If you scroll through international news or flip through the official Rodong Sinmun, you’ll see it. That grin. Sometimes it's a tight-lipped smirk while watching a missile launch; other times, it’s a full-on, eye-crinkling beam while he’s surrounded by weeping soldiers or holding a toddler.
The kim jong un smile isn't just a facial expression. It’s a geopolitical tool.
For those of us on the outside, it often feels weird. Jarring, even. You see a man leading a country under heavy sanctions, a place synonymous with "Hermit Kingdom" and human rights concerns, and he’s laughing. Why?
Honestly, it’s not because he’s just a naturally "jovial" guy, though personality profiles like the one from the Millon Inventory of Diagnostic Criteria (MIDC) do suggest he has a more "outgoing and gregarious" personality compared to his father. But in North Korea, nothing in the media happens by accident. Every tooth shown is a calculated move.
The "Grandfather" Strategy: Why the Grin Matters
To understand the kim jong un smile, you have to look back at the 1990s.
When Kim Jong Il—Kim Jong Un’s father—was in power, the vibe was totally different. He was often portrayed as stoic, wearing dark sunglasses, looking stern and distant. This "Sun King" approach worked for a while, but it coincided with the "Arduous March," a devastating famine that left the country in a dark, depressed state.
When Kim Jong Un took over in 2011, he was young. Really young. And he was a virtual unknown to his own people.
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He needed legitimacy, and he needed it fast. So, his image handlers didn't look to his father for inspiration; they looked to his grandfather, Kim Il Sung.
The "Eternal President" was remembered (at least in state-curated memory) as a paternal, warm, and smiling figure. He was the "Father of the Nation." By adopting the same hairstyle, the same high-waisted trousers, and most importantly, that wide, approachable smile, Kim Jong Un was basically saying, "The good old days are back."
It’s About Confidence, Not Just Happiness
Analysts like Choi Jin-wook at the Korea Institute of National Unification have pointed out that this "cheerleader" persona is a reaction to the instability of the past.
- The Message to the People: "I am confident. I am happy. Therefore, the country is safe."
- The Message to the World: "Your sanctions aren't working. Look how much fun I'm having at this new water park."
It’s a psychological play. If the leader is smiling while inspecting a potato farm or a new apartment complex in Pyongyang, it signals that the system is functioning. It’s "benevolent leadership" in action.
You’ll often see him in photos where he’s being "mobbed" by people. They are crying; he is smiling. This contrast is key. It positions him as the rock—the stable, joyful center of a country that state media tells its citizens is under constant threat from "imperialist" forces.
The Smile as "Soft Power"
Wait, can a dictator have soft power? Sorta.
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In the world of international diplomacy, that smile became a brand. Think back to the 2018 summits with Donald Trump or the meetings with Moon Jae-in. Kim wasn't the "Rocket Man" in those moments; he was a laughing, joking millennial who seemed... normal?
That "normalcy" is a trap, or at least a very effective screen. It shifts the conversation from nuclear warheads to "Hey, he seems like a guy you could have a drink with."
The Darker Side of the Grin
We have to be real here: the kim jong un smile often appears in contexts that are objectively terrifying to the rest of the world.
There’s a famous set of photos of Kim laughing heartily while standing next to a Hwasong-15 ICBM. It’s a bizarre juxtaposition. You have a weapon capable of reaching the United States, and the guy next to it is reacting like he just heard a great joke.
Psychologically, this is "overcompensation." Some researchers, drawing on Adlerian psychology, suggest that these exaggerated displays of confidence mask deep-seated insecurities or a "drive for dominance" fueled by the immense pressure of being a third-generation leader. He can't just be a leader; he has to be a god. And gods aren't stressed. They are triumphant.
What People Often Get Wrong
Most people think the smile is a sign that things are going well.
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That’s a mistake.
Often, the propaganda machine cranks up the "Happy Kim" photos when things are actually quite bad. During the COVID-19 border closures, when the economy was taking a massive hit, state media didn't show a worried leader. They showed a leader on a white horse on Mount Paektu, smiling into the wind.
It's a "defensive" image.
It’s also important to note that this isn't just for the cameras. Within North Korean society, "Organizational Life" requires citizens to not just follow orders, but to do so with a specific kind of revolutionary enthusiasm. If the leader is the "Sun," his smile is the light that everyone else is expected to reflect.
Practical Takeaways: How to Read the Image
If you’re trying to parse what’s happening in North Korea based on these photos, here’s a better way to look at it:
- Watch the setting, not just the face. If he’s smiling at a school, it’s about domestic stability. If he’s smiling at a weapons test, it’s a middle finger to international diplomacy.
- Check the weight. It sounds shallow, but analysts literally track his weight and the "roundness" of his face as a proxy for his health. A "healthy" (in their eyes) and smiling leader is a sign of a stable regime.
- Look at the entourage. Are the generals around him smiling, or are they frantically taking notes? If they look terrified while he’s grinning, the "benevolence" is just a thin veneer over absolute control.
The kim jong un smile is perhaps the most successful piece of PR in the 21st century. It has turned a high-stakes nuclear standoff into a series of "memeable" moments, often distracting us from the reality of the policy decisions being made behind that expression.
Next time you see a photo of the North Korean leader looking like he’s having the time of his life, ask yourself what the state media doesn't want you to see in that same frame. Usually, it's the fact that the smile is the only thing allowed to be seen.
To stay informed on how North Korean propaganda evolves, you can monitor the English-language releases from the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) or follow analytical briefs from the Stimson Center’s 38 North project, which provides deep-dive breakdowns of leadership movements and imagery.