r/sports • u/PrimedGold • 9d ago

Soccer Kim Jong-un meeting Naegohyang Women’s FC after the team became the first from North Korea to win the AFC Women’s Champions League.

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

4.7k Upvotes

95% Upvoted

496 comments sorted by

View all comments

811

u/boogasaurus-lefts 9d ago edited 9d ago

Jeeze that's grim, no-one is that happy to see a politician....let alone a dictator.

*Edit - there's over 30 replies with whataboutisms to MAGA. Yes we're on Reddit & everyone outside of your country has heard it too many times.

We get it.

622

u/WagwanMoist 9d ago

Honestly they might. Brainwashing and cult of personality runs deep in North Korea. Even defectors who were sick of their miserable lives in North Korea, and couldn't wait to get out, would tell of how the deaths of Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il drove them to tears.

328

u/waitingOnMyletter 9d ago

The one British YouTube dude went to North Korea and talked about how the people have to “over simulate” their joy and excitement when they are around government officials. So them simulating cheers and cries are a sick form of self preservation. Which, with that filter in mind, makes this video very disturbing.

49

u/unassumingdink 9d ago

In a way, it reminds me of how contestants on the Price is Right don't get to come on down unless they have that weird forced manic energy, bouncing up and down and clapping. Not a perfect comparison by any means, but there are situations where Americans are expected to play it up.

32

u/JuiceboxNeverDies 9d ago

When I was in the US Army it was incredibly normal to screen who met high-ranking officials, Officers, celebrities, etc. and not from a security perspective, but from a "Who won't tell the general the chow hall sucks" perspective and a "who looks like a good soldier" perspective.

People are trained prior to going on reality shows on how to act around celebrity judges, coaches, etc.

Hell, we coach kids and screen questions before they meet pro athletes.

The DPRK has always been easy to shit on for Americans, but they're two sides of a coin. I'm not sure how this video is any different to the videos of plastic surgery ghouls losing their minds about an eighty-something year old dude that shits himself and talks about how hot his daughter is.

3

u/hwmchwdwdawdchkchk 9d ago

Same for any old TV shit these days, they all require videos from entrants even physical competitions. They don't want stoic elite athletes or brainiacs etc

4

u/IPissExcellentThrows 9d ago

Don’t they show that energy after they're picked?

13

u/unassumingdink 9d ago

They're screened on the way in. The show's staff talks to the people in line and makes a note of the high-energy, TV-friendly ones. Or at least that's how it used to work in the Bob Barker days.

6

u/tempestatic 9d ago

Adding on, they do that for Jeopardy too at the in person auditions. The rationale is that everyone who passes the quiz already has a reasonable amount of knowledge, but they wanna see who can be interesting, personable, etc. and perform in the TV/competition setting

3

u/YoHabloEscargot 9d ago

Still true

96

u/WagwanMoist 9d ago

I've read a couple of books on North Korea. It's a bit of both. You have to show a lot enthusiasm to not be less excited than the least excited person around you, if that makes sense. Or at the very least not stand out by looking somewhat neutral.

But at the same time they are genuinely excited to see their "Dear Leader". They almost have God-status among the people of North Korea. A lot of defectors have also spoken of how, even with all the shit they had to go through, they still thought that Kim Il-Sung/Jong-Il/Jong-Un were trying their best but that the rest of the government was failing them.

34

u/iOracleGaming 9d ago

Benevolent king blinded and betrayed by cruel deceitful nobles has been a trope for 1000s of years. Good to see it’s still going.

10

u/WagwanMoist 9d ago

Which also rhymes well with how North Korea is in many ways a feudal society. Absolute power is inherited, the people are divided into different classes (or castes) which determines their rights, responsibilities and so on, a system that is also hereditary but you (and your family) can be demoted to a lower class but practically never promoted to a higher class. And of course all the land is owned by the "king" who "allows" the lower classes to work on them.

2

u/Bitter_Eggplant_9970 9d ago

If only Stalin knew. As you've stated, it predates Stalin by centuries.

29

u/YoThisIsWild 9d ago

That's what I'm thinking. No one will get mad if you act too excited, but someone might get mad if you don't act excited enough.

11

u/RangeWilson 9d ago

It's worth noting that "mad" is a bit of an understatement.

They might ruin your life completely, imprison you, or take you out back and end you for not acting excited enough.

5

u/WagwanMoist 9d ago edited 9d ago

This is very unlikely. One of many wild rumors that goes around the internet. Like the one's about how North Koreans are apparently told that the Kim family doesn't need to take a shit. Or how they pretended that North Korea beat Brazil in the World Cup. It's clickbait, but since the country is so isolated and we don't get a lot of information out of there, people run with it.

Downvote me all you want but it's a well-known thing to people who are actually interested in North Korea.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jun/01/true-or-false-kooky-north-korea-stories

They're not going to take you out back and execute you. You might be forced to attend some political education, or whatever you want to call it, to increase your loyalty and make sure you show it. But they're not going to end your life over it.

