A North Korean school of rock: teaching heavy metal to Pyongyang school girls

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A North Korean school of rock: teaching heavy metal to Pyongyang school girls

Funky Sueyoshi reflects on his time at the June 9th school — and whether music could ever inspire change in the DPRK

Oliver Jia January 8, 2020

A North Korean school of rock: teaching heavy metal to Pyongyang school girls

Courtesy of Funky Sueyoshi

I’m waiting in the basement of the Umeda Zeela concert hall in Osaka, Japan. In just a few hours, drummer Funky Sueyoshi will be performing a 20th-anniversary concert with members of his band, X.Y.Z.→A (pronounced X, Y, Z to A).

Wearing a simple T-shirt and his long white hair not quite stage-ready, Sueyoshi greets me cheerfully. His exterior is certainly that of a rockstar, but the man I’m talking to is far from your typical Japanese musician.

About the Author

Oliver Jia

Oliver Jia is a Kyoto-based graduate student currently pursuing his PhD in international relations at Ritsumeikan University and a regular contributor to NK News. He previously worked as Social Media Editor for Korea Risk Group. His research focuses on Japan-DPRK relations and comparative foreign policy. Follow him on Twitter.

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