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

Editor's Note

During the Soviet era, the Soviet Union and North Korea actively engaged in exchanges not only in politics and economics but also in culture and arts. Cultural exchanges involved mutual visits to introduce dance and music techniques 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 their respective music and arts fields. Notably, works produced by North Korea in the 1950s-60s are still found in libraries in the Moscow region and some provincial cities in Russia today. Based on information from the newspaper "Leninichi," the author examines the exchange activities in music and arts between the two countries during the period of 1948-1990. It is emphasized that the exchange performances at the time comforted and encouraged the Koryo-saram community, and furthermore, contributed to the inheritance of the 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 anniversary of the Korean War (1950) were grandly celebrated every ten years. During these times, Soviet delegations often visited North Korea, or North Korean delegations visited the Soviet Union (Moscow), usually for political reasons. However, in addition to politically motivated congratulatory visits, exchanges in arts and culture (music and performances; dance, singing, circus, etc.) also periodically continued. Unfortunately, the latter has not been well-known in the form of research until now.

Generally, during mutual performance exchanges, dance, music, singing, instruments, and composition techniques were introduced to each other. Furthermore, performance props such as janggu, buk, jing, and gwaenggwari were exchanged, and short-term and long-term training through the dispatch of musicians and experts was often provided. 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 Central Asian Koryo-saram community. In addition to mutual performance activities, active acquisition of music and art-related works between the Soviet Union and North Korea was also observed. Primarily, music-related works (dance, music, singing, and instruments, etc.) produced in the 1950s-60s were widely acquired by the Soviet side from North Korea, and these materials are still preserved in libraries in the Moscow region and some provincial cities of Russia today.

To identify the current status of collections and research on North Korean national music, the author first examined the collections 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 St. Petersburg, the Gorky Public Library of Primorsky Krai in Vladivostok in the Far East, and the Central State Archive of Audiovisual Documents of Kazakhstan in Almaty, all of which are expected to hold materials related to North Korean national music within the CIS. Subsequently, to observe the exchange activities in music and arts (mutual performances, dispatch of musicians and experts for training, and provision of materials, etc.) between the Soviet Union and North Korea, the author thoroughly reviewed articles from 1948-1990 in the newspaper "Leninichi" (published from 1938-1990), which best reflects the overall life of Koryo-saram during the Soviet era.

Status of Collections and Research on North Korean National Music within the CIS

Regarding the collections 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 or research findings available through online searches in other regions (the situation might differ for offline searches). Most of the confirmed materials are in book form, with only a very small number of translations found, and no academic papers or other materials 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 to some extent from the 1960s hold their own significance. This is because materials such as Ham Hwajin's "Joseon Music Discussion" and "Joseon Music (Research Materials)" held at the Russian State Library are not included in existing North Korean publication lists. 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 research on integrated North-South Korean national music history.

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 of 1948-1990 (including mutual performances, dispatch of musicians and experts for training, and provision of materials) were examined by dividing them into several periods, based on information published in the newspaper "Leninichi," which was published throughout the Soviet era and served the Central Asian Koryo-saram community.

① Period 1948-1960

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

During this period, a significant number of exchange visits appear to have taken 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 Lee Kyung-pal, performed in Moscow. The following year, in October, the Pyongyang Art Troupe, including Choi Seung-hee, Kim Wan-woo, and Yoo Eun-kyung, performed in Moscow. In May 1953, the 'Korean People's Army Music and Dance Ensemble' (Director Lee Chun-hyun), consisting 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 Ryul (Jeong Sang-jin) completed its performance 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 Lee In-hyung performed a solo piano piece, the 'Heroic Sonata' (composer Moon Kyung-ok); actress Cha Jin-sil performed 'Chongjinpo Boat Song'; National Art Theater dancers Ra Sook-hee performed fan dance and sword dance; actor Baek Rak-won performed the folk song 'Bakyeon Falls'; National Art Theater dancer Lee Seok-ye performed 'Cotton Picking Girl' and 'Rose Flower'; Ahn Sung-hee performed 'Bara Dance' and 'Janggu Dance'; solo singer Wang Soo-bok performed folk songs 'Pear Blossom Song' and 'Weaving Song'; and actor Yoo Gong Yoo Eun-kyung performed 'Arirang Variation' and 'Nightingale,' receiving a great response 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 Music and Dance Troupe's tour of major Soviet cities such as Moscow and Leningrad in December 1966. The second was the performance of the 'Beryozka' Soviet State Dance Ensemble 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-North Korean Friendship Society) were primarily active, carrying out friendship activities in both countries. This organization served as a channel for friendly exchanges between the two sides, organizing conferences in cities such as Moscow, St. Petersburg, Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, Almaty, and Tashkent in Central Asia, holding exhibitions of North Korean photographs, magazines, and books, and screening 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 newspaper search results, there were a total of 18 exchange performances or cooperation cases. Among these, a few examples include: In 1987, an exchange delegation from the Uzbek SSR visited North Korea. 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 'Sonbuk Dance' and the dance drama 'The Shepherd and the Girl' at the Palace of Culture of the 'Leninskiy Put' Kolkhoz in Tashkent Region. They also performed songs such as '<My Bright Country>' and '<Song of the Eight Views of Joseon>' and various dance music pieces by honored actors Lee Sun-ok, Kim Myung-sook, Ro Myung-soon, and Kim Hee-sook. In the autumn of 1988, three dancers from the Youth Art Troupe (Han Margarita, Park Raisa, Kim Larisa) visited North Korea with the 'Sodrylik' Ensemble and performed '<Sam-in Dance>' and '<Yangsan-do>'. 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 (attended by 62 countries from five continents and 77 art troupes), performing Kim So-ya's solo 'Niliri' 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 exchange and cooperation occurred in music and arts between the Soviet Union and North Korea. The cases presented above are based solely on the articles from the newspaper "Leninichi" during the period of 1948-1990. Therefore, it is possible that more cases 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 within kolkhozes in various regions. After their forced relocation in 1937, these groups toured Koryo-saram kolkhozes in different regions, comforting and encouraging those affected by the 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 Koryo-saram in Central Asia.

The exchange activities in music and arts between the Soviet Union and North Korea ultimately had a mutual influence on the development of their respective music and arts fields. On the Soviet side, 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 Central Asian Koryo-saram community. For example, Koryo-saram preferred North Korean folk songs with modernized vocal techniques. Having grown up learning European music and Russian and Soviet music, Koryo-saram were naturally drawn to North Korean new folk songs with improved vocal techniques. Koryo-saram showed great interest and enthusiasm for North Korean new folk songs such as '<Ulsan Taryeong>' and '<Cowbell Sound>', and these songs are still sung with affection on holidays and celebrations today. Conversely, for about a decade after liberation, some Koryo-saram music also influenced North Korea. A case in point is the song '<Joyful Day>' (lyrics by Kim Hae-un, music by Kim Victor, 1945), which was popular in North Korea for a time shortly 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. He has primarily conducted research on the history of migration 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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