North Korea’s pint-sized dictator is a master of propaganda and social manipulation, but he also apparently suffers from insecurity, delusion, and severe OCD. Here are 10 “facts” about Kim Jong Il, as reported by the media. The word “facts” is in quotes because the first 5 on the list are examples of propaganda that Kim Jong Il uses to brainwash his citizens into maintaining his almost god-like image. The last 5 are actual facts.
The “Fact”: He had a supernatural birth
According to North Korean historical literature, Kim Jong Il was born in a log cabin inside a secret base on Korea’s most sacred mountain, Mt. Paekdu. At the moment of his birth, a bright star lit up the sky, the seasons spontaneously changed from winter to spring, and rainbows appeared. This contradicts way less interesting Western accounts of his birth, which state the dictator was born in a guerilla camp in Russia, while his father was on the run from the Japanese.
The “Fact”: He is a fashion trendsetter
According to North Korea’s newspaper Rodong Sinmun, Kim Jong Il’s iconic style has become a global phenomenon. The inspired look of his zipped up khaki tunics with matching pants has been spreading across the world, an obvious testament to his outstanding image and influence. The paper didn’t mention the popularity of the 4 inch platform shoes Kim wears, but his oversized shades definitely seem to be a big hit with the women of Hollywood.
The “Fact”: The world loves him
According to state-run media, Kimg Jong Il is the most prominent statesman in the present world, and people in countries the whole planet over celebrate his birthday with films and festivals. In reality, most nations are confused by his erratic foreign policy decisions on important issues such as N. Korea’s nuclear program.
The “Fact”: He invented the hamburger
Since any American influences have long since been banned in his tiny communist country, Kim Jong Il had no choice but to create some new non-Western food by himself. North Korean newspaper Minju Joson reported that Kim Jong Il invented a new sandwich called “double bread with meat” in an attempt to provide “quality” food to university students. He then built a plant capable of mass hamburger production to feed his students and teachers, despite the fact that the majority of his citizens battle famine on a daily basis.
The “Fact”: He is the best natural golfer in history
In 1994, it was reported by Pyongyang media outlets that Kim Jong Il shot 38 under par on a regulation 18-hole golf course – including 5 holes in one! That score is 25 shots better than the best round in history, and is made even more amazing by the fact that it was his first time playing the sport. It’s said Kim Jong Il would routinely sink 3 or 4 holes in one per round of golf, and – lucky for the PGA – he has since given it up.
The Fact: If he gets addicted to a drug, everyone else does too
According to a book written by one of Kim Jong Il’s ex-staff members, he was once injured by falling off his horse when it slipped on loose rocks. He was afraid of becoming addicted to the painkillers that his doctors prescribed him, so he had members of his administrative staff injected daily with the same dosages he had to take. He did this so he wouldn’t be the only one hooked on the drug.
The Fact: He once kidnapped a prominent director to film a Godzilla ripoff for him
Shin Sang-ok, a South Korean filmmaker, was kidnapped by Kim Jong Il, sent to prison, and eventually forced to make a film called Pulgasari that was basically a communist propaganda version of Godzilla. After Shin and his wife managed to escape North Korea while location scouting in Austria, Kim Jong Il shelved Pulgasari and all of Shin’s other work. Kim Jong Il has since given specific instruction to his Ministry of Culture and his communist filmmakers: “Make more cartoons.”
The Fact: He had disabled and short people deported from his capital
In preparation for the World Festival of Youth and Students in 1989, Kim Jong Il had disabled residents removed from Pyongyang. The government also distributed pamphlets advertising a wonder drug that would increase the height of short people. Those who responded to the pamphlets were sent away to different uninhabited islands along with the disabled in an attempt to rid the next generation of their supposedly substandard genes.
The Fact: At one time was the world’s biggest buyer of Hennessy
For a few years in the early 1990s, it was confirmed by Hennessy that Kim Jong Il was it’s best customer, spending about $600,000 to $850,000 annually on the liquor. He is partial to the Paradis cognac, which can sell for over $700 per bottle. In comparison, the average North Korean makes about $1000 per year.
