The beginning of April is off to quite a start, already witnessing a “not-so-usual” cross-border visit. A few of South Korea’s famous K-pop singers have traveled all the way to Pyongyang for a special performance, along with concert staff, taekwondo demonstrators, reporters and government officials. So, what makes this journey special?

Unlike normal cross-border traveling by pop stars with itineraries primarily including concerts and recreational activities at fancy resorts, this latest trip was part of a mission. It was much more than recreational. Indeed, it was a visit intended to normalize the relationship between the two Koreas.

The concert featuring the K-pop girl band Red Velvet and a few other influential artists like Cho Yong-pil was held at the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre. Incidentally, it was Cho who held the last concert by a South Korean artist in the north before this performance, which was a solo concert in Pyongyang, more than a decade back, in 2005. Another concert, providing an opportunity for artists from both the North and the South to perform together was arranged at the Ryukyung Chung Ju-yung gymnasium. These concerts and other cultural exchanges were organized with an expectation to warm the air before the much-awaited April 27 summit.
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