ADRN

Following its appearance in a sensational series of tourism promotion videos, Leenalchi Band caught the eyes of the global audience. Well-known for its song “Tiger is Coming,” the band’s music fuses pansori with pop sounds – a rare combination of genres. In this commentary, Su-hyun Kim, Research Professor at Dankook University Academy of Asian Studies, writes on the implications of North Korea’s criticism on the rise of the band and its use of fusion music. Skepticism over such experimental genres of music are formed on the idea that it is corrupting the genre is folk music, which is unique to the Korean people. Nonetheless, the author states that such attempts extend the territories of traditional music, break down its borders with western music, and actively experiment with the crossover of different genres. She hopes for the creation of a venue for North and South Korean musicians to meet regularly to discuss concerns over the integrity of folk music and new attempts in modernizing the genre.