The Fact: He maintains a city that was built just to be looked at
Kijong-Dong is a propaganda city that was originally built in the 1950s by Kim Jong Il’s father right on the border, this was to display the North’s superiority to the South and also to encourage people to defect. It has no actual residents, but an extensive effort has been put forth to simulate a functioning city, including lights on set timers, and street sweepers to create an illusion of activity. The use of modern telescopes has revealed that the units lack window glass, and some buildings are just concrete shells that don’t even have interior rooms. The city also houses the world’s largest flagpole, complete with a 300lb. North Korean flag.
He has apparently died today!
Man, you are surely a time traveler. “11/22/63″ he he…
He has not died…instead, he evolved into a level 100 Ho-ho
say whaaaa?
i knew 4 of the 5 facts (#s 1-5)
but the 5 "facts" (tidbits of propaganda)?
i had only heard of one of those.
and i dont know if its just me but those 5 mostly make him look like a certifiably crazy person, and there must be something else to it that causes the people to accept a god-like image from this nut.
5 golf aces and 25 shots better than the best recorded in history?
dont think so.
supernatural birth?
nah
invented hamburgers?
uuhhh….
these things make him appear to be full of *****, not god-like
I think the reason that people accept this crazy person is that if they don't they get shot!
I'm surprised they left how he banned smoking in N-Korea when he was trying to quit smoking and other delicious facts that his personal cook divulged when he fled the country.
But to be fair you can't really fault him for no. 1 seeing as S-Korea was openly competing with the north. South-Korea has it's own village (albeit real) on the other side and S-Koreans built a 100m flagpole before the overly-compensating N-Koreans built their 160m flagpole.
@Jfrater
I think it's a combination of that and having no information to contradict the official story. It's as if we were to find out that Clinton never played the saxophone. We've never had a reason to doubt it since all the information we had said that he did and there was no reason to question it.
Actually he really is viewed as a deity in North Korea. The people are so brainwashed it would be hard to refute it. They don't receive any outside information, everything is government regulated. How would they know any different? It's easy to view these things as absurd from an outsider's point of view. But look at it this way: Christians in western culture believe there is a giant man in the sky who made everything and controls anything and if you don't worship him properly you will go to a fiery pit of doom to be tortured for all of eternity; even if you're a good person.
Anything can sound ridiculous to an outsider.
@megan : ""Christians in western culture believe there is a giant man in the sky who made everything and controls anything and if you don't worship him properly you will go to a fiery pit of doom to be tortured for all of eternity; even if you're a good person.""
yeah — im in the bible belt and that doesnt make sense to me either.
many times, things that look/sound rediculous to an outsider — do not have to. *how*; it is presented will often have a lot to do with how it is percieved. and to take that further, its not just outsiders that find some things ridiculous. see — the examples i just gave allow for a wide spectrum of interpretation — but one thing you will notice is the more 'zealots' thatt are involved, and the stronger they feel about the situation, the more they are llikely to try hard to convince gullable people of stupid *****.
Most every major religion believes in some sort of eternal damnation for it’s defectors, not just “Christians in western culture”. I don’t want to be mean but you sound dumb making a dumb *****ogy like that.
hahaha, they censored an-al in the word an-alogy. I love the internet!
hell yea
oh——sorry, but fashon trendsetter…..
— oh man……
jamie — you couldnt have found a better picture to go along with that tag
cold chillin in his 75-year-old-woman shades, and his badass members only prototype shirt.
gotta find me a get-up like that
thanks for the early morning laugh, mike s
fine job sir
"jamie — you couldnt have found a better picture to go along with that tag" I couldn't agree more with you
I felt it had a very "vogue" feel to it!
Hahaha great list. Kim Jong Il always makes for good laughs. I hardly knew any of these. And I agree with oliveralbq – those bit of propaganda just make him sound goofy. But I just eccentricity is a common trait for leaders like him.
