K-pop is loved worldwide yet for the creatives behind it in their native land, content creators are getting their fans in trouble.

In a stark revelation, video footage released by the South and North Development (SAND) Institute, an organization working with North Korean defectors, unveiled a distressing scene.

North Korean authorities, in a public trial, have sentenced two 16-year-olds in Pyongyang to 12 years of hard labour for the seemingly innocuous act of watching K-pop.

Although unverified, the footage provides a troubling glimpse into the stringent measures imposed by North Korea, particularly since the enactment of the “anti-reactionary thought” law in 2020.

The president of SAND and a Political Science Doctor from Tokyo University who defected from North Korea in 2001, believes that the severity of the punishment serves as a warning to the entire nation.

She hinted at the prevalence of South Korean culture in North Korean society.

Further adding, it might be the motive behind such stringent measures.

Notably, the crackdown aligns with North Korea’s persistent war against outside influences.

Penalizing those caught indulging in South Korean entertainment or adopting South Korean speech patterns.

The video, purportedly edited around 2022, portrays a large public trial orchestrated by North Korean authorities.

Approximately 1,000 students, including the accused teenagers in grey scrubs, wore face masks, indicating the timeframe of the COVID pandemic.

Authorities allegedly handcuffed the students and subjected them to judgment for a three-month engagement.

K-pop influence in N.Korea

This was for watching and disseminating South Korean movies, music, and music videos.

The narrator in the video accuses foreign culture of seducing the students and causing their downfall, emphasizing the perceived threat posed by external influences.

The troubling scenes further showcase young girls being handcuffed and women in Pyongyang adopting South Korean fashion and hairstyles.

North Korea remains reclusive and technically at war with the democratic South.

The incident adds another layer to the complex dynamics between the two nations, highlighting the lengths to which North Korea will go to keep their nation locked.