During the international figure skating gala commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Workers’ Party, North Korea featured a song by renowned American artist Bruno Mars. This has sparked discussions about North Korea’s predicament as it seeks to broaden its diplomatic ties while remaining cautious about foreign cultural influences.
U.S.-based NK News, a media outlet specializing in North Korean affairs, reported on Wednesday that footage of a Russian team skating to Bruno Mars’ 2011 hit “It Will Rain” during the Pyongyang International Figure Skating Festival on October 9 was recently broadcast on Korean Central Television.
Although Mars’ song was played for only about seven seconds, it is noteworthy that the music of an American artist resonated in the heart of Pyongyang and was aired on state-run media for the entire nation to witness.
The festival showcased figure skaters from China, Russia, and Uzbekistan. Foreign visitors and diplomats invited to North Korea for the Workers’ Party’s 80th anniversary celebration on October 10, as well as local residents, attended the event.
NK News pointed out that the lyrics of Mars’ “It Will Rain” include a line about needing a substantial amount of drugs, such as morphine, to overcome the pain of separation, noting that hearing such content in Pyongyang is highly unusual.
The outlet further commented that North Korean censors seemingly did not view the airing of this footage as a serious issue, despite authorities’ warnings about the dangers of bourgeois imperialist culture.
They added that broadcasting this song on state media underscores the potential for awkward situations arising from the rapidly improving relations between Russia and North Korea. The outlet predicted that North Korean authorities would soon face a dilemma regarding how strictly to enforce their laws during interactions with the outside world.
While Russia imposes no restrictions on foreign cultural influences despite political tensions with the West, North Korea has intensified its crackdown on the consumption and distribution of foreign goods and culture in recent years. This is enforced through laws such as the Anti-Reactionary Thought Law and the Youth Culture Protection Law, with a particular focus on the younger generations.