No, but seriously- this guy is terrifying. Without his country and money, I could say he's just like a lot of local crazies. Unfortunately, with his country and money, he is just like giving the local crazies those things. Meaning, he is bat***** and, while I am sure he is laughably incapable of taking over any other country, it does not mean he wouldn't try. Then we will lose valuable soldiers to the stupidest war in recent history.
It all comes down to that. He can’t take over countries even if he tries. However, he has nuclear bombs, and it doesn’t take that much of an I.Q. to push the red button.
Koreans have a long neo-Confucianist tradition of unconditional respect for and obedience of elders. The equal and opposite duty is that leaders and elders should care for their people like fathers to their children. The Kims seem to have forgotten about that bit. Power corrupts and all that.
i wanted to go to the DMZ before I left Korea. I pencilled the trip in for my last free day in Korea, but at the last moment decided not to go, for no apparent reason. It turned out to be a crystal-clear winter's day, so the visibility would have been first class. I'm still kicking myself.
Say whatever else you might (and many do), but the Kims are the only instance of a father-son transition of power in a "communist" country. (Of course, it's not really communist.)
When I was in Korea I had the option of visiting the DMZ or going shopping. I picked shopping and consequently had a great set of tails made for ultra-cheap. Having worn them NEVER I definitely regret not visiting the DMZ. The others on my tour loved it.
I assume you're talking about men's evening clothes!
On my first trip to Seoul I spotted an ad for a certain brand of Australian wine. I mentioned this to an American colleague, and he said "Yes, Yellowtail is very common in Asia".
I am talking about men's evening wear. As for your friend's comment – hilarious!
God knows why, that wine tastes like crap and sells here (in Australia) fairly cheaply
When were you there?
About five years ago I think. I loved it – I would definitely go back. I did leave with one question unanswered – why do Koreans drive with their hazard lights on?
I think that's to show other drivers that they're there and they are about to do something (i.e. run a traffic light, go past the speed limit) especially to truck drivers. Because in Korea you have the right of way if you drive a bigger vehicle.
YOUR MOM
Correct mate, the only people who call North Korea, China & the former Soviet Union communist are ether ignorant or have an agenda. There has never at any time existed a communist country & there never will, it simply cannot work as a nation state it has to be global. That is unlikely to happen & not for the school boy excuse about human nature but rather the reactionary forces, in particularly in the US that are currently heading us towards a third world war while at the same time destroying our planet!
Ok it’s no Communist.
What would you call it?
By the way do you believe Al Gore invented the Internet?
When did you first get on the Internet? First time you were able to go to a site that had WWW in front of it.
If so you probably do think Gore invented it.
Did you ever hear of Tim Burners Lee?
Of course not Al Gore invented the Internet!
Hummmm
This list is too North Korean dictator.
Wrong! This list is too American.
This list is too much of a list.
let’s all wait for the next world war. hope i’m alive to witness it.
If the "free" world decided to put an end to the North Korean regime, I honestly think it would be quick business, because let's be realistic, the country is poor and backwards and the population would probably help to fight against the government. And I highly doubt China (or Iran) would risk fighting alongside North Korea.
I agree. If S-Korea decides to pursue the recent naval attack and it escalates to all-out war I'm pretty sure that S-Korea could handle the north without outside help and I doubt China would be as helpful as last time.
i would rather help out SK than NK, and i’m chinese
Me too and I’m Irish.
I killed several hundred Communists in Viet Nam and only wish I’d killed them all then come to the US and killed them all here as well.
Sure would have stopped a lot of bull*****.
north korea has one of the world’s biggest and best-equipped armies, actually. and WMDs. also, china can step on any toes they want.
WHO TOLD YOU THAT? WAS IT DEAR RERADER?
This guy act like a spoiled kid… a dangerous spoiled kid.
But at least, i can understand some of its actions. I i was a dictator, i perfectly picture myself saying ''make more Godzilla movies"
fag
And your "facts", provided by the media, aren't pro-western, anti-communist or politically motivated and distorted in any way?
It seems hypocritical to tout a lot of biased misinformation and speculation as fact, even within inverted commas, as the real truth will probably never be known.
