[Global NK Research] Exchange and Cooperation in Music and Arts between the Soviet Union and North Korea – Analysis of Articles in the Newspaper «Leninichi»

Note from the editor

During the Soviet era, the Soviet Union and North Korea engaged in active exchanges not only in politics and economics but also in culture and arts. Mutual visits for cultural exchange involved introducing dance and music techniques to each other and dispatching experts for training. The author explains that the exchange and cooperation in music and arts between the Soviet Union and North Korea mutually influenced the development of the music and arts fields in both countries. Notably, works produced by North Korea in the 1950s-1960s are still preserved in libraries in the Moscow region and some provincial cities in Russia. Based on information from the newspaper «Leninichi», the author examines the exchange activities in music and arts between the two countries from 1948 to 1990, categorized by period. It is emphasized that the exchange performances at the time consoled and encouraged the suffering of the Koryo-saram community and further contributed to the inheritance of Korean national identity.

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Introduction

From the establishment of the North Korean government until the collapse of the Soviet Union (1991), active exchanges took place between the Soviet Union and North Korea in various fields, including politics, economics (agriculture), culture and arts, and sports. For instance, the anniversary of the October Revolution (1917), Victory Day in World War II (1945), the anniversary of the establishment of the North Korean government (1948), and the Korean War anniversary (1950) were grandly celebrated on a decadal basis. During these events, Soviet delegations often visited North Korea, or North Korean delegations visited the Soviet Union (Moscow), and these were frequently visits of a political nature. However, in addition to congratulatory visits of a political nature, it is also true that exchanges of artistic and cultural performances (music and performances; dance, song, circus, etc.) continued periodically. Unfortunately, the latter has not been well-known in the form of research until now.

Generally, during mutual performance tours, dance, music, singing, instruments, and composition techniques were introduced to each other. Furthermore, performance items such as janggu, buk, jing, and gwaenggwari were exchanged, and short-term and long-term training was often provided through the dispatch of musicians and experts. In this context, during exchange visits, the Soviet side was led by Koryo-saram artist groups from Central Asia. These types of exchange performances took place throughout the mentioned period (1948-1990), strengthening exchanges and cooperation in music and arts between the Soviet Union and North Korea, and at the same time, making a significant contribution to the development of performing arts in the Koryo-saram community in Central Asia. In addition to mutual performance activities, it is understood that there was also active exchange of works related to music and arts between the Soviet Union and North Korea. Musical works (dance, music, songs, and instruments, etc.) produced mainly in the 1950s-1960s were acquired by the Soviet side from North Korea, and these materials are still preserved in libraries in the Moscow region and some provincial cities.

To understand the current status of collections and research on North Korean national music materials, the author first examined the relevant materials at the Russian State Library (formerly the Lenin State Library of the USSR) in Moscow, the Gorky Scientific Library of Saint Petersburg State University in Saint Petersburg, the Gorky Public Library of Primorsky Krai in Vladivostok in the Far East, and the State Central Archive of Audiovisual Documents of Kazakhstan in Almaty, all of which are expected to hold North Korean national music materials within the CIS. Subsequently, to observe the exchange activities in music and arts (mutual performance tours, dispatch of musicians and experts for training, and provision of materials, etc.) between the Soviet Union and North Korea, the author reviewed articles from 1948 to 1990 in the newspaper «Leninichi» (published from 1938 to 1990), which best illustrates the overall life of Koryo-saram during the Soviet era.

