The Unexpected Way North Koreans Identified Themselves As K-Pop Fans To Ailee

Soloist Ailee recently sat down with comedians Lee Yong Ju, Jung Jae Hyung, and Kim Min Soo to film for the latest PSICK SHOW episode.

During the episode, she discussed how she got her start in the K-Pop industry, being an OG YouTuber, her experience performing in North Korea, and more.

(From left:) Ailee, Lee Yong Ju, Kim Min Soo, and Jung Jae Hyung | 피식대학Psick Univ/YouTube

Ailee visited North Korea in 2018 to perform at the third annual Inter-Korean Summit, where Zico was also a performer.

The talented singer noted that it was a scary and nervewracking experience visiting the country known for its stringent censorship, limited external interactions, and culture dominated by a single, authoritative ideology.

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The PSICK SHOW hosts asked Ailee how the crowd reacted to her performance, and she shared that everyone clapped in unison and supported the artists.

She revealed that, while they may not have been doing fan chants, members of the crowd were already familiar with her music and K-Pop in general.

| 피식대학Psick Univ/YouTube

I don’t know if I’m supposed to say this, or if I’m allowed to say this, but they know all of our music.

— Ailee

She knew this because, although the crowd remained silent aside from clapping, North Korean audience members later approached her in the restroom to “secretly” share they were fans of her music.

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During the episode, Ailee also detailed her scary experience of getting lost in Pyongyang.

Check out more on that story in the article below:

Ailee Had “Horror Film” Experience After Getting Lost In North Korea