These are "facts" because they are things that kim jong il has tricked his people into believing, using the north korean media. It is not made up by western or anti kim jong il media. These are taught as "facts" in north korean schools, and we know this because of info from north korean defectors, north korean media reports as well as the stories that govt minders tell tourists who go there. There is no doubt that they are crap "facts".
Well you still dont know exactly how many north koreans believe it to be true. A disident/defector isnt a statistic. Of course living in such a society is terrible, they cant express their opinion so you cant say what they believe or not. You cant say they were tricked
wether they believe it or not is irrellevant. these "facts" are sprouted as propoganda and of that we do have proof.
who vacations in North Korea?
Curious people, but to get there is a quite a process and is controlled by the govt. Once there, it is pretty much decided for you where you can go and what you will do/ who you can speak to. Most of the time your group is accompanied by govt "minders".
Wow, what a fun vacation! Say kids lets go to the Museum of Torture after we get done with the Barbwire Collection display! Next year we'll all go sailing off the coast of Somalia!
Dude, you have the entire world to go to and you pick N. Korea?
FAIL
I had a friend just get back from there
Tarsal, I believe the author may be writing this as a satire. I highly doubt he or anyone believes,"At the moment of his birth, a bright star lit up the sky, the seasons spontaneously changed from winter to spring, and rainbows appeared." Pretty positive the majority of this list is intended to be humorous.
I have worked with North Korean refugees for a long time, and many of them, especially during Kim Il-Sung era, believed this birth story as facts. It is unbelievable for us, but the NK society is perfectly blocked from any outside media. So, as much as the catholics believe that Jesus was born without biological father from virgin Mary, they (at least many of them) believed the propaganda. The success of this kind of perfect brainwash is one of the reasons why the country has not yet collapsed even after thousands (or millions) have died from famine.
Your kidding? You didn’t see it?
To quote Kim Jong Il himself: "Why are you so *****ing stupid?"
I don`t want to sound cruel, but Kim Jong Il gives dictators a bad name. What is it with that haircut, glasses and that hat he wears sometimes? Why can`t he be a demented megalomaniac like Hitler, or a murderous thug like Idi Amin? He`s more like Dr Evil, than an evil tyrant.
If only he WERE like doctor evil – he could be easily duped and destroyed!
*giggles at mental image*
Mini Meee, stop humping the “Razerrr”
He's a dictator. He can say and do whatever he wants.
This guy would be *****ing funny if he wasn't so scary.
Remember that North Korea maintains one of the largest armies in the world, and could crush South Korea if war ever broke out again.
Also remember that China are very much allied with them.
I'd love to see a list of Jong-Il's father, Kim Il-Sung. He's far more worshipped than his son is.
I am not convinced that the North Korean army are sufficiently equipped to handle a full on onslaught from the west (including South Korea). I am sure you can't get far on a diet of rats!
No, they'd almost certainly lose a war, that's obvious.
But not after pretty much flattening Seoul with artillery first, within hours of a war breaking out.
That's pretty much the worst case scenario that the military over there are looking at. Seoul and all the bases located along the border including Osan AFB will be destroyed by North Korean missiles while the southern bases including Kunsan AFB will act as FOBs. At least that's what they're telling us every time we have our briefing during exercises.
Boy I have a 100 acre farm to sell on the other side of the moon.
You could get rich as it is covered in tons of Helium-3.
Of course your too stupid to know that it would power the world for thousands of years with no pollution?
Try nukes man. It doesn't matter how many soldiers you have. Everyone's got nukes nowadays. Get with the times man.
Great list, however I think it could have been split into at least 2 lists with 1 consisting only of propaganda and another consisting of true facts, because there is a lot of both out there and all of these were fascinating.
Kim Jong ll is bloody crazy. Has anyone SEEN Pulgasari, the metal eating monster? The WIERDEST thing I`ve seen! And after seeing recently the way North Korea is being demonized by Hilary Clinton, for "defying the international community." (again) I hope she and Obama aren`t planning on starting another foreign adventure, BY INVADING NORTH KOREA! What after Iraq and Afghanistan both went so well! We`ve already had a second Iraq War, and I don`t want a second Korean War!
