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Singer-songwriter Kang San-eh said he's amazed to be part of history by performing in DPRK to celebrate the recent rapprochement of the divided nations.
"I'm excited with a whirlwind of emotions running high. Becoming part of history by going to a place where my parents could not visit during their lifetime as a musician, that's very moving," Kang said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency on Tuesday.
The folk rock musician, whose real name is Kang Young-gul, is part of a 160-strong South Korean art troupe that will visit DPRK from March 31 to April 3 for rare performances ahead of the inter-Korean summit scheduled for late April.
Other high-profile recording artists include Cho Yong-pil, K-pop act Red Velvet and former Girls' Generation member Seohyun. Kang and jazz pianist Kim Kwang-min were added to the lineup on Tuesday.
Kang performed in Mount Kumgang in 2006 amid a flurry of inter-Korean exchanges during the presidency of Roh Moo-hyun but has never visited Pyongyang.
"There was no political context to our concerts back then. The Kaesong Industrial Complex was also open and operational. I was merely excited by the prospect of being able to perform in North Korea (DPRK) and showcase our culture."
For Kang, things feel different this time, given the politically-sensitive backdrop. "The feeling is different, as we're headed to Pyongyang, the very center of North Korea (DPRK), at a politically-sensitive time."
The revisit to DPRK is very personal for Kang due to his family roots. As newlyweds, Kang's parents made their home in the DPRK's Hamgyong region but later fled after the Korean War broke out in 1950.
The two were separated during the famous Hungnam Evacuation of December 1950, with Kang's mother arriving in Geoje Island in the South with her son, Kang's older brother. She later remarried and gave birth to Kang and his sister. "Raguyo," Kang's breakout hit about the grief and sorrow of those who left their homes and families in the DPRK, was based on his mother's anecdotes.
"I grew up listening to tales of Japanese imperialism, the Korean War and the evacuation. In a nutshell, my mom's life and her experience encapsulate the modern history of Korea."
Since the stage will be shared with other artists, deciding on the set list is a significant task for the musicians. "I think I'll have to sing 'Raguyo,'" said Kang. He noted that the DPRK's organizers approved his other works, "You Can Do It" and "Like Those Lively Salmon Rising Up Against the River Stream."
"Personally, I would want to sing 'Myeongtae.' It is a song I made thinking about my father and has some Hamgyong region dialect in it," Kang said.
(YONHAP)
