North Korean Music EXPLAINED | DPRK Music & Bands 

*Juche 111 = 2022

It's always a treat learning more about nations that are mysterious to us westerners. I'd love to learn more about East Germany and other Warsaw pact nations some day

The popular music of the DPRK has a similar feeling to the music from the 70 - early 90s Sri Lanka/India I grew up with. Very nostalgic. I know a lot of westerns get hung up on that, but its simply a cultural difference, I suppose. Great video!

One of the most interesting, entertaining, and informing videos I have ever seen on RU-vid; to be honest, I was almost crying watching this video. I respect the work and effort you put into this so much. I truly appreciate your efforts to make information about North Korea more available to the public. The dehumanization and lack of recognition of the individuality of North Koreans is a huge problem, and you have done your best to try to fix this problem. Not only that, but you make the video so beautiful.

A lot of people think DPRK music is "weird" or "backwards," but as a Chinese person, I just see it as a unique and beautiful part of their culture. Love to our Korean neighbors from across the Changbai/Changbaek range!

Absolutely fantastic work. Thank you for all the invisible hours I know went into this.

Regarding the pop/classical genre, Moranbong band was a step above all others, just facts. The talent within Moranbong band was truly something special. Full credit to the music writers as well.

What about a separate video about the Moranbong Band? The international fans would love to hear updates about the members.

Is this the kpop that everyone is always talking about?

I can't wait to learn more about the Pochonbo Electric Ensemble

I'm glad there's finally a documentary on this! The instrumentation of the different military bands of the D.P.R.K. are so distinctive and unique I really want to know more. I've also read somewhere the marching bands of the K.P.A. have one of the most complicated and highly complex marching patterns in the world. Note: One can find a lot of information on North Korean music in Kim Jong-Il's book, _The Art of Music_ which can be found online.

the synths and slides mixed with those beautiful vocals during the pochombo band’s performance make for an amazing listen. and wow that guitar from the wanjaesong group’s song is insane as well

Happy may day 1st! (from estonia and I really enjoy your videos! my favourite popular song is "My country is the best" and other songs like "Don't advance the night of Pyongyang" and "Train to the front line" is a pretty catchy song!)

This is all fascinating, but I'd love to know what happens outside of Pyongyang. Does NK have bars, or even cafes, with live music? Are there cabarets? Do they have ladies singing emotional love songs (sometimes called 'torch' songs), like Japanese 'enka', or Portuguese 'fado'? I can imagine there are folk music recitals, but how about just for evening relaxation, and perhaps even a bit of dancing? If local bands exist, I wonder if there is any wriggle room for slightly 'bohemian' behaviour amongst popular players and singers? With emphasis on the 'slightly' - not rebellious, just trying to look a bit 'cool' (relatively, in the context of NK, of course)!

Hi! this is anton my dad found your yt channel by some miracle and he thinks this video is great

I wonder you can make a video about North Korean notable individuals (like artist, athletes, anything but politician)

my favorite genre of north korean pop music is Pochonbo's style of kitsch ambient

Some of the pop music reminds me of old style Eurovision or ITV light entertainment in the 1970s

It's pity that the video has lost the Cheongpong Music Ensemble, of which many of the members from Unhasu and Wangjaesan reorganized.

"Nostalgia" is my favorite DPRK song. It's so calming and beautiful

Great overview of the variety of the DPRK music scene! Here, I can expand a few things that maybe didn't make it in to the video... Some other ensembles not mentioned include: The State Symphony Orchestra is a classical style Orchestra, in recent years they've done a lot of joint concerts with Samjiyon Orchestra, State Merited Chorus etc. where they just provide extra musical manpower to be honest. The Chongbong Band, a jazzy-pop style band (could say they were a bit like a more acoustic version of the Moranbong Band) which was unfortunately shorter-lived than most other art troupes (performances from 2015 to late 2017). However many of their members, especially singers, ended up later performing in the Samjiyon Orchestra and are still active nowadays. Another is the KPA Song and Dance Ensemble, another military style band. I'd say they have a style which is sort of a mix between SMC, KPA Military Band, and some performances are even a bit like the Moranbong Band or Wangjaesan Light Music Band. The Unhasu Orchestra was a really prominent ensemble active from the Kim Jong-il era to around 2013. It was a big Orchestra which had a rather wide stylistic range: classical, jazz, DPRK-military style and traditional-style Korean folk music. The Orchestra used not only classical western instruments, but also some traditional korean instruments too. This direct mix of indigenous and foreign musical instruments would be unorthodox in most places, but since the DPRK adapted Korean instruments to operate on the same musical scales as western instruments in the 1970s, this sort-of "modernisation" has ensured the survival of traditional instruments in DPRK music (even SMC occasionally has a jangsenap player!). Once you are familiar with DPRK music, it's also well worth watching performances from University student Ensembles from Kim Won-gyun University etc. One note on the Samjiyon Orchestra/band: the original ensemble was called the Samjiyon Band (삼지연 악단), it was a lot smaller and focussed a fair bit on classical music, as recently as 2018, they have performed as a much larger orchestra (sometimes with a chorus or singers - which weren't present before) and were called the Samjiyon Orchestra (spelt as on the logo in the video). One thing that you may notice is that so many ensembles are named after places in DPR Korea (Moranbong park in Pyongyang, Pochonbo, Wangjaesan, Samjiyon...) In my opinion my top 3 favourite DPRK music ensembles are: Moranbong Band Chongbong Band Unhasu Orchestra