Awwr you’re so funny. That cute. You actually believe you americans spread democracy all over the world dont you, that now i am free to say what im saying because you invaded irak?
Im pretty sure that he never even alluded to spreading democracy…if anything he was admonishing the fact that we went to war with iraq…settle the F down Beavis.
I wish everyone who has/had two snyaps firing at the same time would quit touting Democracy. This country is going to hell in a hat bag just like all Democracies to and in the exact order and time frame.
That is why our fore fathers set us up as a Republic.
Remember the pledge to the flag of the the United States and the Democracy for which it stands?
Hell no because it’s to the republic for which it stands.
Acting like a Damned ignorant bunch of lemmings in a Democracy is what’s killing us.
We are supposed to be a Republican government. “NO YOU IDIOT NOT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY!” If you don’t know what a Republican form of government is………… look it up.
The Internet does have some good stuff on it too.
It comes to show that even Americans are brainwashed to some extent. Sure, we have outside information to verify the “facts”, but too bad we’re too busy watching The Jersey Shore and American Idol to care. Also, we’re perfectly fine getting obese off our Big Macs to question authority figures.
The human mind…biologically wired to follow authority, will seldom override that nature.
Why are so many people defending this maniac?
North Korea doesn't need Hilary Clinton to demonize them. North Korea is doing a pretty good job of doing it to themselves.
Cant wait for the US to invade N.Korea. Coz that would be the end of the arrogant US leadership. Not saying id rather prefer a lunatic like this 'wanna be' celebrity kim. Why do we always have to be lead by someone? What's this human weakness called? It's like we are electing someone to the throne KNOWING he and his family is going to enjoy their life with our taxes. Same scenario all around the world.
* ducking 'anarchist' labels thrown at me*
Communist worked really well in practice. Thinkers like you should start a revolution.
Pure anarchism cannot exist, nor can pure communism. Many has tried, all has failed. We elect people because those people are best for that job. That's why we ELECT them, not see who can conquer the most land or slay most people to determine the leader.
Is it any wonder he's son ronery
It's kind of funny that this is posted on the day I start researching North Korea. Very interesting list. I'm amazed he can get away with the stuff he comes up with for himself.
It really *****es me off when North Korea is called a "rogue state," just because it has nuclear weapons. We say to North Korea, you can`t have the bomb, because "there a threat to world peace." Yet us and other countries have nukes. Gordon Brown said a few weeks ago that they and Iran can`t have nuclear weapons, because there a menace. But we`re about to spend 130, BILLION POUNDS on replacing ours! And apart from South Korea, how many countries has North Korea attacked? Er-none. And North Korea will NEVER be invaded, because they have nukes. And if you have them, you won`t get invaded. You don`t have to be The Brain of Britain to work that out. The only thing dangerous about Kim Jong il is his crazy haircut.
As long as North Korea is run by someone as crazy as this guy, that country will always be a threat to world peace.
ou complete idiot. People are dying because of this man. People are SUFFERING. Kim Jong il is a complete a**hole. He had a "super natural" birth? Give me a break. He's a trendsetter? The glasses he wears are really stylish..oh yeah thier really hot. He's saying a bunch of lies! And no one in North Korea will knoe because he's blocking everything they see!
WHy don't you go to North Korea and live there ya a**hole. How will you like it when you suffer from famine? Or when they block everything you watch or see on the internet? The average North Korean makesonly $1000. THats how much i got for my BIRTHDAY. I got that much money in one day while they get that much money in a whole YEAR. It's not fair.
And guess what? You know when there's these programs that ask you to donate money for grain for the people in North Korea? That money's not going to the people. It's going to thier ARMY.
This isn't funny at all. It's serious. His people are being tortured. Thousands of them have gone to concentration camps where its so bad that you have to use your own poop to fertilize the land.
I would give anythng for this guy to be killed
Nice objective *****ysis there! We welcome that on Listverse.
BTW, this comment is directed to the comment below, not the comment above.
