Imjin River - A Song from North Korea

Song: River Imjin (North Korea). Girl sleeping: China.

- This is a North Korean song about yearning for a day that one can visit one's home town in South Korea. Birds can go, but why can't I. This song is not about the recent human rights situation in NK. I think it was made in the 1950s. It is a lamentation about the division of country. It says "Who divided our country?" A good question. Answer is not so obvious: the USA, ex-Soviet Union, and even Japan is implicated. Japan? Yes, Japan. The division happenned in the process of de-colonisation of Korea from Japan.

Ironically, this song is popular in Japan where North Korea is hated for kidnapping Japanese citizens. But most of those who sing the song in a Karaoke bar do not understand what the song is about. By the way, the river name, Imjin, has nothing to do with the Imjin War, which means the war in the year of Imjin (The Japanese invasion of Korea lead by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1592.)

- Imjin River is Imjin-gang in Korean or Imjin-gawa in Japanese. It is located North of Seoul.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imjin

- Recently (2004) a Japanese film called "Pacchigi" (bakchigi, meaning heading) on the subject of the Koreans in Japan had this song as its theme song. The main theme of this film is "why can the Koreans (in Japan)and the Japanese live in peace?" The right wing, nationalist Japanese regards this film and its director "anti-Japanese."

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Pan-Asianism
• Imjin
• イムジン河
• North
• Korea
• DPRK

[Deutschland596]

Even tho I love the USSR it was them along with the US that destroyed Korea.

[sungxa39]

yes it is pretty good video, but do not forget that KIM JONG IL wants destruction of Japan and South Korea.

If North Korea want peace, get rid of this guy.

Now about Japanese nationalist , they are outdated, soon or later their daughter or their sons are going to marry koreans or chinese and then what they are going to do???

[tundotcom]

The singer is Kim Yong Woo 김용우.

[dongsoola]

North Korea is the happiest country on Earth!!

Be careful of these US DFF propagandiest who have multiple ip and do comments against North Korea!

[tigerman1414575]

ascomcity 495 53

[trebleclefts]

At the end of the war the Chinese went home, but the americans stayed in the south they still occupy the south and the south want thim to piss off, just imagine russia occupying canada what would america think, would it be haoppy i don't think so, so america piss off. and Korea will sort its self out.

[nabehotpot]

hope someone anti communism will take over north korean after Kim dies. the ppl need to be liberated from this country

[Majkiel79]

a beautiful song and a baby girl!

[duspara91]

@theKall

If you find please send me.....

Thanks..

[Waenom]

I wouldn't blame Mao,Stalin, Truman, USA, USSR for the division. Because PRC (1949) was established after the Korean division (1948). And Kim IlSung rose to power in the North after rebelling against Japanese. So it is primarily the Japanese fault since the 16th century.

[007Lagching1030]

good @_@