Status of North Korean National Music Materials and Research within the CIS

Regarding the collection and research status of materials on North Korean national music, it was confirmed that outside of libraries in the capital, Moscow, there were very few or no literature and research findings available through online searches in other regions (the situation may differ for offline visits). Most of the confirmed materials are in book form, with only a very small number of translated versions found, and no theses or other documents were identified. The majority of the retrieved materials consist of folk songs, songs presumed to have revolutionary content, and epic songs expected to contain laudatory content. Although limited in quantity, the North Korean national music materials confirmed for a certain period in the 1960s hold their own significance. This is because materials such as Ham Hwajin's "Discussion on Korean Music" and "Korean Music (Research Materials)" held at the Russian State Library are not included in the existing publication lists of North Korea. Music materials from 1945-1970 remaining in countries that actively exchanged with North Korea's music scene in the past, including Russia, Central Asian countries, East Germany, China, and Japan, can be considered important not only for reconstructing North Korean music history but also for integrated North-South Korean music history research.

Exchange and Cooperation in Music and Arts between the Soviet Union and North Korea

The exchange activities in music and arts between the Soviet Union and North Korea during the period 1948-1990 (mutual performance tours, dispatch of musicians and experts for training, and provision of materials, etc.) were examined in several periods based on information published in the newspaper «Leninichi», which was published throughout the Soviet era in the Koryo-saram community in Central Asia.

① Period 1948-1960

[Leninichi, September 17, 1955, p. 3]

During this period, a significant number of exchange visits took place. Exchange visits began actively shortly after the establishment of the North Korean government, and interestingly, they continued steadily regardless of the political situation, even around the outbreak of the Korean War in the early 1950s. To cite a few direct examples of exchange visits, in June 1950, the Pyongyang Art Troupe, including Choi Seung-hee and Ri Gyeong-pal, performed in Moscow, and in October of the following year, the Pyongyang Art Troupe, including Choi Seung-hee, Kim Wan-woo, and Yu Eun-kyung, performed in Moscow. In May 1953, the 'Korean People's Army Music and Dance Ensemble' (Director Ri Chun-hyeon), composed of 170 members, performed three times in Moscow. The exchange visit of a North Korean performance troupe in September 1955 (Uzbek SSR, Kazakh SSR) is particularly noteworthy. To commemorate the 10th anniversary of liberation, a North Korean performance troupe led by Jeong Ryeol (Jeong Sang-jin) performed in Tashkent, Uzbek SSR, arrived in Almaty on September 1st, stayed for four days, and gave two performances at the 'Abai Kazakh State Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet'. During this time, pianist Ri In-hyeong performed the piano solo "Heroic Sonata" (Composer Moon Gyeong-ok), actress Cha Jin-sil performed "Cheongjinpo Boat Song," National Art Theater dancers Ra Suk-hee performed fan dance and sword dance, actor Baek Nak-won performed the folk song "Bakyeon Falls," National Art Theater dancer Ri Seok-ye performed the dances "Cotton Picking Girl" and "Rose Flower," An Seong-hee performed "Bara Dance" and "Janggu Dance," solo singer Wang Su-bok performed the folk songs "Pear Blossom Song" and "Weaving Song," and gayageum performer Yoo Gong and actress Yoo Eun-kyung performed "Arirang Taryeong" and "Nightingale," which were met with great acclaim from the audience.

② Period 1961-1980

During this period, the frequency of exchange visits was relatively low compared to the previous period. According to newspaper search records, only a total of three exchange visits occurred during this period. The first was the Pyongyang Art Troupe's tour of major Soviet cities such as Moscow and Leningrad in December 1966. The second was the performance by the Soviet State Dance Ensemble 'Beryozka' at the Pyongyang Grand Theater in February 1969 (a rare case not composed of Koryo-saram). Finally, in 1974, the 'Rodong Hwib' Art Troupe, active in Khabarovsk, visited Pyongyang for a performance. During this period, instead of exchange visits, the Soviet-North Korean Friendship Societies (Soviet-Korean Friendship Societies) were active and carried out friendship activities in both countries. This organization served as a channel for friendship exchanges between the two sides. It primarily organized conferences in cities such as Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, Almaty, and Tashkent in Central Asia, held exhibitions of North Korean photographs, magazines, and books, and screened North Korean films in large cinemas.

