North Korean Music EXPLAINED | DPRK Music & Bands
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.ค. 2024
- North Korean Music is one of those things which is forever fascinating to outsiders. From rousing military marches to calming orchestral pieces and from traditional folk songs to the DPRK's very own brand of modern pop music.
With bands such as the Moranbong Band and the Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble dominating the consciousness of foreign fans, how much do you know about some of the more obscure groups? The Wangjaesan Light Music Band or the Band of the State Affairs Commission.
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🎵 Social Media
Patreon: www.patreon.com/dprkexplained
Twitter: @BenWestonDPRK
Instagram: @BenWestonDPRK
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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
02:46 Military Music
04:57 Popular Music
09:33 New Year Concert
10:35 Revolutionary Opera
15:10 Folk Music
16:42 Outro
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#NorthKorea #DPRK #Pyongyang
*Juche 111 = 2022
The Juche calendar is used in Korea, this is why the Juche calendar is often called the Korean calendar.
@@candyneige6609 True, although the Korean calendar is an older lunisolar calendar used in Korea - the Juche calendar is only really used for official business and less so during everyday interactions - hence why the New Year concert said 2022 in bright lights 😁
@@DPRKExplained And that explains why Koreans uses 2 calendars, the Gregorian calendar and the Juche calendar, and sometimes also a 3rd calendar, the Korean calendar.
@@candyneige6609 Exactly!
Dprk explained what’s the name of the song at 5:09
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
@@time-forward East Germany was terrible, east Germany was poor and authoritarian.
@@jacombodoescare me when I know nothing
@@vadarman9906 its true though and it fucked them in the head
reunification was a mistake
t. west german
You can listen to these East German songs if you are interested: Veronika Fischer Guten Tag, Holger Biege als der Regen niederging, Karat über sieben Brücken, Stern Meissen also was soll aus mir werden, Reinhard Lakomy and also "Mein Herz soll ein Wasser sein" These songs are amazing, I come from former East Germany, although born short after reunification
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!
Something that I completely agree with and could even vouch for.
I've seen the interiors of certain DPRK hotels for foreigners and they look straight out of movies from the 80s from the Indian subcontinent.
I agree to this completely. It sounds exactly what my father listens to sometimes
@@naughtiusmaximus789 Spaim 90s style
Also Japanese and Hongkong at 70s vibes
Not at all! It sounds very similar to Soviet/Chinese type music. Also disagree about it sounding Indian/Sri Lankan tbh. Yes the instrumentals - the cheap synths, no everything else.
One of the most interesting, entertaining, and informing videos I have ever seen on TH-cam; 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.
Thank you! It's very gratifying to read comments like this, it's nice to know the work is appreciated and people are enjoying the content.
What about a separate video about the Moranbong Band? The international fans would love to hear updates about the members.
esa banda norcoreana parece ser la más famosa banda norcoreana fuera de Corea del Norte
Is this the kpop that everyone is always talking about?
Absolutely fantastic work. Thank you for all the invisible hours I know went into this.
Thank you very much!!
I can't wait to learn more about the Pochonbo Electric Ensemble
I have to say, I had design and animate the Pochonbo logo for this video and I'm so proud of it.
@@DPRKExplained we're proud of you too
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!
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.
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.
Hi! this is anton my dad found your yt channel by some miracle and he thinks
this video is great
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!)
"Nostalgia" is my favorite DPRK song. It's so calming and beautiful
사향가 is also one of my favourites!
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
my favorite genre of north korean pop music is Pochonbo's style of kitsch ambient
Great video, and I especially like the graphics
You made again a Great and Interesting Video!
Great Work!
Keep it up!
Some of the pop music reminds me of old style Eurovision or ITV light entertainment in the 1970s
Another great video. Thank you. The "death" of the Moranbong band is very sad, but many of their concerts and individual songs are on TH-cam, 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!
I wonder you can make a video about North Korean notable individuals (like artist, athletes, anything but politician)
Beautiful video! Keep up the absolutely fantastic work!
It's pity that the video has lost the Cheongpong Music Ensemble, of which many of the members from Unhasu and Wangjaesan reorganized.
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 💕
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)!
Wonderful programme . All my favourites are there , especially The Flower Girl and Moranbong. Many thanks , from UK ☺☺☺☺
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 video as always. I don't have words to describe your wonderful animations. Must have taken a lot of time.
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
amazing video, thank you for your work!
1:35 did they just mixed their song with Vivaldi's winter? 😲
Wangjaesan Light Music Band, and Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble are addicting like Serbian Turbofolk.
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.
I listen to so much dprk music that I recognized almost every song in this video.
Underrated channel no joke
I think we can all agree that this channel is the most unbiased in explaining how the DPRK works.
Amazing breakdown ! Hope you do a video on the recent state funeral
This was very interesting. Thank you.
