A propaganda song of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is a raging hit on TikTok. Titled Friendly Father, the song which was released in mid-April, has now become a hit with TikTok users worldwide, many of whom do not understand the lyrics.
According to a report in the BBC one TikTok user joked. “It’s just a really great tune. Taylor Swift was not expecting to get blown out of the water right after dropping her new album.”
The song’s production and video is said to have been produced by the North Korean leader and his family. The lyrics are a complete homage to Kim whom it calls the ‘Friendly Father. Heaping compliments on Kim it refers to him as “benevolent like your father,” and “warm-hearted like your mother.”
Experts say this phraseology is deliberate as it moves away from the image of Kim as ‘Great Successor’, a title he had when he took over as leader, to a more benevolent figure. This has echoes of his grandfather Kim II Sung whose two nicknames were “Father” and “the Great.”
The fact that the song comes at a time when North Korea’s relations with its neighbour South Korea are at rock bottom, is no coincidence, say some experts. Alexandra Leonzini, a scholar from Cambridge University who researches North Korean music, feels this new idealistic view of the Supreme Leader could signal a shift taking place in the country.
“Songs are used to telegraph the direction the state is going in… to signpost important moments and important developments in politics. A song is almost like the newspaper in North Korea,” she says in a report in The Telegraph.
The fact that this song was released is a novelty. North Korea bans the import of music, and officially, there are only five sanctioned North Korean bands. According to South Korean media reports there are only four or five state-endorsed North Korean bands, of which the Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble and the all-girl Moranbong Band are most cited.
So, analysts believe the circulation of this song is not just to emphasise Kim’s devotion to the people but also to make them want to follow him when he makes tough decisions. Kim had declared in January this year that South Korea was the North’s “principal enemy.” He added that while he would not start a war, he would not avoid one either. This has raised questions as to whether he is readying for war.
(With inputs from agencies)
