Kim Jong Un’s Favorite Girl Band Abruptly Cancels Beijing Tour

North Korea reportedly ordered the Moranbong Band to return from China in a fit of pique after their scheduled performance was snubbed by the leadership in Beijing.

The Korean People’s Army’s State Merited Chorus was likewise scheduled to perform at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing, known locally as “The Giant Egg”, for three straight days from Saturday.

The intelligence agency report said that China’s move came as the concert was mostly about worshipping North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. A stable partnership between China and North Korea wouldn’t lead to a goodwill cultural performance series being called off due to “communication issues”. Pyongyang’s Korean Central New Agency had previously said that the concerts would contribute to “deepening friendship” between China and North Korea.

The band’s arrival in Beijing was widely covered, but the show was not open to the public, the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing told AFP.

While China continues to provide crucial economic support and diplomatic cover for Kim’s impoverished communist regime, the North Korean leader appears to have used defiance of Beijing to shore up perceptions of his own power and independence of action.

The Korea Times reported Moranbong was recalled to North Korea to hush rumours about Kim’s relationship with Hyon, a former girlfriend, after she received too much attention in the Chinese press and on social media.

But North Korea had angered Beijing with its decision to test new ballistic missiles and detonate a nuclear bomb in a secretive underground bunker, despite being urged not to.

Chinese and Japanese media reports say members of the North Korean band were seen departing for Pyongyang earlier in the day.

Whatever the real reason for the cancellation of the tour. the band’s first overseas tour had been greeted with some excitement in China, an important market for South Korea’s K-pop. Sun said that if a state leader watched the show it would be interpreted as Beijing tolerating, if not endorsing, North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme, contradicting its official stand. ” could create many new fans outside North Korea”.

Although North Korea is still recovering from the severe crisis in the 1990s, construction of infrastructure and economic activities picked up since Kim Jong-un assumed power in 2011.

The source said Chinese officials asked for a number of songs be taken out after they attended a rehearsal on Friday.