INTERVIEW Norwegian artist promotes peace in Korea

The movie, “Liberation Day,” which is about Laibach’s experiences during their stay in the North Korean capital, will premiere May 1, at the Jeonju International Film Festival. / Courtesy of Morten Traavik

Movie about rock concert in Pyongyang will premiere today

By Choi Ha-young

Morten Traavik

Norwegian director Morten Traavik is visiting South Korea with a rare movie featuring Slovenian rock band Laibach that held a concert in Pyongyang, Aug. 15.

The movie, “Liberation Day,” which is about the band’s experiences during their stay in the North Korean capital, will premiere today at the Jeonju International Film Festival with the catchphrase “All art is propaganda, and all propaganda is art.”

In an interview with The Korea Times, Friday, Traavik, who also organized the Laibach concert in Pyongyang, said he still vividly remembers the volatile situation on the Korean Peninsula last summer following a deadly landmine incident in the border area.

“When we were setting a loud speaker up in a theater in Pyongyang for a performance, the two Koreas were installing loud speakers on the border for propaganda. Now, the North and the United States are quarreling with each other,” Traavik said.

In South Korea, the band, which is accompanying Traavik, will give a rare opportunity to a South Korean audience ― performing a set of North Korean propaganda songs with its own rock rhythms.

“The core message of this movie is ― anything is possible,” he said. “As you will see lots of compromises in the movie, we cannot do everything, but we can do something,” he said. “If you are patient and prepared, you can actually achieve what nobody thinks possible.”

As a cultural envoy between Pyongyang and the outside world, he has his own view to put an end to the “unnecessary” conflict on the peninsula. “Korean people should start talking to each other, directly.”

“The members of the so called six-party talks are the least qualified. Koreans talking directly to each other without outside interference is the only logical way for a better relationship.”

The artist is aware that inter-Korean relations kept worsening during the administration of former Prersident Park Geun-hye. Asked about the ongoing debate during the presidential race here about whether North Korea is our “main enemy” or not, he commented straight forwardly.

“The conservatives are those who benefit from such a controversy,” he said. “Conservative generals in Pyongyang are those who benefit from the conflict. The conservative forces on both sides are helping each other.”

To the next president who will be elected May 9, the artist gave some witty advice.

“Meet your counterpart with a bottle of soju and see what happens. That is actually possible. If you argue too much where to hold such a meeting, you can come to Norway.”

Traavik is envisioning a joint art exhibition in Pyongyang in August. He is planning to gather painters, illustrators and video artists from North Korea and foreign countries and let them collaborate for the show.

He believes art can make different societies think outside the box. “Even the strictest dictator should be interested in having a joker who can say no; and they are artists,” he said.