The strange saga of a rock concert in North Korea
Of all the Western bands, why Laibach 鈥� a Slovenian industrial rock group 鈥� managed to play inside the reclusive state of North Korea.
Overcoming strict censorship and archaic technology, Slovenian band Laibach managed to put on one of the first Western rock concerts ever held in North Korea. This unlikely gig all started with a Norwegian director, writer, and producer called Morten Traavik and a disco ball. In 2008, Morten brought one of the mirrored spherical objects into North Korea and made a photo series. From there, he began collaborating officially with North Korean artists which eventually led to his most ambitious project: bringing Laibach inside the secretive country to perform. But the event itself hung in the balance. Any misstep, any verbal slip up, any accidental critique of North Korea, and the whole concert could be cancelled.
Presenter: Asya Fouks
Producer: Saskia Collette
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707
(Photo: Laibach in North Korea. Credit: J酶rund F Pedersen)
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