Raised in a military household, Yeon-su was conditioned to view the South as an adversary. Upon her escape in 2011, she initially distanced herself from South Korean culture. However, music eventually became a bridge to her transformation.
She fled before BTS’s rise and K-pop’s global dominance, yet today, consuming such content in North Korea carries severe penalties, including imprisonment. For some defectors, South Korean music represented an uncharted realm of freedom, aiding their adaptation to a radically different life.
Others reveal that clandestine K-pop consumption has quietly permeated the regime, with listeners drawn to cryptic, optimistic lyrics without knowing the artists. Secret viewings of performances sparked curiosity, particularly around unconventional aesthetics like colored hair and makeup on male performers.
“The system enforces a singular idol—Kim Jong Un. There’s no room for alternatives,” explains Hannah Oh, a 25-year-old defector. Yet, groups like BTS, Blackpink, and earlier acts such as Girls’ Generation have gained traction among North Koreans.
BTS’s Korean moniker, Bangtan Sonyeondan, has entered underground slang, with phrases like “Have you worn a Bangtan backpack?” reflecting its cultural resonance.