I wish the UN or NATO would just go in there and overthrow the despotic Kim dynasty. The Korean people have suffered long enough from their neglect and corruption. The world has had enough of their insolence and arrogance. So what if they have the world’s largest standing army?!? Two million outdated, ill-equipped, poorly trained and hungry soldiers are no match to the west’s superior technology. So what if they have nukes?!? It’s not like they have the nuclear capability of the United States or the Soviet Union at the peak of the Cold War that could fry the world many times over; even if they were to unleash all their nukes on a major city, like Seoul, it would only destroy a tiny fraction of a city as big as Seoul, and if they’re really scared of the crude fireworks the North likes to call “nuclear missiles” they could probably persuade the Chinese – who has much to lose politically and economically if they were to support North if ever war break out – to adapt their anti-satellite missiles to intercept outgoing missiles.
Down with Kim!!!
Well sadly military force was tried – it was called the Korean War and it is currently in ceasefire – it never officially ended. Kim's father won it in a sense.
The Korean War wasn't to overthrow Kim snr. It was in response to the North's invasion of the South. The UN forces chased the Northern army almost all of the way to the Chinese border but backed off even before Chinese troops became involved as they didn't have any mandate for "regime change".
Who told you we and the South tried to win that war?
It’s all a big game and you are less than a pawn.
Get used to it.
How do we know this isn't a smearing look at Kimmy!
Maybe these "FACTS" are false.
Dont send in the UN,they will get eaten alive by sharks and big cats that are meant to be lions.
The United States in fact doesn't want the North Korean government to fail/fall/collapse because doing so would mean sending aid, opening the border to the South, or finding some other way to deal with the millions of North Koreans, an issue nobody wants to deal with.
Yes bet it would also mean loads of new NGO and a bunch of tv shows to donate money. And charity events. What rich bastard doesnt love a charity event.
Send in Blackwater(Xe). They have done so well in Iraq and Afghanistan
Dude's right. With the state were in we can't help them.
wow, it must be nice living in that peachy fantasy world of yours. Only thing missing is those rainbows with pots of gold at the end of them.
Did you all know that Kim Jong is being controlled by a crazy cockroach.
I thought it was Plankton.
Ah-ha! Now I know who was behind that crap-tasting burger!
This guy's so full of ***** – for all we know, the REAL KJI died years ago and the propaganda is just keeping him alive.
hah …i thought of this.
the whole time i was reading the list, i just had that scene from the princess bride in my head.
where westley was explaining to buttercup that the real dred pirate roberts died (or retired) years ago, and chose a successor, began calling the new guy 'roberts' and leaving when everyone was convinced and intimidated.
"the real jong il retired years ago, and has been living in trinidad and tobago with a 29 year old hooters waitress.. i inhereted the title from him, as my successor will inherit it from me. i commission godzilla movies, eat rats, my birth caused shooting stars, and instead of creating paintings, i create cityscapes. when i refer to my successor as "il" for a time, and they are convinced he will cut their balls off for mere insubordination, i too will move to the carribean"
hate to say it, but thats almost more believable than him evger coming close to shooting a 34 on a reg golf course, which would be all double eagles, aces, and maybe 1 par, on a par 3. *achem!* bull*****!!
Bat-sh*t crazy! Sums him up nicely. He needs to be put away in a nice padded room somewhere as he is living in his head. Wow!
Love the propaganda "facts". I did like picture for the "real" fact for number 5, the addiction. It's the mini-me version.
He would be funnier if he wasn't such an a**hole.
Really fantastic and interesting post. I have listverse on rss, and this past month nothing has interested me, so i just have not been reading. Now finally this list is just great.
This man is just awful.
Complete nutcase – scary bit of *****, its a pity so many of his people depend on him.
Kim Jong il-Hitler with a haircut.
http://www.hottnez.com/ru/the-flagpole-that-boast…
more photos of No 1
BTW it's a fair point to suggest that defectors' reports may not be totally objective, but even if only half of what they say is true, it still makes Kim jnr half a nutcase and the situation in the North half a catastrophe.
