Are you a fan of DPRK Music? There’s no doubt at all that the Democratic People’s Republic Of Korea is a country rich in culture and luckily I have the honour of bringing you the Top 50 of the best pop songs from the DPRK in my opinion.
Some of these songs aren’t from DPRK directly, but they’re either from the DPRK, or performed by singers and bands from the DPRK, and are popular there, so we’ve included them anyway.
As hard as I have tried, it is difficult to find reliable & unbiased sources for some of the performers, artists, songwriters and singers in this article, and as such a few of them are not linked. This is not due to negligence but to the lack of updated information about these very talented performers on the World Wide Web. Please forgive us.
25. I Am Joyfu
To kick off this DPRK Music playlist we have a cheerful song known as “I Am Joyful” – its catchy and joyous tune easily makes for a great introductory song for this list, and with brilliant vocal performance from Ri Pun Hui, what could go wrong?
The chorus is the best part though, and I encourage you to finish this to the end, as it is a great DPRK pop music song to enjoy.
24. Thank You, Comrade Kim Jong-il
For our next song, we have “Thank you, Commander Kim Jong Ill”, and personally, this is one of my favourites.
Not only does it inspire a rich sense of loyalty to the Great Leader Kim Jong Ill, who ruled over the DPRK from 1994 to 2011 but also possesses a very catchy and uplifting tune, which comes together nicely with Ri Kyong Suk vocals giving the song its true identity. Listen now.
23. I Love Pyongyang
For our second instalment on our list, we have a beautiful song called I Love Pyongyang performed by Hyon Song Wol.
It’s a song about the nation’s capital, Pyongyang, which has a population of about 2.87 million. The song was sung very beautifully by Hyon Song Wol, and this was a nice song to begin this list with.
22. Requests
For our next song, we have one of the best guitar solos I’ve heard from the Ponchonbo Electronic Ensemble of the DPRK, or PEE for short, and that is this song: Requests (부탁).
I cannot stress the skill and talent required to pull off a solo like that in such a spectacular and advanced song and still make I sound amazing, but that is exactly what the guitarists did in this song, so I recommend you give it a try.
21. I miss you, a little bit
The song beautifully by Ri Jong-sul, this song titled: “I Miss You” by Frank Nagai is about a sad woman’s heart for her lost lover. The lyric ‘the belt of my kimono has loosened’ means ‘I have lost weight because I was so worried about it’
This song first became a hit in 1928 and then later, in 1961, it became a revival hit sung by Frank Nagai, a famous singer of this era.
Now sprung back to life by Jong-sul, there’s no doubt that the Korean version by Jong-sul is the best.
20. Where are you? Dear General?
Now for a far more sombre and moving song. Where are you? Dear General is a song about the death of the Great Leader Kim Jong Il, and what the people of the DPRK will do now that he is dead.
The song starts with an eerie yet beautiful instrumental from the Ponchonbo Electronic Ensemble of the DPRK, followed by singing from Kim Gwang-suk, and asks where the Dear General is, and asks him to bring them warmth with his fatherly love.
An unverified claim states that the Great Leader Kim Jong Il wrote this song himself, but this is unknown. Since at least 2008 the song has been played on loudspeakers outside of the Pyongyang Railway Station.
19. The day when the General visits
A military-style song about when the Great Leader Kim Il Sung visits his son, Great Leader Kim Jong Il.
The song inspires loyalty, and the accompanying video above shows a montage of the time the two spent touring various aspects of Korea’s Industry, Agriculture, Fishing Industry, Construction, Transport and Communications, Land Administration, and more.
18. I Don’t Like the Flower without Fragrance
Now for a lovely and calming song from the film: Urban Girl Comes to Get Married, which is taken from a collection of Korean film music.
The solo is sung by the talented artist Jang Un Yae, and is a very calming and relaxing song to listen to and certainly one to remember. Make sure you save this to your playlists!
17. Man Remaining in Our Hearts
Going back to Ri Kyong Suk again, it’s difficult not to be in awe when we hear the chorus of this song, as it is simply astounding.
Not only is the song moving, but it almost beckons you to stand up and show respect to the leader and country that Ri Kyong Suk is a part of, and that is truly something.
16. I am thinking of
I am thinking of another great song sung by a singer from the Ponchonbo Electronic Ensemble.
While detailing the mastery of Pyongyang, and the socialist paradise of the DPRK, the accompanying video by the YouTube channel Ming Kim makes for a nice montage of photos from this country far, far away. Make sure to give this song a go.
15. I Don’t Know a Dearer Place Than You
This is certainly one of my favourites, as I’ve never heard a guitar sound so good, or a theme sound so uplifting and energising.
Recorded in 1991 and performed by the Ponchonbo Electronic Ensemble, this masterful tune sung by Kim Kwang Suk again demonstrates the versatility of music from the DPRK.
It would seriously make a brilliant song for a military-style invasion from a scene from an action movie for example, but that’s just my idea.
14. Whistle
Whistle is a very well-known song not only from DPRK Music but also from China and Japan. Sung beautifully by Chon Hye Yong, the DPRK pop music tune expresses a deep yearning and nostalgia for a past love or cherished memory.
