Kim Jong Un was meant to be their only idol - then North Koreans discovered K-pop
A North Korean defector shares how discovering South Korean K-pop music helped her realize the value of personal freedom and choice. The article explores the stark contrast between the restrictive North Korean regime and the cultural influence of South Korean pop stars like BTS.
Why it matters
It illustrates the power of cultural soft power in challenging authoritarian narratives and providing a window into life outside of isolated regimes.
Figure caption, Watch: Songs that changed how some North Koreans saw the world
On a sunny Saturday in June, Lee Yeon-su took the day off from work and hopped on a train from Seoul to Busan for yet another concert by pop supergroup BTS.
She had been in the crowds that poured into central Seoul in March, when the septet launched their comeback - but the stage was too far away. In April, on the first day of their world tour, the rain poured down, drowning out the singers' voices. But this time in Busan, it was "incredible".
"Every time I come to a BTS concert, I realise how happy I am that I can like and support someone of my own free will," Yeon-su, which is not her real name, says. "That would have been unimaginable in North Korea."
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