Is it just me, or does Kim Jong Il have the same kind of haircut as that other nutter, Radovan Karadzic?
I think some of the propaganda ones are confusing Kim jong Il with Kim Il Sung, his father.
Yeah I currently live in South korea, and this situation is getting weirder.
Jaime, I just went to the DMZ in march, some scary *****
How's it like living in South Korea?
so…….do the poeople of N. Korea actually believe all the propoganda? Cause some of it seems too farfetched.
There is a reason communists use propaganda. Its fast and effective. Take this for instance. Leave a lot of comments and people will love you, they will be paying just to see what type of messages you leave. All you have to do is leave 100 messages a day and spend 10 hours working on them a day and you will be known throughout the land. People will make websites about you and you will get any women you desire! Does this sound reasonable? No. But they were taught to believe this.
Its a lot like religion; if people are conditioned to believe something from an early age, they will. No matter how far-fetched it is.
kidfromvault101, you know there is a reason why “1984″ is arguably considered one of the best (if not the best) novel ever written. A totalitarian state can even control your thoughts if it wishes so.
its actually kinda…funny? (i guess is the word im looking for.) how for a communist government will go to try and show they are a utopia. like i read how Russia (i believe) had a very prolific serial killer and they ignored it all because" serial killers are only a result of a capitalist nation."
Yes. And they also had this so called “soviet dream” of a “self-made man”. It goes like this: you just go there and if you work enough you will become rich. You start from making borsch in restaurants and you start going upwards. So anyone can become rich. The problems it statistically it doesnt/didnt add up.
Its called propaganda. Everybody does it. Sometimes its silly like the in north korea sometimes its more clever.
Btw N Korea isnt a communist country, its a dictatorship.
yeah sorry getting my governments mixed up. ^-^'
Well you actually made a confusion between russia and the ussr too but hey you cant know everything.
Andre Chikatilo or soemthing like that he's on a list or 2
#8s picture looks badass, almost makes you wanna join the regime
Some of them sound like they've just come straight out of a Chuck Norris joke, 6 and 8 are good ones lol
Oops, vid fail. try this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5JMuemI9fM
i just laugh at all the things this wannabe hitler tells his people. Stupid Korean Disgrace….
Kim Jong counted to infinity—twice.
Kim Jong can divide by zero.
God said let there be light. Kim Jong said, “say please.”
No…. he said "say prease"
Hahahahaha!!
While the world will be no doubt be better off when he dies I cant help but think there will be a little tiny sliver in my heart that will miss him
He is the closest thing we have to a real life Cobra Commander with his complete lunacy
LOL! best comment yet!
WOW! I was blown away by this list. It's partly hilarious, partly scary, and all some ***** I didn't know.
This is just about the best list I've seen in a month! Great work, Mike!
I hate to say this – because I love Listverse – but it required that a nut job dictator should die so that Listverse would come up with a nice list after quite a while.
I look like an a** now. This is an old list.
Very interesting list, well done.
I wonder how North Korean teams are sheltered during their travel. They're playing in the World Cup this year.
WOW, I can hardly believe all of this facts, or "facts"…
How, in the name of humanity, can such a nutcase be so important for its people?? How N. Koeans can buy all that bulls**t???
Boy, so many questions with no answer…
What a nutjob. I will drink a toast to him – after he dies: "Good-bye, and GOOD RIDDANCE!"
We all will – but sadly I am sure he will be replaced by someone equally bad – just as Kim Il Sung was – the original (and Kim's father).
What is this book by an ex-staffer that's mentioned in #5? It sounds interesting.
I would love to know the sources on some, if not all of these, myself.
-about the book, I can't say for certain, as I don't know much, but it may be by Hwang Jang-yop (from what I would guess)…or perhaps Kim Dok Hong. the dynamic duo.
oops, looks like it's more sensational… as in Kenji Fujimoto's "I Was Kim Jong-Il's Cook"
…his former sushi chef!
Top Ten Defectors of Kim Jong Il
I got two!
