Few people from outside North Korea ever get to see, with their own eyes, what life is like inside the country’s restrictive borders — scenes ranging from a simple haircut to a mass synchronized swimming performance.

Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder is in North Korea and has been documenting scenes around the country that offer a glimpse into a largely unseen side of North Korea, capturing images of daily life that are at times quirky, at other times haunting.

Here’s a gallery of some of his recent images.