Japanese internet celebrity Chunhun starts her day by listening to a band whose songs few other 20-something women in the nation are likely to have on thei
Japanese internet celebrity Chunhun starts her day by listening to a band whose songs few other 20-something women in the nation are likely to have on their playlists: North Korea’s all-female ensemble Moranbong Band.
“I listen to their songs for the same reason many Japanese women listen to K-pop or Taylor Swift, ” said freelance illustrator Chunhun, who does not publicly reveal her real name.
When her mornings feel particularly depressing, she opts for more bellicose music from north of the 38th parallel.
“Even if I have a really tough day coming up, I can easily switch into a very aggressive mood when these songs encourage me to ‘annihilate enemies’ or assure me that I have the ‘Great Marshal’ on my side.”
Chunhun’s fascination with North Korea makes her stand out among most Japanese, who have developed an aversion to the reclusive regime due to long-standing bad blood over its abductions of Japanese citizens decades ago and its defiant efforts to become a nuclear power.
Today the Kanagawa native spearheads a little-known community of sengun joshi (military-first girls) , a group of mostly young adult women who are fascinated by the peculiar culture of their Asian neighbor.
Although their name gives the impression that they adore North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, they claim their interest in the country is purely cultural, saying they despise the regime’s atrocities and military provocations as much as their fellow Japanese do.
What makes them different, however, is that they are aware of the simplest truth: There is more to North Korea than Kim’s saber-rattling.
“By introducing North Korea’s culture, like its fashion, music and arts, I want the Japanese public to realize there are good people living there and that they can’ t be blamed for what the government does, ” Chunhun said in an interview with The Japan Times.
In 2013, Chunhun, then a student intern for a news website specializing in coverage of North Korea, began marketing herself as a sengun joshi and has since attracted a following on social media.
