“Music As a Diplomacy Symbol between South and North Korea”

“Music As a Diplomacy Symbol between South and North Korea”
Nathaniel Adinda Leksmono
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Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/01/world/asia/kim-jong-un-north-Korea-k-pop-concert.html

The title seems strange right? But it happens recently. On 1st and 3rd of April 2018, several South Korean musicians perform in Pyeongyang, North Korea in the terms of Peace Concert under the name “ Spring is Coming” and also it is the first time after 13 years since 2005 that South Korean musician held a diplomacy concert in North Korea.

The musician which is invited to North Korea is Korean Girlgroup named Red Velvet, Seohyun of Girls Generation, Soloist Baek Jiyoung and others. The concert was held in East Pyongyang Grand Tower for two hours. Kim Jong-un, the supreme leader, and his wife also watched the concert despite his tight schedule. Red Velvet as a representative of Kpop Group performing 2 of their hit songs such as “Red Flavor” and “Bad Boy” while Seohyun from Girls Generation singing North Korean song named “Blue Willow Tree” also Baek Jiyoung performed her hit songs such as “Like Being Hit by a Bullet” and her soundtrack for K-Drama (Korean Drama) IRIS “Don’t Forget Me”. it is an honor for them to performing in North Korea because the leader saw their performances and the audiences feel warm by their performance which makes the performer feel pleased.  What makes it unique is the differences between South and North Korea music which some of South Korea Music makes them in “cultural shock” but nevermind, the audiences enjoy their performance.

As we know, Korea peninsula has been at war for almost 70 years. The ideology differences make them separated into North Korea with Communist perspective and South Korea with Liberal-Capitalist perspective and also a truce talks agreements in which grew up as enemies. With this kind of diplomacy, we hope that Music is a beginning step to make Korea united again after being separated for a long time.

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