Hyon Song-wol: The 'executed' North Korean pop singer making waves in the South
North Korea is sending an arts troupe to the South for the Winter Olympics.
Once rumoured to have dated dictator Kim Jong-un, only to be executed by him in 2013, North Korean pop singer Hyon Song Wol is making waves as she travels south.
Hyon is leader of the popular North Korean pop band, Moranbong, a group that has been compared to the likes of the Spice Girls.
Hyon is in South Korea as part of a cultural contingent to inspect the possible venues for an art troupe from north of the border, who are set to perform as part of celebrations for the Winter Olympics.
The games, which begin in Pyeongchang, South Korea, on 9 February, are being seen as a chance to help improve relations between the two nations after a particularly sour 2017.
A series of missile tests and nuclear weapon experiments has angered the region, and concerns over a possible war has heightened tensions in the peninsular.
South Korea, a place where K-Pop reigns supreme, has seen the music star's every step analysed.
The broadcaster YTN revealed that Hyon ate a dish called fish hangover soup, while there was also analysis over her choice of coffee.
There has been much speculation about the singer for years, including reports that she had been executed due to a sex scandal. But she appeared on television a year later, which put these rumours to rest.
While many have seen Hyon and the delegation's visit as a chance to improve relations, others have been less impressed.
Protesters in the South set fire to the North Korean flag as well as images of Kim Jong-un, but a heavy police presence kept them well away from the Northern delegation.
The protests are against South Korean President Moon Jae-in's policy of trying to improve ties between the two nations, a stand he has pushed hard for since his election in 2017.
As part of the Olympic deal, the North is expected to send 22 athletes to take part in the games, which are taking place just over 50 miles from the DMZ.
The 140-member Samjiyon Band, lead by Hyon, will also perform in the run up to the games.
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