Spring is Coming (Korean: 봄이온다) was a concert that occurred in Pyongyang, North Korea, on April 1 and 3, 2018. It included numerous South Korean performers, and was described as an important event in the 2018 thaw in the North Korea–South Korea relations.[1]
| Cultural diplomacy concert by Cho Yong-pil, Lee Sun-hee, Yoon Do-hyun, Baek Ji-young, Choi Jin-hee, Kang San-ae, Seohyun, Kim Kwang-min, YB, Red Velvet, Samjiyon Orchestra | |
| Location | Pyongyang, North Korea |
|---|---|
| Venue | East Pyongyang Grand Theatre, Ryugyong Jong Ju Yong Gymnasium |
| Date(s) | April 1 and 3, 2018 |
| No. of shows | Two |
| Guests | Kim Jong-un, Ri Sol-ju |
| Supporting act(s) | South Korean taekwondo artists |
Background edit
The event has been described as the first South Korean musical performance in the North in "over a decade".[1] The previous South Korean performance in the North took place in 2005, with a solo concert by Cho Yong-pil.[1] The Spring is Coming concert was described as a "reciprocal cultural visit" after North Korea sent performers to the South.[1][2] In particular, North Korea's Samjiyon Orchestra gave several concerts coinciding with the 2018 Winter Olympics, including a concert in Seoul on February 11, attended by North Korean leader's sister Kim Yo-jong and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.[3]
The concert edit
The Spring is Coming concert took part over two days: April 1 (Sunday) and April 3 (Tuesday). The first day featured a 2 hour long concert at the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre which seats 1,500.[1][4] Performers included at least 11[4] South Korean singers and vocalists, including Cho Yong-pil, Lee Sun-hee, Yoon Do-hyun, Baek Ji-young, Kang San-ae, Seohyun, pianist Kim Kwang-min, five-member rock band YB, as well as five-member K-pop girl band Red Velvet (though one of Red Velvet band members, Joy, did not attend due to scheduling conflicts[5]).[1][4] The second day featured a joint performance between South and North Korean musicians at the Ryugyong Jong Ju Yong Gymnasium (12,000 seats), with the North side represented by the Samjiyon Orchestra.[4][5][6] Approximately 190 South Koreans (musicians, support staff and journalists) traveled to the North for the event.[4] In addition, South Korean taekwondo artists were to perform demonstrations on April 1 and 2, with the Sunday performance at the Pyongyang Taekwondo Hall drawing an audience of about 2,300.[4][7]
The concert on April 1 was attended by the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un and his wife, Ri Sol-ju.[1][6] Kim Jong-un was reported by media, including North Korean KCNA state news agency, and independent observers as enjoying himself, and praised the event himself.[1][6] He also stated that North Korean musicians may hold another reciprocal event in the South in a few months, tentatively titled "Autumn has Come".[8] Ordinary North Koreans may be persecuted for listening to foreign media without state permission; North Koreans caught watching South Korean movies, for example, face prison time.[1] Although South Korean journalists were specifically invited to cover the concert, they were prevented from doing so, though apologized to by North intelligence director Kim Yong-chol, who blamed "a breakdown in cooperation between Kim Jong Un's security detail and concert organisers".[1] The concerts have been seen as acts of cultural diplomacy.[9]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Kim, Christine. "North Korea's Kim Jong Un, wife, watch South Korean K-pop stars..." U.S. Retrieved 2018-04-27.
- ^ "Kim Jong Un's closest aides made sure alcohol was flowing as South Korean singers partied in Pyongyang". Newsweek. 2018-04-06. Retrieved 2018-05-03.
- ^ "North Korea's Samjiyon Orchestra performs in Seoul". koreatimes. 2018-02-12. Retrieved 2018-05-03.
- ^ a b c d e f "South Korean concerts in Pyongyang set for April 1 and 3". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2018-05-03.
- ^ a b koreaportal (2018-04-02). "Red Velvet's Joy Absence In North Korea's 'Spring is Coming' Concert Explained, Netizens Slam Joy For Missing The Historic Event". koreaportal. Retrieved 2018-05-03.
- ^ a b c "South Korea musicians return after rare Pyongyang joint concert". The Japan Times Online. 2018-04-04. ISSN 0447-5763. Archived from the original on 2018-05-03. Retrieved 2018-05-03.
- ^ "South Korean K-pop stars perform for Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang". the Guardian. 2018-04-01. Retrieved 2018-05-03.
- ^ Dong-man, Han. "Spring is coming to the Korean Peninsula". Retrieved 2018-05-03.
- ^ Smith, Nicola (1 April 2018). "North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attends 'K-pop' conference". The Telegraph. Retrieved 14 May 2018.