Considering North Korea’s designation of the South as a hostile state, and its draconian punishment of those watching South Korean TV or videos, up to and including execution, the tone of the entertainment presented on Sunday night at the Pyongyang Sports Palace was something of a surprise. As Richard Lloyd Parry tells it in the Times, there were clear echoes of South Korean K-Pop in some of the acts:
“The show’s stage direction marked a notable departure from the traditional format of North Korean performances,” JoongAng Ilbo, a South Korean newspaper, said, describing television footage of the show.
“Supporting dancers in short skirts and high heels performed synchronised routines that resembled those seen on South Korean singing competition shows … the overall presentation included upbeat rhythms, pop-style arrangements and multimedia effects, a stark contrast to North Korea’s usual slower, more solemn productions.
“Despite the country’s [laws] aimed at curbing the spread of South Korean pop culture, the event signalled a selective embrace of global entertainment elements.”
More predictably there was also a performance by the Russian singer Shaman – real name Yaroslav Yuryevich Dronov – who’s become famous for his nationalism and cheerleading for the war against Ukraine. He sang a hymn in praise of Kim.
He looks like – well, exactly how you’d imagine he’d look:
Mick Hartley 
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