Sea of Blood

Sea of Blood
Lyrics	Attributed to Kim Il-sung
Basis	The mass killings of Koreans during the Japanese occupation.
Productions	July 1971 to present

Sea of Blood
Hangul
Revised Romanization	Pibada
McCune–Reischauer	P‘ibada

Sea of Blood (Chosŏn'gŭl: 피바다) is the title of a North Korean opera credited to Kim Il-sung. It was first produced as an opera by Sea of Blood Theatrical Troupe ("Pibada Guekdan") in 1971. It was then later adapted into a novel by the Choseon Novelist Association of the 4.15 Culture Creation Group (Chosŏn'gŭl: 조선작가 동맹 4·15문학창작단) in 1973.

Sea of Blood is set in the 1930s, during the Japanese occupation of Korea, and follows the life of protagonist Sun-Nyo and her family as they suffer numerous tragedies at the hands of the Japanese before eventually gaining the willpower and means to join the communist revolution and fight against their oppressors. The story is meant to exemplify the values of the Juche ideology, with self-reliance and solidarity being the central themes. The novel is notable for its highly detailed descriptions and lengthy narrations of each character's point of view as well as its graphic depiction of violence. It is also mandatory reading in North Korea’s literature curriculum.

Along with The Flower Girl (Chosŏn'gŭl: 꽃파는 처녀), Tell O’the Forest! (Chosŏn'gŭl: 밀림아 이야기하라), A True Daughter of the Party (Chosŏn'gŭl: 당의 참된 딸), The Song of Mount Kumgang (Chosŏn'gŭl: 금강산의 노래), Sea of Blood is considered one of the "Five Great Revolutionary Operas" (Korean revolutionary opera) (Chosŏn'gŭl: 5대 혁명가극; Hancha: 혁명가극]]), which are the five most critically acclaimed operas within North Korea with revolutionary themes. The opera is considered as a masterpiece in North Korea since it expresses the unique aspects of the Juche regime's revolutionary ideology. It is also regarded as an exemplary revolutionary piece because of its unique use of visual and auditory effect and unprecedented theme, which was unlike other existing operas.

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