Another great video. Thank you. The "death" of the Moranbong band is very sad, but many of their concerts and individual songs are on RU-vid, so not forgotten. At present my favourite song is My Life, one I'd quite ignored before. I often wonder what the lovely ladies are doing now. I hope it's not just washing up, nappies and ironing!

Another fine installment in the series! Keep up the good work comrade

That will be one of the most interesting videos on your channel ❤️ can’t wait

I know a lot of communist parties behind the iron curtain saw rock’n’roll as an instrument of American imperialism, but is the KWP’s position on Rock’n’roll, hip hop, house, techno, electro, blues, jazz, R&B and country the same? I find a lot of the Moranbong band very camp, like something out of 1970s Eurovision Song Contest.

Wangjaesan Light Music Band, and Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble are addicting like Serbian Turbofolk.

I love how you narrate the DPRK. This will help me better understand the other faces of Korea. I am a Korean major and educator. From the Philippines 🇵🇭 with Love 💕

1:35 did they just mixed their song with Vivaldi's winter? 😲

You made again a Great and Interesting Video! Great Work! Keep it up!

I just found this channel and I’m impressed. That said I also feel like I’m watching DPRK tourism videos. We hear a lot in the west about the “hermit kingdom” and about how most of the country is without electricity. These videos so far seem to negate that falsity(?). Almost makes me want to visit on a holiday….i feel like this sort of stuff should be taught in schools about DPRK instead of misinformation.

Amazing video as always. I don't have words to describe your wonderful animations. Must have taken a lot of time.

Beautiful video! Keep up the absolutely fantastic work!

Great video, and I especially like the graphics

I listen to so much dprk music that I recognized almost every song in this video.

Wonderful programme . All my favourites are there , especially The Flower Girl and Moranbong. Many thanks , from UK ☺☺☺☺

amazing video, thank you for your work!

Is European classical music (Bach, Mozart etc.) generally available in the DPRK?

Can you make a video about DPRK’s political structure? Always find this country interesting and i also want to know more about how their government works

I was under the impression that the only music allowed was music that praised the Leader or was Patriotic or military. On some other video, in the Department Store, "My Way" was playing in the background, instrumental. You're videos are amazing. The quality and the amount of footage is exceptional. Are these videos sponsored or supported by the DPRK Govt? They are professional/studio quality.

I do not support the DPRK and I do not support the fact that Korea is split into two. That said, I am an appreciator of culture and music from different countries of the world. The music of North Korea is beautiful and I can appreciate the culture. Thank you for making this video it is beautifully made. I hope that the two Koreas are unified in the near future. There should only ever be one Korea. Excellent video.

Amazing breakdown ! Hope you do a video on the recent state funeral

Underrated channel no joke

Man, if you continue to work that well, I can garantee to you that the embassy of DPRK will invite you to visit their country. That happened with all known around serious DPRK researchers and educators.

Awesome video! I fell in love with DPRK music as soon as I discovered it, it has such a unique sound. Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble is my favourite but they're all good in their own ways. It's so hard to find any information about a lot of DPRK music so I really appreciate a video dedicated to it.

This was very interesting. Thank you.

Loving the insight on this. On an irrelevant note, my most favourite North Korean song is "4.15". They played this during the civilian parade for Kim Ill Sung's Birthday this year. So catchy 🎶❤

Hoping here for a future performance by the Moranbong Band. That band introduced me to DPRK music and also inspired me to learn the violin. (Coincidentally, I named my violin "Hyang-hui" after one of the Moranbong Band's members.) And I'm curious on why the Chongbong Band was left out of the video.

