Lineup finalized for South Korean musical performances in Pyongyang next month

Hyun Song-wol, musical director of the North Korean Samjiyon Orchestra, and South Korean composer Yoon Sang, enter the Tongilgak building on the North Korean side of the Panmunjeom Joint Security Area to hold working level-talks about South Korean musical performances in Pyongyang on Mar. 20. (provided by Unification Ministry)

The group of around 160 performers will include popular singers and the girl group Red Velvet

A lineup including singers Cho Yong-pil, Lee Sun-hee, Yoon Do-hyun, Seohyun, and the South Korean girl group Red Velvet will be staging two performances in Pyongyang in early April. The plan was announced in a joint press release adopted by the South and North Korean sides on Mar. 20 following working-level discussions on the Pyongyang performance at the Tongilgak building on the North Korean side of Panmunjeom. It will be the first performance by South Korean musicians in Pyongyang in the 13 years since Cho’s previously solo concert in 2005.

A group of around 160 performers are to visit from South Korea, including Cho, Lee, Choi Jin-hee, Yoon, Baek Ji-young, Jung-in, Seohyun, Ali, and the members of Red Velvet. Yoon and Cho are to travel with their respective bands. Composer/singer Yoon Sang, who serves as musical director for the South Korean group, said in a Mar. 20 briefing at the Central Government Complex in Seoul that “our first order of business to convey to you, our fellow Koreans in the North, the exact same feeling and naturalness that you have shown in South Korea.”

According to the press release issued that day, members of the group will be visiting Pyongyang from Mar. 31 to Apr. 3 for one performance each at East Pyongyang Grand Theatre and Ryugyong Chung Ju-yung Gymnasium. A Ministry of Unification senior official said the dates of the two performances “will be set as Apr. 1 and 2 (or 3) following additional discussions.”

The Pyongyang performances will consist mainly of popular music. The first performance appears likely to be by South Korean artists alone, while the second will be a joint performance by South and North Korean artists. The inclusion of four singers who have already performed in Pyongyang in the past – Cho, Yoon Do-hyun, Lee, and Choi – was seen as a nod to name recognition and sentiments in the North.

During performances in Gangneung and Seoul last month by the Samjiyon Orchestra, North Korean singers drew a strong audience response with their passionate rendition of Lee’s signature song “J-ege (To J).” With Lee slated to perform this time, many are expecting her to deliver her own return performance of the song in Pyongyang. Seohyun, who made a surprise appearance at the Samjiyon Orchestra’s Seoul performance to join in a performance of the song “Uri-ui Sowon (Our Wish),” is also seen as likely to perform with North Korean singers once again.

“The [South Korean] government has been asking for suggestions on North Korean songs that would be appropriate for South and North Korean singers to perform together during the joint performance,” an expert on North Korean performances said.

“I recommended ‘Bangapseumnida (Pleased to Meet You),’ ‘Uri-neun Hana (We Are One),’ and ‘Hwiparam (Whistle),’ which are on recordings of North Korean songs released in the South,” the expert added.

The South Korean girl group Red Velvet is scheduled to be part of the South Korean musical performances in Pyongyang next month. (Hankyoreh Archive)

Additional discussions to be held on song selection

Additional discussions are to be held on the performance program selections. Yoon Sang admitted it “has not been easy coordinating between the songs they [the North Koreans] want and the ones we want.”

“Beyond the political aspect, there are a lot of songs that people don’t really know [in North Korea],” he explained. “I’m sure an agreement will be reached during the remaining time in the schedule.”

With attempts under way to have the second Pyongyang performance be a joint effort, many are now watching to see what kind of performance group North Korea organizes. Kim Ji-eun, a researcher who studies North Korean music, said it would be “historic if the Moranbong Band makes an appearance, since they’ve never appeared at any of the inter-Korean performances in the past.”

“There’s a good chance it will be the Chongbong Band or the Wangjaesan Light Music Band,” Kim added.

With their latest working-level meeting, the two sides made plans for mutual discussions going ahead to resolve practical issues related to the performances, including the stage conditions and necessary equipment. An advance South Korean team is scheduled to visit Pyongyang on Mar. 22–24 in order to review potential venues. North Korea has agreed to guarantee the safety and comfort of the South Korean performers, while discussing other practical matters through the exchanging of documents over the Panmunjeom liaison channel.

On the issue of the performers’ travel route to the North, a Unification Ministry senior official said, “We are first looking at a direct route over the West Sea by air.”

“There may need to be procedures to explain this to the international community,” the official added.

The advance team is scheduled to arrive in Pyongyang via Beijing.

　

By Kim Mi-young and Noh Ji-won, staff reporters

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