Despite its jaw-dropping £559 million price tag, according to Japanese media, the hotel has never hosted a single guest. Often called the "Hotel of Doom," the Ryugyong was envisioned as a bold symbol of North Korea's economic and architectural prowess. Had it opened on schedule, it would have claimed the title of the tallest hotel in the world. In 2024, North Korea reportedly began looking for a foreign investor to complete the hotel in exchange for exclusive rights to operate a casino within the massive 105-storey building. Whether this latest casino bid succeeds or not, the Ryugyong Hotel remains a towering symbol of ambition still waiting to be fulfilled.