Footsteps (Ri Jong-o song)
"Footsteps" (Korean: 발걸음, romanized: Palgŏrŭm) is a Kim Jong Un propaganda song that appeared before "Onwards Toward the Final Victory". The song was released in 2009[1] and aired while his father (Kim Jong Il) was alive, before Kim Jong Un had a formal position.[2] The composer is Ri Jong-o.[3]
| "Footsteps" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| Composer(s) | Ri Jong-o |
| Footsteps | |
| Chosŏn'gŭl | 발걸음 |
|---|---|
| Revised Romanization | Balgeoreum |
| McCune–Reischauer | Palgŏrŭm |
Lyrics
| External media | |
|---|---|
| Audio | |
 "Footsteps" (mp3 at Naenara) | |
| "Footsteps" (instrumental) (mp3 at Naenara) | |
| Video | |
 "Footsteps" (on YouTube) |
The song is calling to follow "Our General Kim's footsteps".[4] The song begins:[3]
Tramp tramp tramp
the footsteps of our General Kim
spreading the spirit of February
tramp tramp tramping onwards
According to Yonhap, "General Kim" appears to be a reference to Kim Jong Un and February is a birth month of his father.[3] Additional song lyrics:[4]
Footsteps, Footsteps
spreading out further the sound of a brilliant future ahead
tramp, tramp, tramp, ah, footsteps
References
- "North Korea's Latest Hit Single: The Kim Jong-un Theme Song!". CBC News. Retrieved 2013-06-02.
- Branigan, Tania (2012-07-06). "North Korea's Kim Jong-un gets new official theme song". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2013-06-02.
- "Propaganda Song for Heir Apparent Played in North Korea". Retrieved 2013-06-03.
- "How A Shy Boy From North Korea Became The World's Scariest Dictator". Retrieved 2013-06-02.
Further reading
- Cathcart, Adam; Korhonen, Pekka (2016). "Death and Transfiguration: The Late Kim Jong-il Aesthetic in North Korean Cultural Production" (PDF). Popular Music and Society. 40 (4): 390–405. doi:10.1080/03007766.2016.1158987. ISSN 0300-7766. S2CID 155681952.