Kang Chun-hyok uses hip-hop to raise awareness about the country he escaped as a child. He agreed to answer your questions about his struggles as a defector, the country’s leadership and his artistic expression

Kang Chun-hyok is unique: a young defector from North Korea who is forging ahead with a career as a rapper. The 28-year-old art student, who studies in Seoul, has spent the past few years pursuing a passion for hip-hop, using it as a medium to share his feelings and experiences.



Kang has recently been working with the Citizen’s Alliance for North Korean Human Rights (NKHR), a campaign group based in Seoul who advocate for improved conditions for North Korean citizens and defectors. With their help he agreed to answer your questions about life as a defector, the situation in North Korea and his musical journey.

Dear Amanda: Thank you for your question. When I was in North Korea, I never thought of wealth, love and the world. I had to survive. I was very young, I didn’t have many thoughts and just followed my parents. I learned about those ideas as I came to South Korea, when I saw how wealthy people are. I grew up and learned about love. I came to South Korea with my parents.

Dear Star Bright: Thank you for your interest in North Korean refugees. I think the biggest problem is that the international community still doesn’t know about North Korea or its refugees, the crisis is not as visible as the one in Syria or the Palestinian territories for example.



I would recommend screening movies, such as the South Korean film Crossing to as many people as possible – a powerful movie based on a true story.



There are several organisations that help North Korean refugees. You have to understand that without help many like me would not be able to reach South Korea. NKHR helps women and children specifically, they have their own rescue fund run by volunteers. They organised an exhibition in August called Kkotjebi in Bloom which showed my drawings. Their goal is to rescue at least six people this year and they have already rescued four.

I am preparing to record my first songs in October, in Korean, but NKHR will help to translate. The reason I decided to do this project was that to help raise awareness and funds for refugees.

Remember that there aren’t many people who care about this issue, so however small the actions are that you take, they will make a great difference

Thank you for all your efforts. Please remember that there aren’t many people who care about this issue, so however small the actions are that you take, they will make a great difference

Dear Flippereck: I left North Korea a long time ago, so it is difficult to know first hand. I only hear stories from those who arrived recently.

It was always very difficult and dangerous, but now it is dramatic

I think one big difference is that the number of people crossing the border has reduced due to harsh punishments for those trying to flee. It was always very difficult and dangerous, but now it is dramatic. People are so afraid that they stay in North Korea.

I don’t have any big hopes in the leadership, but I have hope in younger generations slowly driving changes in society. The fact that there is a black market and people can buy movies or music from abroad will have an impact. One day they even may hear my raps.

Dear GicaHagi: Thank you for your question. North Koreans are usually suspicious of those who go back. Many of us felt desperate and lonely and missed our hometown, family or friends, but nobody would go back. It would be suicide.

Those that are really unhappy here often try their luck abroad, going back is extremely rare and often raises suspicions. It is possible that some were sent by North Korea and some have been blackmailed into coming back.

It is very difficult to adjust to a new life. The early years are hard for everyone. We don’t understand the differences in the Korean language, and have to sit with the dictionary. We don’t know English or computers and have to learn many subjects from scratch.

We have to get used to different culture and learn new things to function properly in daily life. People have to learn about the bus and the subway and things like washing machines. Some can be afraid to leave the house at all in the beginning.

Many people miss their family and friends, it can difficult and people get depressed. At school many sit in class with South Koreans that are a few years younger and can’t bond with their peers.

In the beginning I had to question everything, but not anymore. I understand that people have different characters and their own way of doing things. I became part of the society

It has been about a decade since I came to South Korea. In the beginning I had to question everything, but not anymore. I understand that people have different characters and their own way of doing things. I became part of the society.

Dear hwa38jung: Thanks. I think they know more and more because there are so many South Korean dramas and foreign movies smuggled in. People living near the border get information quite quickly from China, from people going back-and-forth for trade, and they contact relatives using Chinese mobile phones.

Often, due to the contact with relatives, they decide to escape to South Korea. There are brokers who not [only] smuggle people, but also bring money, and people who have access to radio often hear South Korean broadcasts meant for the North.

Dear paulyc1: Thank you for your question. North Koreans only know about the leadership from what we learn at schools and in the workplace – mostly the lives and revolutionary history of Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong-suk. People won’t know more unless it is specially announced.

People are not interested in politics because it may be dangerous... so they learn off-by-heart about their leaders and when they are told to vote, they choose the only choice possible

People are not interested in politics because it may be dangerous. People ask ‘what is your purpose’? So they learn off-by-heart about their leaders and when they are told to vote, they choose the only choice possible.

They are afraid to question many things, even in conversation with family and friends. Anyone can report you.

It is hard to think about a revolution, but average people are tired and they would like to live differently. Many know how the world is living, some realise they were taught lies and that regime doesn’t care about them.

It is hard to think about a revolution, but average people are tired and they would like to live differently

Dear ehbikki1: You have to realise that such projects are done in cooperation with Pyongyang and will not have big impact on the average citizen. It might have some impact, positive or negative, for the privileged that participate, but ultimately they serve to strengthen the regime’s propaganda.

Financially, art and tourism projects also strengthen the regime not the people, who don’t have access to an orchestra or a movie in Pyongyang. People should be aware who these projects are for.

When I was in school, I didn’t have textbooks that Pyongyang children have. I couldn’t learn a musical instrument, we didn’t have good shoes or a normal football.

I was hungry. Do you think I could ever imagine to go study art in Pyongyang?

I was hungry. Do you think I could ever imagine to go study art in Pyongyang, even though I already was drawing as a child? Never. People like my family don’t exist.

Dear Sizrius Sizzle: Thanks for sharing your music, I will be happy to watch it. I am interested in collaboration but English is a problem for me and I am just beginning. My major is fine art and so far I have only treated rap as a hobby, but let’s see where it will bring me.

Dear Warren: People are enjoying more and more South Korean pop songs which are smuggled to the country. People don’t know English, so western music is rare – not even a world famous band like the Beatles.

Dear AFletcher101: Thank you for your question. When I was living in North Korea I used to draw the mountains and animals I saw. After the escape, I had to draw to earn money. But when I came to South Korea I felt that I didn’t have to be afraid anymore, I could draw or speak freely.

When I came to South Korea I felt that I didn’t have to be afraid anymore, I could draw or speak freely

Dear Lochie Dowd: They are very supportive. North Koreans like music, despite a lack of access. Many can sing. Older people may not understand or like rap but the younger ones are on top of new music. Thanks for asking.



Dear solarYB: They don’t have preconceived notions. When I say that I am a rapper from North Korea, people are interested in what I’m doing and also in my past.



I want people in South Korea and the world to learn about the reality and rap allows me to freely express my experiences

I want people in South Korea and the world to learn about the reality and rap allows me to freely express my experiences my drawings and paintings help me do that too.

I want people to learn, be moved and start talking when the see my paintings or hear my music.

And thank you [for your words about Show Me the Money], it is great encouragement. You know, I am not a professional musician, I am just at the beginning of my road.

Kang’s closing remarks: Thank you everyone for your thoughtful questions. I hope you will continue to be interested in the human rights situation in North Korea. You can follow my progress through NKHR’s Facebook page.