MMM | The New York Philharmonic in North Korea

09 NOV 2025: In 2008, the NY Phil accepts an unexpected invitation to Pyongyang. 55 years after the Korean War, American musicians set foot on North Korean soil.

Can music play a role in diplomacy, or even bring about change? A fax from the North Korean UN office seems to pave the way for this: in 2008, the rulers in Pyongyang invite the New York Philharmonic - 55 years after the Korean War - to the first major cultural exchange between the USA and North Korea. What initially seems like a joke turns into one of the most extraordinary concerts in music history.

After 48 hours in the hermetically locked capital, the musicians experience a country that seems to have fallen out of time. Violinist Lisa Eunsoo Kim describes the arrival: "It didn't feel like a normal airport". She was surprised by the process of collecting passports and mobile phones. The musicians learnt how much control is exercised on the guests. ‘We weren't allowed to leave the hotel, and anyone who wanted to go for a walk was immediately whistled back,’ remembers TV director Michael Beyer.

At the beginning, there is an icy formality in the Grand Theatre of East Pyongyang. The audience seems cautious and reserved - a clear contrast to the usual concert tours in Asia. But chief conductor Lorin Maazel's son Leslie Maazel says, ‘he was convinced at the time: everyone understands and feels music - it can open the door for dialogue.’

The choice of programme proved to be a diplomatic stroke of genius. The climax comes with "Arirang", a Korean folk song. Here the spell is finally broken: the audience shows emotion; the cultural exchange succeeds. Despite all the political tensions, the concert proves its unifying power - a magic moment of music.

Duration 43 / 52 min
English series title Magic Moments of Music
Original series title Sternstunden der Musik
Director Alix François Meier
Producer Claus Wischmann
Co-Producer Christopher Janssen
Production Company ZDF/Arte, sounding images
Genre Music Documentary
English title of music work Aegukka, National Anthem of North Korea | Antonín Dvořák: Symphony No. 9, Op. 95, 1st and 4th Movements | Leonard Bernstein: Overture to the Operetta Candide | Arr. Sung-Hwan Choi: Arirang, Korean Folk Song