South Korean Marines patrol along a bank of a shore on Yeonpyeong island just south of Northern Limit Line (NLL), South Korea, August 23, 2015. (Photo : REUTERS/MIN GYEONG-SEOK/ NEWS1)
South Korea is challenging the North in the demilitarized zone, not through guns and bombs, but through its popular pop songs and dramas. While the South is demanding an apology for landmines that crippled two of its soldiers, the North responded with a threat of war if the 11 massive speakers playing Kpop songs and other hallyu materials are not turned-off.
UI's "Heart," Big Bang's "Bang, Bang, Bang," and Girls Generation's "Gee" were all played at the boundary of the two nations. "Gee" trended globally on Twitter during the heat of the tension on the third week of August.
South Korea is also boasting its developed economy in contrast with the North's laid-back state. The Hallyu country is promoting life in South Korea, with references to soap operas and stories about North Korean defectors being welcome in the South.
It is the not the first time that South Korea is utilizing speakers to blast propaganda messages across the demilitarized zone. When the North fired a torpedo that sank a warship in 2010, the South responded with the song "Hit Your Heart" by the girl group 4minute. The lyrics "Baby, you're kidding me? I do what I want and I do it my way," were interpreted as a diss to the North's rigid control over its citizens' speech.
While the North has its own speakers, the ones from the South are more advanced and overpowering, Mashable reported.
Meanwhile, the leaders of both nations have been in correspondence and has agreed to halt the tension, CNN reported. North Korea will issue a formal apology to South Korea.
As for Korean music, North Korea has its own talented girl group which is more conservative than South Korean idols.
