Kim Jong-un’s appearance at a K-Pop concert is the first occasion where a North Korean leader has attended a concert performed by South Koreans. The visit happened during a time where diplomatic tensions are easing between the two neighbouring countries.
It was said that the North Korean leader’s was deeply moved by the performance and his heart swelled as his witnessed the North Korean audience respond with such enthusiasm towards the K-Pop performance. He stated that musical exchange is an important factor for a united country.
Kim Jong-un’s sister, Kim Yo-jong and the head of state Kim Yong Nam also attended the concert. The performance took pace in the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre, which is in the heart of the North Korean Capitol. The theatre was decorated to impress the intended 1500 guests.
The most anticipated group to perform at the concert was the girl band known as Red Velvet. They are a five member band that is known for their electronic music, fashion and choreography. Even though North Korea has a strict policy on foreign culture, K-Pop has become a trend in North Korea due to flash drives being smuggled over from China.
This occasion that would’ve been considered a joke a month occurred was triggered by the Winter Olympic Games that were held in PyeongChang. The North Korean leader sent hundreds of cheerleaders and performers to assist with the festivities of the games.
Kim Jong-un also agreed to a summit meeting with the president of South Korea, Moon Jae-in. He also met with the president of China Xi Jinping where they discussed the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. The leader’s new found adoption for meetings is a good indication that we could see peace between the ever fighting countries.
South Korea is also following suit to take procedures to ease the tension between the two nations. The United States military training exercises that normally last two months have been shortened to only one as a sign of good faith.
One of the other talents to perform at the concert is to include Cho Yong-pil. The singer previously had a sold out concert in Pyongyang in 2005. Kim Jong-un’s father, Kim Jong-il was widely known as a fan of the 68 year old singer.
With the tension easing and Kim Jong-un taking proactive measures to ensure peace between several countries we could be looking at a new era of peace between the neighbouring countries.