Juche realist music : the politicization of music in North Korea

Abstract

In North Korea, music and songs have extensively been used as an effective political tool of state propaganda. Unlike previous research which overlooks the contents of the songs, this thesis examines how their lyrics reflect political ideologies and propaganda operation of North Korean regimes. Their lyrics are analyzed in light of the historical context they were written in and widely perceived. It aims at contributing to the knowledge of North Korean music and its relationship with the politics of the country.

The study analyzes the lyrics of 100 North Korean songs from 4 different sources using qualitative contents analysis. The findings show that, in term of politicization, the songs reflect seven overlapping themes in promoting its authoritative regimes. The themes comprise of raising patriotism, exalting the country and the party, exalting socialism and Juche ideology, exalting the supreme leaders, exalting the army, emphasizing economic advancement, and various topics. Moreover, some of the most widely-used symbols within the lyrics are highlighted. As a result, the study shows not only that strong political themes are often found in the expression of the songs, but also that the lyrics of each song are written as a part of a political campaign and perceived threats in response to changing political and social contexts both internally and internationally.