Justin Bieber: what if he did tour North Korea?

[Renew Deal]

A viral campaign has proposed sending Justin Bieber on a tour of North Korea. But what can he expect in a country with just one nightclub? And will he return in one piece?

Now that web democracy has spoken and the internet's viral masses have chosen to send Justin Bieber to North Korea, perhaps some of us are putting our feet up thinking the hard work is done. The irritating pop whippet will soon be performing his melancholy ballads in prisoners' garb on a rock-chipping line, to an audience made up of the North Korean World Cup goalie and whoever has recently displeased Dear Leader Kim Jong Il.

Well, don't get carried away because if Bieber did make it to North Korea, the reality wouldn't be quite as exciting. As a recent visitor to the country, I learned that one of the ways the hermit kingdom maintains its isolationist policies at a cultural level is by the sophisticated manipulation of its international visitors. To the outside world, North Korea appears to welcome the odd western influence, such as when they invited the New York Philharmonic Orchestra to perform in Pyongyang in 2008. While we might be tempted to read such an occasion as a positive cultural exchange, it's more likely the event was spun 180 degrees for North Koreans, who – if they heard about it at all – would have been told something more along the lines that America sent the musical convoy to pacify the Big Bad Leader Kim with their meagre tributes.

I remember reading a similar spin tactic in the Pyongyang Times on a flight into the capital last year, on the day after Bill Clinton's reconnaissance trip to free the two imprisoned US journalists caught trespassing at the border. The Korean press made no mention of the real purpose of Clinton's visit, only reporting that he bowed deeply to General Kim and offered lots of kind and supportive words from (a presumably quivering) Barack Obama. This was the English edition – I understand the Korean-language version takes a much less diplomatic tone.
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2010/jul/07/justin-bieber-north-korea

Bieber fever is about to hit Best Korea thanks to the internets. http://tweeter.faxo.com/Justin_Bieber_My_World_Tour

[ashling]

1. Do you think that there is a chance they would keep him?

Look on the bright side :shrug: