charpai, a staple piece of furniture in everyday Pakistani homes. The show’s curator follows a thick‑handed artisan and also looks at life in Gujranwala, where wrestling traditions continue to thrive.
The second episode explores Lahore and Kasur at dusk. As night falls, the cities change mood completely—the series traces evening street life and local nightlife. Bustling markets, timeworn streets, and people-filled alleys show another side of Pakistan.
Episode three heads to Hunza, a place many travelers dream of. Villages tucked beneath high mountain ranges bloom with apricot blossoms, capturing the distinct spring of northern Pakistan. The villages set against vast natural backdrops and the rhythms of daily life there explain why this region remains a traveler’s fantasy.
The final episode captures the dramatic seasonal shifts of northern Pakistan. The route from Passu and the Shandur Pass to Chitral and the Kalash Valley contrasts snow-lined mountain roads with valleys already tasting of spring. The episode also highlights the Kalash people and their unique cultural traditions.
Rather than reinforcing the familiar “dangerous country” stereotype, this series highlights the warmth of neighborhood life, the smiles of locals, and ordinary routines lived against grand natural scenery. By putting people before panoramas, the journey invites viewers to see Pakistan from a fresh perspective.
“World Theme Travel – Pakistan! People Are the Landscape” airs on EBS1 at 8:40 p.m. daily from the 11th through the 14th.
Most Commented