North Korea finally managed to unleash the anger in Seoul with one of its launches. Political ironies notwithstanding, as ABC News recently pointed out, the launch in question has little to do with nuclear missiles, spy satellites, drones or other weapons. Here’s what Kim Jong-un started that delighted TikTok and angered South Korean officials. hitIt is a several-minute song that triumphs with its video clip’s distinctive blend of saturated colors, orchestral pomp, choruses and, above all, lyrics, full of lines that would make even the best political broadcaster nod with delight.

Its title is a statement of intent: ‘Friendly Father’.

And in Seoul, of course, they decided to ban it.

‘Friendly father’. Its catchy rhythm, choruses, lyrics and strange color combination and choreography in the video clip may have convinced you more or less, but if there’s one thing you need to know about ‘Dost Baba’, that’s it. goes head to head. The song is only a few minutes long, but it’s full of lines praising North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, whom he effectively presents as a “father friend.”

That’s not the only wink he showed her. Throughout the song, it is emphasized that he is a “father” and a “great leader”. He even refers to him as “The Great,” a vocabulary reminiscent of the word he used during his time with “supreme leader” Kim Il Sung, the founder of North Korea. And if all that wasn’t enough, the song insists. Once again, congratulating the current leader of the People’s Republic: “Let’s sing, the great leader Kim Jong-un. Let’s boast about Kim Jong-un, a friendly father.”

On the bus, in the factory, in the tank… ‘Friendly Dad’ is not a rare thing. The BBC recalls that this was actually the latest in a series of pop songs that the North Korean propaganda machine has released over the last few decades. If it stands out in a special way, especially on the networks and even reaches media pages of this caliber, Guardian anyone TelegramIt stands out with its catchy rhythm, lyrics that can be classified as the best tradition of the eulogy genre and, of course, its very intriguing video clip.

The recording shows North Koreans of all ages and in different contexts singing songs dedicated to Kim Jong-un: medalists, children, workers, nurses, old women, soldiers, sailors, pilots… There are people singing perched on a tank, a war from an airplane or passenger, in an operating theatre, on a bus, in an ambulance wearing PPE, on the street or in an auditorium with musicians. All of this, of course, is full of images in which the North Korean leader can be seen. There are many choirs. Legendary tone. Flags and hands on chest.

From Pyongyang to TikTok. The song was not distributed through just one recording. North Koreans had the opportunity to watch this event live at a ceremony held to celebrate the opening of a new residential complex with 10,000 apartments in Pyongyang. Parts of the performance were broadcast on the state network.

If there’s one area where it’s become surprisingly (or not) popular, it’s on TikTok, where the recording is shared with thousands of messages and subtitled versions from different accounts. Even influencers People like Jihwan Park, a South Korean content creator living in Canada, are starting to talk about their message. Park admits the song is “catchy and fun,” but he also remembers that it’s part of a nation that isn’t: “There are still a lot of innocent people dying.”

Involuntary…or calculated? Its tone, message and staging have led some analysts to ask the big question: Beyond the obvious propaganda purpose of ‘Friendly Dad’, with what intention did Pyongyang launch this? Is its tone and staging intentional? Did Kim Jong-un’s publicity machine achieve exactly what it wanted? Monash University propaganda expert Dr. “I think people don’t realize the true nature of the strategy behind the creation and distribution of a video like this,” Emma Briant told ABC News and infowar.

According to him, ‘Friendly Father’ was designed specifically for the purpose of ‘mass distribution’ and there are reasons to suspect that its almost Soviet color and aura came from naive advertisers or those who did not know how to foresee the reactions the video would generate in the future. West. “I think this was deliberately created to be humorous,” he muses. The goal: softening Kim Jong-un’s figure, giving him a playful tone and working on a “more positive reputation around the world,” something that could help both his regional control and his international influence.

South Korea’s veto. Whether they are right or not, they have already made it clear in Seoul that they do not want to know anything about the song. The communications commission KCSC issued a statement announcing that it would ban the tune and block 29 versions, but without going into details on how it would do so. The organization decided to take the step at the request of South Korea’s National Intelligence Agency and after assessing that the song violated the country’s National Security Law, which already restricts access to Pyongyang-controlled websites and media.

“The video is typical content linked to psychological warfare against South Korea, as it was published on a channel to connect with the outside world and, above all, it is one-sidedly focused on idolizing and glorifying Kim,” explains the South Korean editor. The piece is dedicated to “idolizing, praising and glorifying” Kim. The veto, in any case, came after many South Koreans had already watched the video released last month. They themselves left comments, sometimes in a humorous tone, asking the authorities to make the video accessible.

Pictures | Vietnam Mobiography (Flickr) and Ryan Chan (Flickr)

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