hankyoreh

The North Korean Samjiyon musical performance group performed in South Korea for the first time in 16 years with a show at the Gangneung Art Center on Feb. 8. The performance began with the famous North Korean song, “Pangapsumnida,” (“Nice to Meet You”) and also featured South Korean and Western tunes. The 90 minute performance was enthusiastically received by an audience of just over 800 people, although conservative groups protested outside the theatre by playing their own songs and beating on drums.

Park Young-jeong, who is an expert on North Korean artistic performance and heads the research department for the foundation of artistic of policy at the Korea Culture & Tourism Institute said, “The group’s performance of South Korean songs aren’t standard versions, but are arranged according to their sentiments. This shows that these songs aren’t being listened to in secret, but that the taboo against Korean Wave (Hallyu) songs is breaking apart.”

Samjiyon musical performance director Hyun Song-wol listens to the performance next to Democratic Party leader Rep. Choo Mia-ae (third from right) at the Gangneung Art Center on Feb. 8. (Photo Pool)