My father served in the US army in Korea. The "police action" as it was called, took place from 1950 – 1953. It still saddens him that after all this time there really has been no resolution to the problems in that part of the world. When he sees the US get involved in other wars like Iraq or Afghanistan, he points to the fact that the US still has military bases in South Korea after all this time. He doesn't believe we'll ever be free of our involvement with these places. To all those chest thumpers who think it'd be so simple to run in, drop bombs and shoot up a country, take over, clean up, and then walk away…guess again.
Guess What Dumass…. Troops Are Already Coming Home from Iraq and Afghanistan. The Treaty Is Signed and The War Is Over So Who Was Wrong? You Were Fuktard.
I had read something a while back that it was taught in schools that he didnt deficate or urinate. And that somehow he was immortal. I actually thought I raed it on a Listverse list a year or ago. Hmm.
"read"
Wow, this has to be the best list this month! Amazing job!
As a University student living in a highly developed nation (Canada! WOOHOO!) I sometimes forget that the theoretical bull***** we deal with, actually exists in reality.
I had no idea that this level of brainwashing happens in N. Korea! Great list again.
I think the real question might be, "To what extent do the people of North Korea believe all of this (well, the first five at least)"
We look at this and just laugh, but I wonder if they might also do the same.
Reading list should inspire him to write a list about himself. There should be a list of crazy facts about Jamie Frater.
This*
afraid to kim jong Il policy… i hope north and south korea will getting peace… remember to the children…
it's hard to believe that people like Kim Jong il still exists in our world.
more baffling, people like this managed to climb to the top of the social and political hierarchy of a nation.
the citizens are afraid to defy for the fear of being shot but how about the shooters ie the soldiers working for the dictator,protecting him and allowing his every indulgence? Don't they have any conscious or clear-thinking?
saw this come up on wordpress.
it's also known he keeps a personal harem. girls are forcibly taken from schools to replenish his harem's ranks as his mistresses…
That's right people. Even Kim Jong Il gets booty. It wouldn't surprise me if his "pleasure teams" think he has the biggest willy in the world. Now, if you'll excuse me, I am off to have some "sweet brown fizzy liquid in plastic bottle" with my "double bread with ham and cheese".
HA! You really add to his already pervasive cuddliness. How lucky one would be to have him as a neighbor & friend. (Sorry, he has a gun to my head)
It makes my skin crawl to read some of the things on that list; the way he is a fashion 'icon' (travesty) or that people around the world celebrate his birthday. It's disgustingly self indulgent.
If anyone wants to see a film that vaguely relates to this subject, watch Silmido, I can recommend it.
"fact" or fact: Last night, the Australian women's soccer team won the Asia Cup by beating North Korea.
Haha!! This list is hilarious and also quite disturbing!!
I love your blog btw I love making lists
@ Oliveralbq: If Kimmy boy was really living in Trinidad and Tobago, I’d have known about that, and he’d probably already been shot and killed, or handed over to the U.S. of A…. Btw, there arent any Hooters, down here. Lol!
I love North Korea , all its citizens are my friends , Kim Jong Il is a Benevolent and wise elder and should be adored and loved . I respect and love Kim Jong Il and his mighty country .
He's standing behind me, right?
Here are some more crazy *****s about the world’s most beloved leader:
1) He tries to save the starvation by breeding huge *****ing rabbits.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article1615350.ece
2) Being a communist as he is, he hires a staff to make sure that every grains of his rice are perfectly the same size and color.
http://articles.latimes.com/2004/jun/26/world/fg-gourmet26
3) Forget botox, you ignorance capitalist swines. The “dear leader” instead injects himself with blood of virgins to stay young. A wiser plan, no?
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/kim-jong-il-the-tyrant-with-a-passion-for-wine-women-and-the-bomb-421016.html
South Korea is one of the biggest customers for US weapons, so it is in their interest to continue to keep North Korea isolated and exaggerate the threat, Yes, he is a dictator and crazy but we seem to be very selective when it's time to demonize. This crap goes on in lots of countries. We don't say anything when we benefit from the cheap labour that makes all the garbage we consume .
chakram gando