Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble

{{Short description|North Korean orchestra}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| background = group_or_band

| name = Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble

| image = Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble logo.png

| caption = Logo of the Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble

| module = {{Infobox Korean name

|child=yes

|context=north

|hangul=보천보전자악단

|hanja=普天堡電子樂團

|mr=Poch'ŏnbo chŏnja aktan

|rr=Bocheonbo jeonja akdan

}}

| origin = North Korea

| years_active = 1985–2012

| genre = Electronic folk and revolutionary

}}

The Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble (PEE) is an orchestra from North Korea (DPRK). It is famous for its performances of revolutionary and folk songs, as well as some covers of pop songs in the west, including "Brother Louie" by Modern Talking and "One Way Ticket". They have been reported to be one of the country's most popular groups.Martial music and sea shanties for Andy Kershaw in North Korea, Andy Kershaw, Songlines: the world music magazine #22, Jan/Feb 2004, p. 112.[http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05311/601849.stm Axis of Evil meets Harry Potter, Britney] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807122503/http://old.post-gazette.com/pg/05311/601849.stm |date=2019-08-07 }}, Audra Ang, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, November 7, 2005, on line, accessed 14-3-2007.[http://www.iias.nl/iiasn/26/theme/26T1.html Popular Music in North Korea] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130709004925/http://www.iias.nl/iiasn/26/theme/26T1.html |date=2013-07-09 }}, Keith Howard, IIAS Newsletter #26, November 2001, on line, accessed 14-3-2007.

The group takes its name from the Battle of Pochonbo on 4 June 1937, when a guerrilla unit under the leadership of Kim Il-sung attacked compounds of the Japanese occupation force in Pochonbo. The group was formed on June 4, 1985, from the electronic music section of the Mansudae Art Troupe.{{cite web|url=http://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Contents/Item/E0070161|title=보천보전자악단|website=Encyclopedia of Korean Culture}} The group was the first electronic pop group in the country.

In 1991, the ensemble traveled to Japan to perform as part of a cultural exchange between North Korea and Japan.{{Cite web |title=Dropbox |url=https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/e1raivrtjq4j1tgcihy49/ZF-The-Pochonbo-Electronic-Ensemble-Shaking-the-Land-of-Japan.mp4?rlkey=eobxdf3i2j96yfftcwwc1a0fd&e=1&st=9w44g5xz&dl=0 |access-date=2024-10-27 |website=www.dropbox.com}}

The Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble can be heard on North Korean radio stations. A total of 182 volumes (186 CDs) were released (due to re-release of volumes 13–16 in the 1990s).{{cite web |title=Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble – Juchify |url=https://juchify.com/artist/1/pochonbo-electronic-ensemble |access-date=3 December 2023 |website=Juchify.com |publisher=Front Czhollima}}