Kang Chun-hyok

Kang Chun-hyok (강춘혁) is a North Korean defector, artist, and rapper. Kang defected during the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In this Korean name, the family name is Kang.
Kang Chun-hyok
Born1986 (age 36–37)
Onseong, North Korea
Known forDefection from North Korea
Korean name
Hangul
Revised RomanizationGang Chun-hyeok
McCune–ReischauerKang Ch'un-hyŏk

Early life and defection

Kang was born in Onseong, North Hamgyong Province, North Korea.[1][2]

Kang's father left North Korea for China in 1997 but was caught and imprisoned.[3] Kang was a kotjebi (homeless child).[4] When he was 9 or 10 years old he witnessed a public execution.[5] He ran away from home at age 13.[6][nb 1]

Once Kang's father was released from prison, the family crossed the Tumen river to China in 1998.[3] In 2001, the family were caught by the Chinese police. Kang bribed the Chinese officials, and travelled to South Korea via Vietnam and Cambodia. His family reunited with him in South Korea later that year.[3]

Life in South Korea

He studied fine arts at Hongik University in Seoul.[7][8][1]

In 2014, Kang appeared on series three of Show Me The Money.[3][2][4] Following his appearance on the show, he began producing an album with Yang Dong-geun.[3] Kang's raps are about his experiences in North Korea.[8][9] His art was showcased in the exhibition Kkotjebi in Bloom: North Korean Children's Flight to Freedom (꽃제비 날다 전시회) focusing on the experiences of being a homeless child. His work was shown alongside pieces by Sun Mu.[6][10][11]

In 2016, he appeared on the TV show Abnormal Summit talking about his experiences defecting.[12]

Discography

Kang has released the songs 못 다한 이야기 (Feat 3mm) and For The Freedom (feat. 3mm, CarpeDiem) on YouTube in 2015 and 2016, respectively. In 2021 he released a song called Vendetta (Feat. 3mm).

Filmography

Television series
Year Title Network Role Notes
2014 Show Me the Money Mnet Himself Participant
2016 Non-Summit JTBC Himself Guest

Notes
  1. It is noted that Kang was 12 years old when the family defected in 1998,[3] however this discrepancy may be due to the fact that age is counted differently in Korea

References
  1. Kim, Hye-kyung (18 September 2014). "North Korean defector rapper won't rest until unification". Korea times. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  2. "TV Debut for First Defector-Rapper!". Daily NK. 3 July 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  3. Felden, Esther (22 September 2014). "Ein Rapper für Korea". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  4. Fifield, Anna (19 August 2014). "The North Korean rapper not afraid to take on Kim Jong-un". The Independent. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  5. Kim, Victoria (10 June 2019). "Eyewitnesses help document public executions in North Korea for a day of reckoning". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  6. Fifield, Anna (16 August 2014). "A young North Korean defector finds his voice — in rap". Washington Post. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  7. Sandhu, Serina (18 August 2014). "Page 3 Profile: Kang Chun-hyok, rapper". The Independent. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  8. Yi, Whan-woo (14 December 2016). "Defector makes rap songs to criticize N. Korea regime". Korea Times. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  9. Strother, Jason (10 October 2014). "This North Korean rapper's lyrics draw on his experience eating tree bark and drinking from puddles". The World. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  10. "1000 Visit NKHR Kkotjebi Exhibition". Daily NK. 13 August 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  11. "NKHR Hosts Second Kkotjebi Art Expo in Busan". Daily NK. 5 November 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  12. "North Korean Escapee Kang Choon Hyuk - "China-Vietnam 2 week escape" Abnormal Summit Ep 79". YouTube. 4 January 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
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