The once-elusive kim jong-un can be rising as something of an international statesman, however north korean artists in seoul who in my view suffered underneath his management tell the bbc's heather chen and minji lee that peace talks might not change a man they call a tyrant.
For numerous years, song byeok played an instrumental role in north korea's propaganda device. The painter from hwanghae province changed into observed via the ruling elite and chosen to be a nation artist.
Mr music painted vibrant, putting images displaying anti-american and japanese slogans, happy people and of direction, the kim dynasty.
"as a propaganda artist, you're anticipated to painting north korea and its leaders as being the fine inside the global," says mr music, at his condo in seoul.
"in north korea, art can most effective be lovely. The homeless do not exist and absolutely everyone is obese as they're properly-fed."
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This photo couldn't be similarly from the truth.
Tune byeok holds up one in all his north korean propaganda piecesimage copyrightbbc/heather chen
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'i survived a north korean gulag. Why are people romanticising kim jong-un?'
Mr track defected to south korea in 2002, having survived for years in a gulag wherein torture changed into a daily habitual.
"being in a north korean prison camp changed into so hard," he remembers, in between deep breaths. "you'd hear birds making a song and see blue skies and it would make you need to die. So you can believe how stunned i am to see kim jong-un being proven in a superb light.
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Those reminiscences are in particular tough for mr track, as he sees kim jong-un emerge as the new darling of the diplomatic scene, because of his noticeably-predicted june meeting with us president donald trump.
Leaders from several countries are rushing to have their second with the man once kept away from because of his nuclear weapons programme and dire human rights document.
"so many have died on the arms of his regime but humans can say he's now humane," he says. "they are romanticising a dictator and glamorising his regime. That is all very wrong."
An illustration of north korean leader kim jong-unimage copyrightchoi seong-guk
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Choi seong-guk's example of kim jong-un. Choi believes kim is 'on the point of desperation and has nowhere to head'
In a sleepy a part of seoul's energetic gangnam district, lives another defector artist choi seong-guk.
In his preceding life, the pyongyang native labored on state-commissioned cartoons about western spies.
"as someone who definitely comes from north korea, listening to reward approximately kim jong-un makes me sincerely angry," he says.
"the folks who say this stuff have never truly visible north koreans like me and my circle of relatives, who have been tormented and crushed. [So they know nothing about] how miserable our lives had been."
Music byeok's regulate to his overdue parentsimage copyrightbbc/heather chen
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Track byeok's past due parents. Defectors want the arena to understand the brutality of the regime
Now in his 30s and living in seoul, mr choi turned into exiled from the distinguished north korean capital and despatched to a jail camp after being determined responsible of promoting duplicated copies of south korean movies. He made the selection to escape the united states of america with his circle of relatives in 2012.
Like many other north koreans abroad, he could be carefully looking the trump-kim assembly.
"what is going to make me indignant could be seeing pics of kim parading round with global leaders. This may best strengthen his photograph again in north korea and could brainwash many humans," he says.
Choi seong-guk at paintings in his studio in seoulimage copyrightbbc/heather chen
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Pyongyang defector choi seong-guk at paintings in his studio in seoul
The 12 june summit in singapore changed into referred to as off once, after the two parties fell returned right into a battle of words, but the plan changed into revived after an reputedly conciliatory reaction from pyongyang.
However mr choi has reservations.
"the sector appears to assume you could clear up korea's problems just by having a communication with kim jong-un and i'm simply pretty stunned by using this belief," he says.
"he is acting this way because he is getting ready to desperation and has nowhere to go."
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"donald trump leads the most powerful, maximum effective us of a within the world so he has a experience of duty to humanity. I agree with he has a approach but i hope he'll now not forget about north koreans."
Both korean leaders meet on the truce village of panmunjom, north koreaimage copyrightreuters
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It's shaping as much as be a monumental year for both koreas
When requested if he would really like to return to a safe north korea someday, the solution is an enthusiastic sure from tune byeok.
"certainly. I want to hold an artwork exhibition in pyongyang and show my fellow citizens [proof of] freedom of expression. That is my lifelong dream and i wish it'll manifest even as i'm nevertheless alive," he says.
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But like choi seong-guk, mr song has worries approximately negotiating with kim jong-un.
"does moon jae-in clearly agree with kim will denuclearise north korea?" he says, referencing the other historic assembly recently, among mr kim and south korea's president.
"his management has no longer brought up the issue of human rights in north korea either."
Tune byeok holds up one in every of his piecesimage copyrightbbc/heather chen
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Will song byeok ever get to showcase his artwork in north korea? Watch this space
But nevertheless, he holds out desire for his us of a and does no longer need the trump-kim summit to be "merely an occasion".
"i am hoping the assembly among trump and kim will become a place to begin for our u . S . To essentially change," he says.