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.
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.
could you recommend any other music groups? i know moranbong band, pochonbo, wangjaesan etc. but i can't really find many others. thanks
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
The Kim family rules all and it trickles down from there. That's about it
@@Dr.ZoidbergPhD That's false
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.
Is European classical music (Bach, Mozart etc.) generally available in the DPRK?
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!
North Korea is cringe
Hey, I've been watching a lot of DPRK documentaries and their music has really piqued my interest. I subscribed to your channel. Do you know how to buy CDs without having to go to the country?
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.
Not sponsored and nobody else working on them - just me :)
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 🎶❤
Whistle has a version in Spanish by a cuban artist,and that Spanish version was quite famous in the 90s
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
Imo, the west is kinda racist towards North Koreans and North Korea as a whole, dudes don't realize they are just human, and have their own opinions, views, culture.
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.
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 !
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
천리마 달린다 is probably my favourite pop song, especially since I know all the words so I can successfully do it in karaoke. Folk song would have to be 도라지 or the compulsory 아리랑. When it comes to military music, there are quite a few good options to choose from, although '조선로동당 만세' would be a good shout.
To be honest there are a lot of songs, especially from the Wangjaesan Light Music Band and their covers of Ongheya and Don't Ask my Name.
Wangjaesan is by far the most underrated everyone mostly knows Moranbong or Pochonbo but Wangjaesan is mostly forgotten 😢
@@theranredguardist1949 Exactly 😭😭😭
@@DPRKExplained Yeah I noticed you really like to add Wangjaesan's cover of don't ask my name in the intro or outro of your videos
The music is not bad at all.
Revolutionary operas are such a good idea!
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
Does anyone know where I can find the revolutionary operas with English subtitles? I found one on TH-cam but it doesn't have subtitles
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?
me: I listen to Kpop
other: oh! which group do you stan?
me: morambong, of course
pochonbo is better tho
The OG KPOP.
Also, "Chollima On The Wing" is always the most distinctive to me for some reason.
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.
Wonderful video.
Do DPRK songs ever feature romantic love as a central theme ?
DPRK music in known as K-pop.
They did in the 80s Hwiparam, and some others
@@hermenegildoc3933 Yup !
Yes. There are some songs by the Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble that feature romantic love, but it's not really common.
@@DPRKMusicBox Exactly.
The Chongbong Band and Unhasu Orchestra wasn’t mentioned
True, there were a few bands and groups which were cut for time - perhaps a Part II is in order in the future!
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?
is there a dprk rock scene?
I love this content, but I haven’t found yet someone who talks about North Korean fashion.
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?
Peace Is on Our Bayonet, Bayonets of Justice Bring Thunder, Soldiers' Footsteps, The Road to Victory...
Could anyone please tell me what is the name of the song starting around 1:10? It sounds amazing
they need rock n roll there!
Awesome music of the DPRK!
What's the name of the music starting at 1:08 ?
almost Juche 112 = 2023
I love Morambong Band.
Real kpop
What song played at the beginning of the military section?
So their music is still on that city pop vibe
And rev theater is like les miserables but in korean context
I'm surprised you haven't joined the DPRK Music discord, considering how much you know about the DPRK.
I was unaware of such a discord
@@DPRKExplained May I send you the invite?
@@Gren950 Go for it - how do you do that? Do I need to do anything?
@@DPRKExplained Did you get the invite? Sorry if I sound persistent- I'm just making sure
@@Gren950 Don't think so - how are you sending it?
Pochonbo was my gateway drug to DPRK culture related topics
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!
@@Svea_LifeGuards thank you very much for your comment! In the meanwhile I found it, it was Tansume by the Moranbong Band.
2:33 I never knew stuff came out of the RAF
*Dambusters music starts*
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
Pochonbo ensemble - I am joyful
NK-Pop! :P
Its will be great if somebody will translate ( english subtitles) one of those Revolutionary opera´s.
Wangjaesan is my favorite 😻 one
Good video, rich in information. How were you able to get all the data for this?
Curious, are there any indie bands?
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
"My country is the best" this song by Pochonbo is even popular in South Korea❤
this is going to lemmygrad!
Some banging tunes
6:30 Blackpink need some copyright for their song.
Anyone know the song name at 6:48
It makes sense now why the Western band, Laibach, was invited to tour North Korea.
Finally, K-pop !
There's a video to explain what exactly the guy posted on my discord
I love DPRK Music its honestly the best
One of my dreams is to visit NK one day ❤
Reminds me of old Cccp videos
남 과 북 조국은 하나다 평화 바랍니다👍🇰🇷🇰🇵
One wonders if the DPRK has any grime, drill, murdercore or doom metal. 😂 I doubt it. Great video
Let's hope not!