# South Korea to ban pro-Kim Jong Un pop songs

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-korea-to-ban-pro-kim-jong-un-pop-songs/1001862>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [May 21, 2024, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-korea-to-ban-pro-kim-jong-un-pop-songs/1001862 "2024-05-21T11:36:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 11\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2024, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-korea-to-ban-pro-kim-jong-un-pop-songs/1001862/1 "2024-05-21T11:36:27Z")

</div>

I haven’t listened to them, but does anyone think they’ll actually change opinions about Kim outside of North Korea?

> **[Friendly Father: South Korea bans TikTok hit idolising Kim Jong Un](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjmmj7r0v2go)**
>
> The boppy propaganda tune extols Kim Jong Un as a "friendly father" and "great leader".

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2024, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-korea-to-ban-pro-kim-jong-un-pop-songs/1001862/2 "2024-05-21T12:07:29Z")

</div>

I suspect that to the South Koreans its a joke in bad taste that they are banning, not worried about anybody beleiving the crap in the song.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2024, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-korea-to-ban-pro-kim-jong-un-pop-songs/1001862/3 "2024-05-21T12:08:15Z")

</div>

Op, op, op, oppan Pyongyang style!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2024, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-korea-to-ban-pro-kim-jong-un-pop-songs/1001862/4 "2024-05-21T12:26:23Z")

</div>

Kyongru style! (Kyongru is the North’s counterpart to Gangnam.)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2024, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-korea-to-ban-pro-kim-jong-un-pop-songs/1001862/5 "2024-05-21T12:46:04Z")

</div>

> [@Monty](#):
>
> Kyongru

Heh, that works better with the song too. 😃

Anyone who wants to hear the whole song, here’s a youtube result.

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/TF0bsnNnZ68/maxresdefault.jpg "Friendly Father - North Korean song (2024)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TF0bsnNnZ68)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Chad\_Sudan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chad_sudan/32/4509_2.png) [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2024, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-korea-to-ban-pro-kim-jong-un-pop-songs/1001862/6 "2024-05-21T12:59:45Z")

</div>

There are definitely South Koreans (especially the young) who are naive about the realities of the North Korean regime. I think the South Korean government is within its rights to try to block this kind of propaganda. They’re actually more tolerant of it than they used to be.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2024, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-korea-to-ban-pro-kim-jong-un-pop-songs/1001862/7 "2024-05-21T13:33:18Z")

</div>

Thanks! My wife (South Korean citizen) and I just watched that. We were both quite amused by it. It also reminded me of something my late father said about the North Korean military. “Their hats look like flying saucers.”

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\
**Post date:** [May 21, 2024, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-korea-to-ban-pro-kim-jong-un-pop-songs/1001862/8 "2024-05-21T13:38:36Z")

</div>

It’s high time they ban “Hey Kim Jong”:

_Oh Kim Jong, you’re so fine_  
_You’re so fine, you blow my mind_  
_Hey Kim Jong, hey Kim Jong_

_Oh Kim Jong, you’re so fine_  
_You shoot your missiles all the time_  
_Hey Kim Jong_  
_Hey Kim Jong_

Nauseatingly repetitive.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2024, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-korea-to-ban-pro-kim-jong-un-pop-songs/1001862/9 "2024-05-22T00:52:51Z")

</div>

From Namu Wiki, [here is the Korean page about the song](https://namu.wiki/w/%EC%B9%9C%EA%B7%BC%ED%95%9C%20%EC%96%B4%EB%B2%84%EC%9D%B4), complete with the lyrics in Korean (written in 한글).

> **1절**  
> 어머니 그 품처럼 따사로워라  
> 아버지 그 품처럼 자애로워라  
> 슬하의 천만자식 한품에 안고  
> 정을 다해 보살피시네  
> (후렴) 노래하자 **김정은** 위대하신 령도자  
> 자랑하자 **김정은** 친근한 어버이  
> 인민은 한마음 믿고 따르네  
> 친근한 어버이
> 
> **2절**  
> 베푸신 그 은정은 바다같아라  
> 주시는 그 믿음은 하늘같아라  
> 언제나 우리곁에 함께 계시며  
> 모든 소원 꽃펴주시네  
> (후렴)
> 
> **3절**  
> 창창한 우리 앞날 열어주시네  
> 더 좋은 우리 행복 안아오시네  
> 한없이 은혜로운 그 손길 잡고  
> 더 밝은 미래로 가네  
> (후렴 2회 반복)  
> 노래하자 자랑하자 친근한 어버이

And here is the translation into English helpfully provided by Google translate just now.

> Verse 1  
> Be as warm as your mother’s arms  
> Be merciful like your father’s arms  
> Holding my 10 million children in my arms  
> You take care of me with all your heart.  
> (Chorus) Let’s sing, great leader Kim Jong-un  
> Let’s boast about Kim Jong-un, a friendly parent.  
> The people believe and follow with one mind.  
> a friendly parent
> 
> Verse 2  
> The kindness you give is like the sea.  
> The faith you give is like heaven  
> You are always with us  
> All my wishes come true  
> (refrain)
> 
> Verse 3  
> You open up a bright future for us  
> You bring us better happiness  
> Hold that infinitely gracious hand  
> Going to a brighter future  
> (Repeat refrain 2 times)  
> Let’s sing, let’s show off, friendly parents

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2024, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-korea-to-ban-pro-kim-jong-un-pop-songs/1001862/10 "2024-05-22T01:01:30Z")

</div>

> [@Monty](#):
>
> It also reminded me of something my late father said about the North Korean military. “Their hats look like flying saucers.”

Ha! I’ve thought that too: “The North Korean military wears flying saucer hats.”

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\
**Post date:** [May 22, 2024, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-korea-to-ban-pro-kim-jong-un-pop-songs/1001862/11 "2024-05-22T01:49:56Z")

</div>

They’re actually called (Wiki link) [_peaked caps_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peaked_cap). The Wiki article is very informative and the pictures are both informative and amusing.