The piece takes as its framework the Juche ideology and "seed" theory that Kim had previously applied to cinema.

Because opera is a mixed art form, Kim finds it particularly revealing of a nation's artistic state and important for the application of his seed theory.

Kim finds hierarchies between and within elements of opera, like instruments subordinate to vocals and music over dance.

On the Art of Opera is a transcript of a speech that Kim Jong Il apparently made to creative workers in September 1974.

[3][4] Although it is not certain that Kim personally authored the piece, Lim takes its publication under his name as an indication that he was especially interested in the field.

[6] The speech was delivered against the backdrop of performances of the first Korean revolutionary operas such as Sea of Blood, the production of which Kim had been involved in, some three years before.

[10] Although all art forms in North Korea are subject to seed theory, Kim writes that opera is the most important in this respect.

In this sense, according to Lisa Burnett of Stanford University, Kim's conception of opera comes close to the European notion of Gesamtkunstwerk (total work of art).

In a passage criticizing Western (and possibly Peking) opera,[18] Kim writes: The forms and methods of portrayal of conventional [i.e. Western] operas, which were made to cater to the tastes of the exploiting classes, contain many aspects that do not appeal to the tastes and feelings of the people of our times.

Our people today do not like amorphous lyrics, complicated rhythms, recitatives that are neither songs nor speeches, outmoded stage-settings and other stereotyped methods of portrayal.

[18] One by one, Kim rejects Western operatic forms like aria, recitative, and leitmotif – all of which he seems to be reasonably familiar with according to Burnett – in favor of characteristic of Korean revolutionary opera.

[22] In addition to strophic, melodies should be easy to sing and emerge from characteristic motifs derived from traditional popular folk or revolutionary tunes.

[23] Their tone (loosely defined, encompassing pitch, timbre, genre and mode) should both appeal to Koreans and suit the dramatic needs of the opera.

[14] Because Sea of Blood preceded the publication of On the Art of Opera, it is likely that Kim was in the process of systematizing his thought at the time.

[a] Sea of Blood was quickly followed by four similar operas:[30] A True Daughter of the Party (1971), The Flower Girl (1972), Tell O' The Forest!