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A S. Korean song banned in North Korea

Posted September. 05, 2016 06:58,   

Updated September. 05, 2016 07:32

한국어

Just one measure of this song gives us overflowing emotion. We feel as if we must correct our behaviors and renew commitment to resolutely stand up to achieve justice. Is it because the lyrics or rhythm? "Achim Iseul" (Korean words meaning morning dew) was a song that helped unite people who aspired for freedom and democracy in the process of Korea’s democratization from the 1970s. During the era when people were suppressed and subjected to bans, they felt as if they would have a better future sooner rather than later while singing the song starting "staying up all through the night."

In the nostalgic lyrics of the song, the line saying “the red sun is intensively shining over the tomb” was considered problematic. Singer-songwriter Kim Min-ki reportedly created the song after watching the sun rising over dews on grass when he woke up at a public cemetery after drinking all through the night. The song was self-reflection of the young man, who was resisting the authoritarian government merely by heavy drinking, but the state security authority judged the song contained a message of resistance. The Yushin (revitalizing reform) regime banned the song when it issued Emergency Measure No. 9 in May 1975. Interestingly, it was the same song that had won the "soundest song prize of Seoul City's culture awards" in 1971.

Paradoxically, the song was widely sung in North Korea as well. A propaganda video the North Korean authority created to disseminate news on North Koreans’ struggle featured the song. However, as a growing number of North Koreans sang the song, Pyongyang began paying attention to the possibility for the song to instill North Koreans with sense of resistance, and reportedly imposed ban on the song from 1998. The song is truly unlucky since the two Koreas banned it, fearing that their respective citizens might be influenced by the other regime.

After South Korea's broadcasting review committee lifted the ban on 500 songs, which had been restricted from broadcasting, on Sept. 5, 1987, "Achim Iseul" also was broadcasted along with other songs such as "Dongbaek Agassi" (Camellia Lady). Reporter Ju Seong-ha of the Dong-A Ilbo, a graduate of Kim Il Sung University in Pyongyang, addressed his memories of singing "Achim Iseul" with friends in North Korea to explain the reason they were charmed by the song. He said that the spirit of resistance hidden in the song could have stimulated the inherent sense of resistance, which remains latent in minds. While singing "Achim Iseul" in secret, a growing number of North Koreans are reportedly dreaming a new world these days.



한기흥기자 eligius@donga.com