ROK's art troupe arrives in Pyongyang for performances

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A group of musicians and taekwondo athletes from the Republic of Korea (ROK) arrived in Pyongyang on Saturday, for the coming cross-border cultural performances ahead of next month’s inter-Korean summit.

The 120-member group, led by Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Do Jong-hwan, left from Seoul’s Gimpo International Airport aboard a chartered civilian flight via a direct air route between the capitals, and arrived at Pyongyang’s Sunan Airport around noon.

They were greeted by the DPRK’s Culture Minister Pak Chun Nam and Hyon Song Wol, head of the country’s Moranbong band, which performed in the ROK during the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

The ROK's art troupe arrives at the Gimpo International airport in Seoul before leaving for Pyongyang. /VCG Photo‍

The art troupe adopted the theme title “Spring Comes” for their performances. The musicians will take the stage at 1,500-seat East Pyongyang Grand Theater in the capital on Sunday, before a joint show with the DPRK artists at the 12,000-seat Ryugyong Jong Ju Yong Gymnasium on Tuesday.

“This performance in Pyongyang will add momentum to inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation that resumed with the PyeongChang Winter Games,” said Do Jong-hwan, before setting out on the journey.

Yoon Sang, a popular composer, who is also the musical director of the art troupe, also vowed to do his best at the performances. Yoon was also a member of the ROK delegation during the inter-Korean talks to negotiate the cultural exchange.

File of Hyon Song Wol, head of the DPRK's Moranbong Band, exchanges documents with Yoon Sang, director of the ROK's art troupe to Pyongyang during a meeting earlier in March. /VCG Photo

“I felt both honor and high pressure,” said Yoon at the airport. “We’ll do our best out of the aspiration that a spring of peace should come to the Korean Peninsula as in the concerts’ title ‘Spring Comes’.”

Who are the ROK's artists?

The artists who arrived in Pyongyang include some of the ROK’s top stars, such as the top girl band Red Velvet and Seohyun, a former member of K-pop group Girls’ Generation. Some veteran artists were also on board, such as Cho Yong-pil, Lee Sun-hee and Choi Jin-hee.

ROK singer Cho Yong-pil (R) speaks to the media beside singer Choi Jin-hee before they depart for Pyongyang. /VCG Photo

Many artists in the delegation have been to the DPRK in the previous cultural exchanges, and are making a re-visit to the country.

It was not the first time for Cho Yong-pil, the 68-year-old “King” of K-pop, to perform in Pyongyang. He held a solo concert in the DPRK capital back in 2005.

Choi Jin-hee was also on the artist troupe to perform in Pyongyang in 1999, 2002 and 2005. Her 1984 mega hit “Love Maze” was widely loved among the DPRK citizens and were often heard playing in Pyongyang restaurants, according to AFP.

K-pop stars

Four members of girl band Red Velvet pose for photos before departure to Pyongyang. /VCG Photo

Only four of the five-member girl band Red Velvet were on the delegation. Due to her TV series shooting schedule, Joy will miss the trip, according to their agency. They are planning to sing two of their recent hits, “Red Flavor” and “Bad Boy.”

Seohyun, a former member of top K-pop girl band Girls’ Generation, will host the ceremony for the events in Pyongyang, according to the Yonhap News Agency. During the DPRK artistic troupe’s performance last month, the 26-year-old singer made a surprise appearance alongside a musician from the DPRK.

Seohyun, a former member of Girls’ Generation, waves before departure. /VCG Photo

“I hope the spring would come earlier between the two Koreans, through the art troupe’s performances in Pyongyang,” said Seohyun at the airport before embarking on the journey.

A 70-member technical group had arrived earlier on Thursday, to prepare the stages ahead of the following performances. The delegation is expected to return home on Tuesday night.

Seohyun sings alongside musicians from the DPRK during a performance in the ROK during the Winter Olympics. /VCG Photo

Relations between the DPRK and the ROK have thawed since last month’s PyeongChang Olympics, which saw the South and the North [DPRK] marching together in the opening ceremony.

On Friday, the two sides agreed on a date for an inter-Korean summit at Panmunjom Demilitarized Zone on April 27, the third ever of its kind following 2000 and 2007 meetings. After the landmark meeting between the DPRK’s leader Kim Jong Un and the ROK’s President Moon Jae-in, a meeting between Kim and the US President Donald Trump could also be expected.

After the concerts, officials from both sides will hold working-level talks on April 4, to prepare for the coming summit.

Video by Zhao Yuxiang