North Korea’s crackdown on South Korean pop culture appears to have failed, as bans on the consumption and distribution of music, videos and publications from its neighbour and other nations have done little to stem its young people’s enthusiasm. According to sources inside the country, the globally popular K-pop group, BTS, has become so embedded in youth culture that those unfamiliar with them risk being labelled out of touch by their peers.

According to a Daily NK source inside the dictatorship-led country, the seven-strong group has worked its way into daily life among young people not only in border regions but also in the capital, Pyongyang, where being unaware of the group is enough to leave some on the outside of conversations with peers. “Some young people started liking them after actually hearing the music, while others became interested after hearing about them from peers,” the source said. “A lot of them quietly talk among themselves about things like the members’ looks and dancing.”

Despite intensified surveillance in recent years, rather than abandoning their interest, young North Koreans have adapted, developing slang to discuss BTS without drawing official attention. Instead of using the group’s full name, which could attract scrutiny from authorities, they refer to the group as “Bangdan” or simply “BT”.

“Young people these days don’t stop talking about South Korean singers just because crackdowns have gotten stricter,” the source added. “They just change the way they say things so that only they understand.”

Enacted in 2020, the Reactionary Ideology and Culture Rejection Law bans the consumption and distribution of music, videos and publications from South Korea and other countries deemed hostile to the state. Penalties can reach the death penalty for serious violations. Since the law took effect, authorities have broadened enforcement to target even South Korean speech patterns and expressions, with young people bearing the brunt of the campaign.

However, despite the crackdown, most young North Koreans are still able to access BTS music, photos and videos through USB drives and SD cards loaded with outside media that circulate informally. In some border areas where South Korean television signals bleed across the Korean Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), young people have reportedly watched BTS content directly on their TVs.

When asked what they would do if they lived somewhere they could freely listen to music and follow artists, their answers included going to a concert, playing recordings as loud as they wanted, learning their dances, dressing up like the members, or meeting them in person and taking photos.

BTS released their fifth studio album, ARIRANG, on March 20, marking their first full-group comeback in over three years after the members completed their compulsory military service. The album draws inspiration from the traditional Korean folk song of the same name, a song closely associated with Korean identity in both North and South Korea. BTS will perform at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on July 6 and 7 as part of their 79-date global tour.