North Korean Defector Exposes Arts School Admission Criteria

In the latest episode of KBS2's '사장님 귀는 당나귀 귀' (Boss's Ears Are Donkey Ears), North Korean defector and musician Park Seong-jin made headlines by stating that admission to North Korean arts schools is based more on appearance than musical talent. The show, which aims to foster self-reflection among South Korean bosses, has maintained a strong viewership, achieving a nationwide rating of 5.3% and a peak of 6.9%, making it the top-rated entertainment program in its time slot for 144 consecutive weeks according to Nielsen Korea.

In the upcoming episode airing on March 9, viewers will see Lee Soon-sil struggling to perform with the '통일 메아리 악단' (Unification Echo Orchestra). During this segment, Park Seong-jin, who plays the sohaegeum, jokingly tells Lee, "If you were in a North Korean arts school, you would be assigned to play the tuba (왕나팔)," which sparks her anger.

Park Seong-jin shared a surprising reason for his defection, revealing that he was detained after singing the capitalist song 'Chilgapsan' at a wedding when guests requested it. He further explained the admission criteria for North Korean arts universities, stating, "The selection is not based on musical skill but rather on looks. If a student is not attractive, they are said to have gotten in through connections, while those who are pretty but lack talent are not questioned."

This revelation prompted Lee Soon-sil to humorously ask, "If I went to that school, would I be able to enroll?" Park responded affirmatively but added, "However, you would be assigned to the tuba because of your large face," which only fueled her frustration. The host Jeon Hyun-moo chimed in, saying, "That instrument completely hides your face," leading to laughter, while Lee added, "It's also known as the pig horn," causing everyone to burst into laughter. Comedian Park Myung-soo even suggested that Lee should use Photoshop to enhance her looks, joking that it might help her chances of admission.

Additionally, Lee Soon-sil organized her own cheering squad to energize the '통일 메아리 악단' stage. She creatively incorporated various reactions to the lyrics of Park Myung-soo's song 'Prince of the Sea,' and beamed with pride when her squad shouted, "Long live, long live, long live!" Fellow cast member Kim Sook was so impressed by the cheering that she spontaneously joined in, chanting, "Long live Lee Soon-sil!"

The video of the performance created by Lee Soon-sil for the '통일 메아리 악단' will be aired during the live broadcast of '사장님 귀는 당나귀 귀.' The show airs every Sunday at 4:40 PM on KBS2.