Thread by @BonicMichael

@chadocl Keith Howard: "Moranbong disappeared for a while, and when they came back, they started to wear military uniforms. The makeup was gone. The jewelry was gone. So, you’re back to being sort of more orthodox.
 
We’re seeing, right now, another experiment with moving away from the

@chadocl 2/"old into something more contemporary. North Korea is rejecting itself.”

Keith Howard did his research in North Korea in 1992 and 2000. It has taken him 25 years to do this book. This book belongs to the category of "Obsolete".

“So, I was interested in being able to meet

@chadocl 3/"musicians, scholars, artists, dancers to find out how they perceive things and how they talked about things…"

The only problem is that Keith Howard last intermingled with North Koreans 20 and 28 years ago respectively. Here's what isn't included in his book:

@chadocl 4/“This is the first ROCK SONG in North Korea that is recorded in 2007 PyongYang.” - F. Sueyoshi

Rock music has now become a mainstay in Pyongyang's music schools.

@chadocl 5/From Funky Sueyoshi to Wangjaesan Dance Troupe to Moranbong Band, DPRK's love for music and the fine arts has progressively evolved to where the younger generation is assimilating Western forms of music and dance.

https://twitter.com/BonicMichael/status/1328088280156389376?s=20

@chadocl 6/Moranbong Band performs Frank Sinatra’s “My Way”

https://twitter.com/BonicMichael/status/1328090289697742848?s=20

So much for the orthodoxy KH speaks of in his book. Far from rejecting itself, the DPRK is emerging from its chrysalis of tradition and progressively embracing Western forms of creativity, including rock.

@chadocl 7/The title to the piece,"Luxury, but little sex appeal", is a joke and an insult. The members of Moranbong Band are ultra-attractive, which compliments their virtuoso performances. They are ultra-sexy and the military uniforms they wear are costumes. KH is blind as an old bat.

@chadocl 8/The Moranbong Band: A Modern Pop Band for the People

https://twitter.com/BonicMichael/status/1328080127679287296?s=20

Kim Jong Un well understood the "necessity to please important social strata: Pyongyang elites, military & technical professionals, women, and in particular, young people". Moranbong Band is his band.

@chadocl 9/At 2:26 in this video a stunningly beautiful woman playing electric guitarist tears into it to give the song a lift. Much too contemporary, modern & progressive for the writer of "Songs

"Nuclear War": Official Soundtrack released by #NorthKorea, 2020 ✌️

@chadocl 10/For "Great Leaders": Ideology & Creativity In North Korean Music & Dance".

There is plenty of sex appeal in Without A Break, especially at 0:18 in the song when the momentum picks up and the crown roars into a cheer. Watch Kang Ryong-hui the electric

@chadocl 11/guitarist tapping her foot to the beat riffing on her red guitar. There is more sex appeal to Moranbong Band members showing shoulders and thigh-high dresses than Beyonce grabbing her crotch during a Super Bowl halftime (IMHO). Class, sex appeal, musical talent and style.

@chadocl @threadreaderapp compile