Getting footage of truly candid moments of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un is harder than you think. North Korea’s state media is highly controlled and spreads propaganda to its people that its leaders are like divine beings. So, embarrassing footage or photos of Kim Jong-Un almost never makes it out to the public.
But the images of Kim Jong-Un released by North Korea still reveal some genuine emotions and truly bizarre moments. Even better, occasionally Kim Jong-Un makes appearances outside North Korea covered by foreign journalists and you get to see who he really is. Here, then, are 21 candid Kim Jong-Un moments caught on camera.
Kim Jong-Un meets Donald Trump
Kim Jong-Un’s historic meeting with President Donald Trump in Singapore in 2018 was an event felt around the world. It marked the first time leaders of North Korea and the U.S. met. To this day, the debate rages as to whether this meeting represented Trump making inroads with a bitter international foe or whether Trump simply handed an amazing PR opportunity to Kim Jong-Un, legitimizing North Korea on the world stage.
Kim Jong-Un calls Trump summit ‘science fiction’
Many thought the meeting between Kim Jong-Un and Donald Trump was bizarre, and even Kim was aware of how odd the whole thing appeared. In this candid footage, we can see Kim caught on camera telling Trump, through a translator, “Some will think of this as a science fiction movie.”
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Kim Jong-Un gives Putin a sword
If you thought Kim Jong-Un’s summit with Trump was weird, his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin is downright bizarre. Here the two leaders exchange gifts symbolic of their respective countries. Putin gave Kim a traditional Russian tea set. But Kim gave Putin a traditional North Korean ceremonial sword!
Kim Jong-Un hugs South Korean president
This video is a bit surprising considering the contentious relationship between North and South Korea, but Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin aren’t the only world leaders to meet with Kim. In this video from September 2018, Kim Jong-Un embraces South Korean President Moon Jae-in at their third summit, where Moon hoped to negotiate a formal peace treaty.
Kim Jong-Un answers a question from an American journalist for the first time
In February 2019, Kim Jong-Un had his second meeting with Donald Trump. They met in Vietnam to negotiate about North Korea’s nuclear program. This marked a historic first as Kim Jong-Un responded to a question from an American Washington Post reporter, his first time ever fielding a question from a foreign journalist.
“Chairman Kim, are you confident, feeling good about a deal?” the reporter asked him. To everyone’s surprise, Kim responded.
“It’s too early to tell. I won’t prejudge,” Kim said through his translator. “From what I feel right now, I do have a feeling that good results will come.”
Kim Jong-Un tours a submarine
Did the good results ever come? On June 30, 2019, Kim Jong-Un had his third meeting with Trump at the Korean Demilitarized Zone. But by July, the North Korean government released this photo of Kim touring a newly-built submarine, sending a message that talks were failing and North Korea was continuing to tout its military capabilities.
Kim Jong-Un attends martial arts demonstration
In this video from Oct. 13, 2021, we can see Kim Jong-Un getting a real kick out of the North Korean army showcasing its defense capabilities, including an extreme martial arts demonstration that featured breaking bricks with their heads and lying on broken glass.
Kim Jong-Un hangs out with Dennis Rodman
Kim Jong-Un is a huge fan of basketball and in particular the NBA, which explains his surprising friendship with former NBA star Dennis Rodman. Here they are enjoying an exhibition basketball game in North Korea back in 2013.
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Kim Jong-Un is seen with his mysterious wife Ri Sol-Ju
In the video above, we see rare candid photos of Kim Jong-Un’s mysterious wife Ri Sol-Ju. Little is known about her, including her real name or date of birth. We do know that their marriage, which reportedly took place in 2009, was arranged by Kim Jong-Un’s father Kim Jong-Il.
Dennis Rodman reveals info about Kim Jong-Un’s children
Kim Jong-Un and Ri Sol-Ju reportedly have three children together. Little is known about their children. However, Dennis Rodman revealed the name of their second child, a daughter, in an interview with The Guardian in 2013. “I held their baby Ju-ae and spoke with Ms. Ri as well,” he said. Rodman also claimed Kim is “a good dad” who “has a beautiful family.”
Kim Jong-Un develops space program
North Korea in space? In this photo released in March 2017, Kim Jong-Un watches the ground jet test of a new, experimental thrust engine. North Korea claims the engine will be used for its space and satellite program.
Kim Jong-Un displays weight loss at a military parade
In September 2021, Kim Jong-Un appeared at North Korea’s first military parade since Joe Biden became president. Some outlets made note of how Kim appears to have lost weight. But the more important thing to note is that there were no major new weapons on display.
Kim Jong-Un has a red carpet mishap
When Kim Jong-Un visited Russia in 2019, arriving on an armored train, things didn’t go exactly as planned. When the train stopped, Kim Jong-Un’s door failed to align with the red carpet that had been laid out for him, which appeared to worry his staff. When Kim finally appeared from the train, he had to step on uncarpeted ground like everyone else.
Kim Jong-Un visits a school
Here is Kim Jong-Un at Mangyongdae Revolutionary School in 2017, where he planted trees with students for an occasion called Tree Planting Day. You can see his wife Ri Sol-Ju by his side.
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Kim Jong-Un rides a horse
In December 2019, North Korea released this photo of Kim Jong-Un riding a horse. Along with this wife and other officials, Kim toured Mount Paektu on horseback. The mountain is an active volcano on North Korea’s border with China. In Korean legend, Mount Paektu is the birthplace of Dangun, the mythical founder of the first Korean kingdom 4,000 years ago.
Kim Jong-Un visits a fruit farm
Here Kim Jong-Un visits Taedonggang Combined Fruit Farm in 2016, wearing casual attire as opposed to the military get-up we usually see him in.
Kim Jong-Un visits a catfish farm
Running North Korea often takes Kim Jong-Un to some strange places. In this photo, we can see him visiting a catfish farm back in 2015.
Kim Jong-Un rides a ski lift
For the most part, Kim Jong-Un likes to project an image of strength and control. But does anyone really look that much in control when they are riding up the slopes in a ski resort? Here he is at North Korea’s Masik Pass ski resort in 2013.
Kim Jong-Un attends a missile test
Here Kim Jong-Un looks through binoculars during a ballistic missile test at an undisclosed location in North Korea in 2016.
Kim Jong-Un celebrates a missile test
That same year, North Korea released this photo of Kim smiling heartily and officials cheering at another ballistic missile test.
Kim Jong-Un inspects the troops
Is a troop inspection meant to look this fun? Based on this 2017 photo, Kim Jong-Un is having way too much fun while inspecting his military forces.
Kim Jong-Un goes ‘under the sea’
No, this isn’t a photo of Kim Jong-Un at SeaWorld. Here he visits the Mangyongdae children’s camp in Pyongyang in 2016.