An elementary school student has composed a song with his father that has been receiving much attention from Korean netizens online, due to its innocent take on the division of the Korean Peninsula.
The song, "Eight Provinces of Korea”_ written by a fourth grader at Jecheon Elementary School who goes by the initial "J" _ reflects the boy's wish for the divided nation to reunite. The lyrics are straight from his personal journal.
"I want to walk hand in hand with my mom and dad and visit Mt. Geumgang," the boy sings. "If the two Koreas unite, our nation will always win everything like figure skater Kim Yu-na.
"If only we could ride the train and go straight to Sinuiju in North Korea."
The boy’s father, Lee Duk-su, told The Korea Times that his son has always had a keen interest in inter-Korean relations.
"One day, he just came home and started writing in his diary how he didn't want to do his homework, and then I saw what he was writing," Lee explained. "The lyrics reflected his interest in current affairs and the importance of our identity, which was what he learned through history class at school."
J's song also questions society’s role in the division of the peninsula.
He asks: "I'm good friends with everyone at my school, but why do grown-ups fight on TV every day? I want the separated families to be able to meet every single day. Who tore them apart and our land in the first place?"
J's father said he helped add the music to the lyrics. The song was released on September 14, but has gained popularity in recent weeks following media attention.