A North Korean defector appears as an idol survival program contestant for the first time ever on KBS2's 'Make Mate 1'
AKP STAFF
Posted by Susan-Han Thursday, May 16, 2024
On May 15 KST, KBS2's new idol survival program 'Make Mate 1' aired its first episode, introducing viewers to the young male contestants from all over the world, hoping to earn a chance at K-Pop stardom.
On this episode, the story of one young contestant greatly shocked the coaches and fellow contestants. Kim Hak Sung revealed that he had defected from North Korea in 2017, at the age of 14.
He stated, "My biggest concern was how to adjust to this new society. I watched a lot of TV to learn about the culture here. I saw idols on TV, and they were so cool that I dreamt of becoming like them. I felt uncomfortable about sharing my background with people, but I felt like if I didn't talk about it here, then I would never confront it and just keep running from it, so I decided to open up to grow stronger."
Hearing this, coach Hanhae remarked, "I'm really proud of you for that," while other contestants also commented, "It must have been such a difficult decision. It's amazing that he had the courage."
When asked about his goal, Kim Hak Sung answered, "I want to give hope to those who might be in difficult situations or who cannot do what they want to do."
Many K-netizens were also surprised by the appearance of the first ever North Korean defector on an idol survival program, voicing their support toward Kim Hak Sung. Some commented, "This was such a meme during 'Produce' days... People always said, 'What if a defector came out on the show as a contestant', and now it became reality", "He endured so much at such a young age. Fighting!", "How is this real... Hope he makes it!", "It's so good to see there being more opportunities for people from different situations", "He's one of ours! I'm rooting for him!", "He won't have to do military service either", "Defecting must have been unimaginably hard, but now he's chasing his dreams... That requires a lot of courage", and more.
Meanwhile, KBS2's 'Make Mate 1' features 35 male contestants from all over the world. The program requires contestants to work together and build camaraderie with one another in order to create their dream stage.
Do you want to see the first ever North Korean defector debut as a K-Pop idol?
tbh, I feel scared for him. People usually hear what happens to NK defectors and it ends up really bad. Like he should never set foot in China because he will get caught by NK spies and either be sent back to NK to be made as an example or worse, be used for inhumane stuff. This is a really brave thing he did, coz exposing himself as a NK defector can end his life. I wish him all the best.
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bribri8121,692 ptsThursday, May 16, 2024 0
Thursday, May 16, 2024
His narrative is gonna gain him a lot of attention for sure. I do wish him the best of luck!
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tbh, I feel scared for him. People usually hear what happens to NK defectors and it ends up really bad. Like he should never set foot in China because he will get caught by NK spies and either be sent back to NK to be made as an example or worse, be used for inhumane stuff. This is a really brave thing he did, coz exposing himself as a NK defector can end his life. I wish him all the best.