Its repetitive lyrics create a contemplative atmosphere, inviting listeners to explore their own emotions. The use of whistling symbolizes a longing for connection and the desire to reach out to someone or something.
13. Are we living like in those days? (Acoustic version)
Originally performed by Joe Keum Hwa in the 1990s, this song is one of the more well-known songs from the DPRK.
Referencing and remembering a time during the war between the North and the South in the 1950s, this song talks about fighting, marching and “spilling blood” at the Rakdong River.
It’s one of the most familiar songs with Westerners and can be easily found on many different YouTube channels featuring DPRK pop music.
This version is performed using a guitar, and the original version will be shown later on down this list.
12. Ours is a Song of Victory
With beautiful vocals, a wonderful and inspiring chorus and stunning lyrics, this song about victory in the DPRK especially related to the KPA (Korean Peoples Army) is a great song to listen to if you want a more relaxing but stimulating song related to the DPRK and it’s history, culture and more.
11. Oh My Country Full of Happiness
With one of the most amazing and talented guitar solos I’ve heard in years, this song has many different versions, but I thought I’d include this version by the Ponchonbo Electronic Ensemble.
The solo highlights the skill of many of these musicians that make up the Ensemble from Korea, and you’ll want to add this one to your playlist.
10. Dançando Lambada (Korean version)
Sung phenomenally by Ri Kyong Suk and backed up by the Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble, this version of the song Dançando Lambada – a french-brazilian song from 1989 is of course made the best by Ri Kyong Suk and it’s one of, if not the best version of the song to date.
With excellent dancing and supporting music, the performance by the Korean star it’s no wonder this version of the song is so popular.
9. Motherland and I(조국과 나)
Part of an album or collection of songs by Yun Hye Yong, this beautiful song about the Mother is sung amazingly by Yun Hye Yong.
Featuring a brilliant solo and accompanying instrumental by the Ponchonbo Electronic Ensemble.
8. Memories of Victory
I had major doubts about putting this song so high up on the list since it really is one of my favourite and most listed songs from the DPRK Music you can find online, however, I think because it has no vocals it’s reasonable to put this song at 37. This one is the instrumental version, which is mainly different to the older version you can listen to here: Memories of Victory.
Memories are brilliant and they instil a sense of pride and brilliance when you listen to them. Performed excellently by the Ponchonbo Electronic Ensemble it is one of the best solely instrumental songs I’ve ever heard from the DPRK, and certainly retains emotions of joy and awe when you listen to it.
7. I Know You Only
For a more mainstream and pop song we’ve included I Know Only You (그대밖에 내 몰라라) by Jang Yun Hui (녀성독창 장윤희). This song has a nice jazzy but steady undertone and beautifully portrays the versatility of this singer’s vocals in a beautiful mix of instrumental and vocal performance.
If you like DPRK pop music, Jang Yun Hui is certainly a star to check out. All of her performances and songs have heart and soul poured into them, and it’s no wonder since she’s being supported by the Wangjaesen Light Music Band, who we’ve already mentioned previously on this list.
6. Talking with the Hero
Sang by Hyon Song Wol this beautiful song features stunning vocals and an amazing instrumental which truly encapsulates some of the songs that DPRK music has to offer.
Hyon Song Wol has been involved in lots of music from the DPRK,
5. Songs we love
Part of Vol. 67 of songs composed by Jeong-ho and completed alongside the Pochonbo Electronic Orchestra this song has a beautiful orchestral accompanying a lovely vocal piece this song is one of the best pop songs from the DPRK.
4. The Emotions Of That Day
If you want more relaxed DPRK pop music then this song called “The Emotions Of That Day” is for you.
This version is slowed slightly and has reverb added to it, increasing the calming effect that this song initially has. This will be one you’ll want to save for later on and listen back to.
3. The Sky Is Yours
Another calming yet catchy tune is “The Sky Is Yours” sung by Jon Hye Yong, which is backed by the Ponchonbo Electronic Ensemble.
A simple tune to explore the DPRK, this song is one of the more unknown but still much-praised DPRK pop music songs, much like the next one on the list.
2. Envy Us
Another DPRK pop music classic which is enjoyed by people from around the world is Envy Us, performed by the Ponchonbo Electronic Ensemble.
One of the great things about this song is its intro, which grabs you and holds you in a state of awe as you await the amazing instrumental and then vocals by the artist. Performed by Ponchonbo Electronic is a very good song from this country, which I do recommend.
1. Are we living like in those days? (original)
To finish this list I’ve chosen one of the most popular and my favourite pop songs from the DPRK, and that is of course, “Are we living like in those days?” – so what is it about?
It’s sung in the first person and references a time (in the 1950s) when the singer is looking back on fond memories through his/her photobook and seeing images from the war.
They also talked about what clothes they were wearing and how they marched. Introduced with an amazing slide guitar, a short instrumental, and then a wonderful chorus and vocal performance by Joe Keum Hwa. I can promise you that you won’t regret listening to this song, as it is one of the best, if not the best songs from the Ponchonbo Electronic Ensemble.
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