March 28, 2024
Analysis

Unification-pop: When South Korean singers looked North for inspiration

K-pop wasn't always about leggy girls, broken hearts or the streets of Gangnam

Long before Psy became a national culture hero with “Gangnam Style” and boy bands with bling attracted enormous crowds, the originators of K-pop sang about something that seemed a lot more important decades ago: unification.

In fact, foreign North Korea watchers and K-pop enthusiasts may be surprised to know that some of the masterpieces of early K-pop had unification, not love or dancing, as their theme.

Become a member for less than $4 per week.

  • Unlimited access to all of NK News: reporting, investigations, analysis
  • The NK News Daily Update, an email newsletter to keep you in the loop
  • Searchable archive of all content, photo galleries, special columns
  • Contact NK News reporters with tips or requests for reporting
Get unlimited access to all NK News content, including original reporting, investigations, and analyses by our team of DPRK experts.
Subscribe now

All major cards accepted. No commitments – you can cancel any time.