③ Period 1981-1990

The dormant exchange visits between the two sides resumed intensively in the mid-to-late 1980s. Based on search articles, there were a total of 18 exchange performances or cooperation cases. Among them, a few examples include: in 1987, an exchange delegation from the Uzbek SSR visited North Korea, and in return, in April 1988, a troupe of actors from the Nampo City People's Theater (Director Park Seung-il) visited to participate in the 'Democratic People's Republic of Korea Week' event, performing the hand-drum dance and the dance drama "The Shepherd and the Girl" at the Palace of Culture of the 'Leninskiy Put' Kolkhoz in Lenin District, Tashkent Region, and performing the songs "Bright Land of My Country" and "Eight Scenic Views of Joseon," along with various dance music pieces, by Honored Actors Ri Seon-ok, Kim Myeong-suk, Ro Myeong-sun, and Kim Hui-suk. In the autumn of 1988, three dancers from the Cheongchun Art Troupe (Han Margarita, Park Raisa, Kim Larisa) visited North Korea with the 'Sodrylik' Ensemble and performed "Sam-in Dance" and "Yangsan-do," among others. In April of the following year, 1989, the Arirang Art Troupe (Koryo Theater) of the Kazakh SSR participated in the 'April Spring' International Friendship Art Festival held in Pyongyang (with participants from 5 continents, 62 countries, and 77 art troupes), performing Kim So-ya's solo "Nilliri" and a mixed trio, and fan dance (observed by Kim Il-sung). They also held a solo performance in Wonsan for two days. Furthermore, in January of the last year of this period, 1990, the "Morning Glow" Music and Dance Ensemble from Taldykorgan, Kazakh SSR, visited North Korea for a performance, indicating active exchange visits between the two sides.

Conclusion

During the Soviet era, considerable exchanges and cooperation occurred in the field of music and arts between the Soviet Union and North Korea. The cases presented above are based solely on the articles from the newspaper «Leninichi» from 1948 to 1990. Therefore, it is expected that more examples of exchange visits in music and arts could be found by consulting other materials from that period. The main entities involved in the exchange performances at the time were mostly the Arirang Art Troupe of the Koryo Theater (then Joseon Theater) and Koryo-saram amateur art groups active in various regional kolkhozes. Following their forced relocation in 1937, these groups toured Koryo-saram kolkhozes in various regions, consoling and encouraging the suffering caused by forced relocation through traditional dances and songs, and later contributed to the inheritance of the Korean national identity through the traditional dances and songs of the Koryo-saram community in Central Asia.

The exchange activities in music and arts between the Soviet Union and North Korea ultimately had a mutual impact on the development of the music and arts fields in both countries. In the Soviet Union, small art groups from various regions, including the Koryo Theater, played a practical role. North Korean music naturally had a significant impact on the development of performing arts in the Koryo-saram community in Central Asia. For example, Koryo-saram preferred North Korean folk songs with modernized vocal techniques, as they had grown up learning European, Russian, and Soviet music, and were thus naturally drawn to North Korean new folk songs with improved vocal techniques. Koryo-saram responded enthusiastically to North Korean new folk songs such as "Ulsan Taryeong" and "Cowbell Sound," and these songs are still sung with affection on holidays and celebrations. Conversely, for about a decade after liberation, some Koryo-saram music also influenced North Korea. For instance, the song "Joyful Day" (lyrics by Kim Hae-un, music by Kim Viktor, 1945) was widely popular in North Korea for a time after liberation.

■ Lee Byung-joProfessor at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. Currently a professor in the Korean Studies department and head of the Department of Oriental Studies. Graduated from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies with a degree in Russian Language and Literature and obtained a Ph.D. in Koryo-saram studies from the same university. Has conducted research primarily on the migration history and culture of Koreans (Koryo-saram) in Russia and CIS countries, and on Koryo-saram society.

■ Managed and Edited by: Min Ji-yoon| EAI Director of External Cooperation

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