When North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un released his latest song two weeks ago, he probably did not imagine, that it will become a hit on TikTok, bTV reported.
Most of the people who liked the clip clearly have no idea what the text is actually about. And he praising the man who promised to “completely destroy the USA” and launch dozens of ballistic missiles, writes the BBC.
“To honor Kim Jong-un, the great leader / We will be proud of Kim Jong-un, our friendly father”, the song sings.
“This is just a great melody“, users of the social network note.
“Just on the spot! This song is worthy of a “Grammy”, “So dark yet instantly memorable“ are just some of the raving comments under the song's TikTok video.
But behind the optimistic pop music actually hides a much more sinister phenomenon, say experts.
The song, called “Friendly Father”, is just the latest in a series of propaganda pop songs released in the DPRK over the past 50 years. It is upbeat, fast-paced and very catchy - all these qualities make the song very similar to western pop hits.
However, it also has some Soviet-era motifs, with Gen Z users describing the song as “something like ABBA“, putting it on par with the popular Swedish group.
“Every note here reminds you of ABBA. It's very upbeat, it's extremely easy to remember, and it has a rich set of segments that sound orchestral,” says Peter Moody, a specialist on North Korea at Korea University.
But when writing a hit that should become popular in North Korea, there are more than just commercial considerations: the authorities want the catchy tune to penetrate the minds of the people.
“There is no room for abstract phrases or overly complex rhythms,” says Alexandra Leonzini, a Cambridge University scholar who studies North Korean music.
These ringtones should be simple, accessible and easy to understand.
They should also sound in a vocal range that most people can sing. The masses don't need “vocal exercises”, so forget about multi-octave riffs.
Leonzini says that it is rare to find compositions filled with real emotion in official North Korean music.
„The idea is to motivate people to strive for a common goal for the good of the nation... So there is no need to create ballads and things like that,” she says.
Creative freedom is not allowed in North Korea. Musicians, artists and writers are prohibited from creating works for the sake of art alone.
„All art in North Korea must serve the class education of the citizens, and in particular teach them the reasons why they should feel a sense of gratitude and a sense of loyalty to the party,“, Leonzini explained.
The North Korean government believes in the theory that every work of art must contain an ideological “seed“, ie. a message that is then widely spread through art.
Music is one of the most powerful art tools that Pyongyang actively uses and creates many pop songs for domestic consumption.
The DPRK authorities send opera companies and symphony orchestras on tours abroad, but the simpler ensembles are intended only for domestic audiences.
According to defectors, North Koreans wake up every morning to propaganda songs blaring from city squares.
„The track list and lyrics of the latest songs that are not released very often are printed in newspapers and magazines. Usually people have to learn the dances that accompany them,” says Keith Howard, professor of musicology at the London School of Oriental and African Studies, who first traveled to North Korea back in the 1990s.
„As long as the song penetrates the body, it becomes a part of the person. That's why they know the lyrics so well, even if they just listen to them “on auto mode”. A good ideological song does its job - it has to convey a message”, he says..