Luxury, but little sex appeal: How Kim Jong Un is transforming North Korean pop | NK News
NK News Logo
November 02, 2024
Interviews

Luxury, but little sex appeal: How Kim Jong Un is transforming North Korean pop

Music professor Keith Howard’s new book digs into how North Korean songs have changed under various Kims

After dipping its toes in the glitz and glam of modern pop music, North Korea’s state music scene now appears to be returning to more conservative and toned-down values. 

But even so, Kim Jong Un has broadly changed the face and feel of North Korean music to match what we see in much of the rest of the world, according to Keith Howard, a music professor at SOAS University of London. That includes pursuing a more young, "nouveau riche" kind of feel — a seed that former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il planted at the turn of the century.

Try unlimited access
Only $1 for four weeks

  • Unlimited access to all of NK News: reporting, investigations, analysis
  • Year-one discount if you continue past $1 trial period
  • The NK News Daily Update, an email newsletter to keep you in the loop
  • Searchable archive of all content, photo galleries, special columns
  • Contact NK News reporters with tips or requests for reporting
Get unlimited access to all NK News content, including original reporting, investigations, and analyses by our team of DPRK experts.
Subscribe now

All major cards accepted. No commitments – you can cancel any time.