Kim Won-gyun

Kim Won-gyun (; 2 January 1917 – 5 April 2002) was a North Korean composer and politician. He is considered one of the most prominent, composer of North Korea. He composed "Aegukka" — the national anthem of the country — and "Song of General Kim Il Sung", in addition to revolutionary operas.

Career

In his youth, Kim Won-gyun attended high school but dropped out after three grades. Before his musical career, Kim had been only "a farmer who just happened to write [the] 'Song of General Kim Il Sung. After the success of the song, he was asked to compose "Aegukka". As a musician, he was initially self-taught but went to Moscow in order to study there. At some point he attended a music school in Japan. he had risen in status.

Kim is credited with contributing to "the creation of the 'Sea of Blood' -type revolutionary operas". It is possible that he worked on the operatic version of Sea of Blood and a symphony based on music from the opera. He is also credited with the opera Chirisan.

Kim served as a composer to National Art Theatre. and honorary member of the International Music Council. Besides his musical activities, he was a deputy to the ninth and tenth Supreme People's Assemblies (SPA). Kim Jong Un paid homage to Kim Won-gyun by organizing a concert on the centenary of his birth in 2017.