North Korea's Absurd New Propaganda Pics Of Kim Jong Un Go Awry
Eat your heart out, Vladimir Putin. North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un seems to want his own Putin moment.
Just as the Russian leader likes to publish “action” photos of himself ― including one shirtless on a horse ― North Korea’s state media has released a few “action” pics of Kim on a horse. In one, he appears to be holding on for dear life as the steed gallops:
Another looks like a scene from a Christmas movie gone wrong:
The Korean Central News Agency claimed Kim was visiting Mount Paektu. North Korea has mythologized the mountain as the birthplace of Kim’s father, Kim Jong Il, who was actually born in the Soviet Union, near Siberia.
The state media report was replete with the usual over-the-top language praising the 35-year-old authoritarian. However, analysts focused on a line claiming “there will be a great operation to strike the world with wonder,” which the BBC, among others, said could be an indication of planned missile tests.
If the photos were intended to show a heroic leader in command of his nation, they had the opposite effect on social media. Twitter users compared the images to scenes from “Game of Thrones,” “Shrek,” “Narnia.” And a few critics couldn’t help but find some flaws in the images:
He looks like he's scared or lost his cigarette. pic.twitter.com/3QhdNyhdDu
— del 🗿🗒✂️ (@DownWith710) October 16, 2019
First pic you can almost see his shoulders are hunched up and facial expression is anxiety. Doesn’t look like his heels are down. Tight body language doesn’t look comfortable
— liv (@ABeautifulLife) October 16, 2019
Just me lol Kim Jong un looking like shrek and donkey 😂😂 #KimJongUn pic.twitter.com/Pmf17MIgl8
— 🕸 🍕 PIZZA PARKER 🍕 🕸 (@no1enterpriseD) October 16, 2019
As the @nprpolitics would say, I can’t let go of Kim Jong Un riding a white horse. I’m trying to watch the #DemDebate , but I just keep going back to KJU on a white horse. The horse is so beautiful. Kim’s legs are so short. His hair is a different species. There is so much here. pic.twitter.com/UUm4hF88E5
— Hi, I’m Peach Mint (@AmeriCatLady) October 16, 2019
Not sure why but this one has much more of a "Narnia" vibe. I think I can see a lamppost behind him pic.twitter.com/BKyQokKUcX
— Josh Smith (@joshjonsmith) October 15, 2019
Early signs the new Game of Thrones spinoff might not be that great. https://t.co/Gxvbojjw8u
— Jon C (@Castaa) October 16, 2019
Just seen the photo of Kim Jong Un on a horse and all I can think of is that Old Spice advert. pic.twitter.com/KgdUzI0X7F
— joe ☹️ (@faceachejoe) October 16, 2019
— THE bandito (@JustStrudel) October 16, 2019
This is making me laugh much harder than is reasonable pic.twitter.com/9Kg9A00TeX
— Francine Mills (@francinecardin) October 16, 2019
#KimJongUn riding a horse, so what came to my old mind?
"Revelation 6:8 King James Version (KJV)
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him."
😂😂😂
Pic: KCNA pic.twitter.com/OxI4pIWyAH— Joe W. Bowles II (@JoeWBowles) October 16, 2019
😂Putin has a lot to answer for: Official pics show a bespectacled N Korean leader Kim Jong Un mounted on a white horse wearing a light-brown coat & riding up snow-covered Mount Paektu on horseback. The location & horse are symbols associated with the Kim family's dynastic rule. pic.twitter.com/fkymAyqKk6
— Zora Suleman (@ZoraSuleman) October 16, 2019
When you’re headed to the office to conduct a meeting on starting WWIII and realize you forgot to feed your Tamagotchi pic.twitter.com/R0YeB4fAQ4
— Super NintendSnow (@HitCockBottom) October 16, 2019
He’s terrified and the horse is fed up. pic.twitter.com/ImUcPjByim
— Мaриыах (@MariyahsDissent) October 16, 2019
Kim Jong-un's latest photoshoot certainly is... something.
I can't wait for his KCTV Old Spice "I'm on a horse" commercial. pic.twitter.com/vfZk157kVg— Shreyas Reddy (@shreyas_k_reddy) October 16, 2019
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.