Whistle has a version in Spanish by a cuban artist,and that Spanish version was quite famous in the 90s

I think we can all agree that this channel is the most unbiased in explaining how the DPRK works.

Absolutely loving your videos Perhaps for the next video you should explain how the actual government works and that it isn't just Kim doing absolutely everything

Discovered you channel yesterday, watched some 20 videos. Great work. Is all this music recorded? Is it published on LPs, CDs? Do they sell record players, CD players? Can people play their favorite music at home?

Oh my this is gonna be epic. Cant wait to learn more. Also I would love to know some of your fav songs from DPRK

A very good analysis if North Korean Music. Not bad. Except for one thing....the most internationally known band, Moranbong stopped existing about 2 or 3 years ago. Crazy that this should be the case because they really were a showpiece for North Korea !

Revolutionary operas are such a good idea!

One of the most unique channels out there Never seen a channel speaking like that about NK Almost anyone in the west say it’s a hell in earth

Does anyone know where I can find the revolutionary operas with English subtitles? I found one on RU-vid but it doesn't have subtitles

The Chongbong Band and Unhasu Orchestra wasn’t mentioned

Pochonbo was my gateway drug to DPRK culture related topics

Thank you, my friend. I'm in love with DPRK-music for round about five years. South Korea makes the best movies in the world and North Korea the best music.

is there a dprk rock scene?

Could anyone please tell me what is the name of the song starting around 1:10? It sounds amazing

I'm surprised you haven't joined the DPRK Music discord, considering how much you know about the DPRK.

The OG KPOP. Also, "Chollima On The Wing" is always the most distinctive to me for some reason.

North Korean music is beautiful and unique, especially opera. The Mansudae Art Troupe has mastered opera by mixing traditional Korean and western instruments and choruses. Their soprano solos never fail to reach my heart. A Part II featuring older and less known groups such as the Sea of Blood Opera Troupe, the State National Art Troupe or the KPA's Internal Security Forces Song and Dance Ensemble would be amazing too. Thank you for such an informative and comprehensive video!

I love this content, but I haven’t found yet someone who talks about North Korean fashion.

Fantastic video! DPRK Music is the Thing that made me interested in the DPRK in the first place and consequently, your channel! So this video was very much anticipated and apreciated. On a side note. Am I the only one who thinks that north korean pop-songs sound incredibly melancholic?

lol it seems there's no all male bands in korea but there are all women ones, do they even have male pop stars? the video doesn't show any

What song played at the beginning of the military section?

Wonderful video. Do DPRK songs ever feature romantic love as a central theme ?

What's the name of the music starting at 1:08 ?

me: I listen to Kpop other: oh! which group do you stan? me: morambong, of course

Can someone please be so kind and remind me of the name of the song that starts at 1:07? I completely forgot it, thank you so much!

6:06 what is the title of this music because I was searching this dprk song for so long and I can't even find it

"My country is the best" this song by Pochonbo is even popular in South Korea❤

So their music is still on that city pop vibe And rev theater is like les miserables but in korean context

Personally I love the Korean People's Army Merited Chorus; their powerfully majestic music styles something likely to be described as full-scale attacks make me so pumped up. But sometimes they put out different music styles such as tones from powerful to calm and melancholy ones, the track like ''밤하늘에 내리는 눈송이(Snowflakes Falling from the Sky)'', which I love it, too. What's your favorites from KPA Chorus?

they need rock n roll there!

The music is not bad at all.

Curious, are there any indie bands?

almost Juche 112 = 2023

2:33 I never knew stuff came out of the RAF

I love Morambong Band.

Anyone know the song name at 6:48

Awesome music of the DPRK!

Its will be great if somebody will translate ( english subtitles) one of those Revolutionary opera´s.

this is going to lemmygrad!

NK-Pop! :P

Wangjaesan is my favorite 😻 one

Good video, rich in information. How were you able to get all the data for this?

One wonders if the DPRK has any grime, drill, murdercore or doom metal. 😂 I doubt it. Great video

There's a video to explain what exactly the guy posted on my discord

Real kpop

Reminds me of old Cccp videos

Some banging tunes

That’s lit

As a Chinese We always hear communist musics or country loving musics But now we a more open to anything about music From Teresa Tang's at 1979

Its like livin in the 90

One of my dreams is to visit NK one day ❤

6:30 Blackpink need some copyright for their song.

It makes sense now why the Western band, Laibach, was invited to tour North Korea.