Paek Sung Ran - The Tears of Korea (조선의 눈물) | English Sub

The 17th December 2025 marks the 14th Anniversary of the death of General KIM JONG IL.
This epic performance by the Unhasu Orchestra was held on the February following his passing in 2011, marking what would have been his 70th birthday. At the end of the show, Paek Sung Ran performed the most anguished, yet grandiloquent ideological lamentation I've ever seen. Her thundering intonation is so emphatic, some may find it comical. Others may be affected by her grief. Such expression of despair and bargaining is rare for the DPRK, only seen in the context of national tragedies such as this.

Alas, her lament does more than simply mourn the late leader, pivoting to the socialist system defended by the General. Since the leader and system are intertwined, the latter is framed as the reason for the people's tears. General KIM JONG IL may be gone, but the system continues. Tears become sweat and blood. While the General lives forever as the sun, his son lives on Earth as the Sun of Destiny, in religious, almost trinitarian language. By this means, the transfer of power is explained in the state's own words - rich in metaphor and imagery, but fiercely ideological.

PRODUCTION NOTES:
From the Concert of the Unhasu Orchestra, "Our Hearts Follow the Sun" (2012.2.16). [2012년 광명성절음악회 태양을 따르는 마음, 은하수관현악단]

While the video quality is poor (footage with the old KCTV logo always is), ‪@pochonbo_archive‬ provided me with the official live audio from the CD, so its grandiosity may be fully appreciated. You can listen to the full album on Juchify: https://juchify.com/en/album/705
Subtitles by me.