The government of South Korea is playing loudly amplified anti-North Korea propaganda along the North Korean border today. The sonic assault combines K-Pop music with throwing shade at the North’s nuclear program and its leader Kim Jong Un. North Korea considers the broadcasts to be an act of war.
From USA Today:
The South had stopped the broadcasts in August as part of a deal to defuse tensions, but they restarted earlier this week after the North claimed it successfully tested its first hydrogen bomb two days ago, drawing widespread international condemnation and skepticism.
North Korea considers the broadcasts an act of war, and the fresh propaganda against Kim could further inflame the country since Friday was believed to be the leader’s 33rd birthday.
The music selections Seoul made to annoy Pyongyang are interesting. From the Associated Press:
A song by Lee Ae-ran whose title can be translated as “100 years of life” sends messages to death, or a god from the underworld, saying it isn’t yet time to say goodbye to living.
It was so popular among young and old that Kakao Talk, South Korea’s most popular messenger app, created emoticons, or animated images, from the music video. The song inspired a host of online parodies and memes, and political parties reportedly sought to use it in their campaigns during upcoming general elections.
Also echoing over the Demilitarized Zone: GFriend’s “Me gustas Tu,” about a girl who is trying to muster courage and overcome shyness to ask a boy out. GFriend rose to fame last year when a fan posted a video on YouTube showing its members standing up after falling several times on a slippery stage to complete an outdoor performance. The YouTube video has nearly 9 million views since it was uploaded in September.
K-pop music is prohibited in North Korea. Only government-run TV and radio stations are permitted. People who have fled the North say South Korean music manages to find a way through, though. AP reports that K-pop is very popular in the North, and is smuggled in on USB sticks and DVDs.