This song is catchy and going viral. It’s also North Korean propaganda
SEOUL—Jordan Daniels, a 31-year-old pianist and software engineer in California, posted a cover of a catchy new tune on TikTok. One aspect of the ditty, “Friendly Father," made Daniels uneasy: It is propaganda from North Korea, the communist country led by brutal strongman Kim Jong Un. “He’s like this dictator," Daniels said.
“But man, this catchy song is actually kind of good." His video, now viewed more than 19,000 times, carried a disclaimer that he didn’t support the Kim regime in any way. North Korea’s propaganda music is made to be memorable—and to keep the population in line. Now, the songs are finding a new audience.
Gen Z’ers and other young people around the globe are dancing to “Friendly Father" or posting remixed versions of it. Some fans jokingly compare the tune’s popularity to Taylor Swift’s latest album. “There is a tendency to repost and participate in viral behavior without truly realizing what you’re participating in," noted Connor Blakley, founder of Youth Logic, a Gen Z-focused marketing agency.
“Gen Z will do pretty much anything to feel important by getting more views." Communist countries have long wielded music as a propaganda tool, with China and the Soviet Union blasting upbeat patriotic tunes during the Cold War. But under Kim, the third-generation leader who took power in late 2011, North Korea has become the propaganda king, with more experimental pop-inflected music. Pyongyang has adopted more electronic strings, rock riffs, and girl groups resembling the globally popular K-pop bands of South Korea.
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