North Koreans secretly told K-pop star Ailee that they were fans of her music during a 2018 performance in Pyongyang, the singer has revealed, despite the DPRK’s strict laws on the consumption of South Korean media.

The Korean American singer was one of several K-pop artists who traveled with former President Moon Jae-in’s delegation for a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Sept. 2018, reportedly performing during a dinner banquet on the first day.

“I don’t know if I’m supposed to say this, or if I’m allowed to, but they know all our music,” Ailee said during