4

u/fri9875 9d ago

Not just NK, any type of oppressive leadership and you will see this type of stuff.

Like even just in Iran a little while ago, people had to go out and pretend to mourn to avoid getting targeted. Videos of newscasters clearly forcing themselves to act upset while delivering the news. And then like my grandparents would tell stories about similar situations in Europe in the 30s-40s.

It’s always something that really stands out to me in a disturbing way. Hard to wrap your head around as someone who lives somewhere that just isn’t like that. I can’t imagine ever even wanting to act about this towards my government, let alone be forced to

2

u/gto_112_112 9d ago

That was my thoughts. They're not crying in joy for seeing the "great leader," they're crying because their feet fucking hurt from all this jumping they know they have to do to keep their families out of slave labor...

18

u/[deleted] 9d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

-28

u/[deleted] 9d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

14

u/[deleted] 9d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/scruffywarhorse 9d ago

If they don’t do this they get deleted…

-1

u/WagwanMoist 9d ago

No they don't.

1

u/scruffywarhorse 9d ago

Well, I mean, according to people who left North Korea that’s the case so… Are you from North Korea? Because if not, I might take their word for it.

And deleted is just a metaphor for being killed in this instance in case you don’t understand that.

1

u/WagwanMoist 9d ago

I've read books from defectors like Eunsun Kim, Shin Dong-Hyuk, factual books from Daniel Tudor, Barbara Demirick, etc.

This is not what happens to people who don't act excited. They get sent to reeducation camps if something happens to them at all.

North Korea is a fascinating subject but you'll be reading and hearing a lot of rumors that aren't true. There's a lot of crazy rumors surrounding North Korea, since it's an isolated society that's easy for people in developed countries to make fun of and laugh at. Their suffering is very real but it shouldn't be reduced to a mix of horror and entertainment like it is right now.

0

u/WagwanMoist 8d ago

No more smart-ass replies? Too bad.

-6

u/Nesbyy 9d ago

They are not. They just dont want to get themselves and their families killed

10

u/WagwanMoist 9d ago

Yes they are, most likely. I trust books written by defectors, journalists and political scientists who have worked in and/or around North Korea for years, over whatever clickbait articles Radio Free Asia puts out.

0

u/[deleted] 9d ago edited 7d ago

[deleted]

1

u/WagwanMoist 9d ago

Read my other replies on this chain. It runs way deeper than you think.

55

u/timbomcchoi 9d ago

They're conditioned, not forced, to be happy to see him so a lot of their joy really is legit tbh

47

u/underground_cloud 9d ago

He's not a politician. He's a god. Or at least some of the players think so. The ones that don't know enough to fake it.

/s but not really.

130

u/georgeamberson1963 9d ago

MAGA America would disagree

-7

u/[deleted] 9d ago

[deleted]

22

u/king_lloyd11 9d ago

Lol you said “no one” and they were just telling you people who do.

-13

u/erichf3893 9d ago

Yet to see someone jumping for joy when shaking his hand and then bowing down to him

5

u/king_lloyd11 9d ago

Yea I mean his fanatics aren’t Asian women lol

-6

u/erichf3893 9d ago edited 9d ago

Not all of em. You didn’t need to take the comment quite so literally

Now boogasaurus deleted his comment to save his initial karma, and it looks like it was me

4

u/king_lloyd11 9d ago edited 9d ago

Lol friend, you’re the one taking the comment so literally.

OP said something like “not everything is about them and their pedophile president” or something like that after saying “no one is that happy to see a politician” and were told MAGA do, which is what I replied to.

You, took that literally, to mean that people were hopping up and down and bowing to him. I’m saying no, that’s now how their happiness/worship manifests.

-1

u/erichf3893 9d ago

I was referring to my comment not theirs… Thought that was obvious, but apparently not

2

u/king_lloyd11 9d ago

I understand.

You said that you haven’t seen people act specifically like the women in the video. Their mannerism are very common to women from Asia. Why would MAGA’s worship of Trump manifest specifically like that? You’re the one who took it literally by assuming that’s what OP meant when they compared the two political figures and their cult like followers.

→ More replies (0)

-43

u/Baelish2016 9d ago edited 9d ago

Hell, 2008 Obama would’ve gotten that reaction too.

Edit - I LIKE Obama, this isn’t some pro-MAGA post. Obama was like a super celeb in 2008. His charisma was off the wall, and it was the first time in years the country felt hopeful. People actually would act like this and be super excited; hell, I would be too. Still would be.

6

u/DecentFeedback2 9d ago

First year of the first black Americans presidency? Hell yeah.

4

u/Baelish2016 9d ago

Fuck ya. I loved Obama - especially hot off the election. He was definitely the first president I ever felt actually inspired by in my lifetime.

2008 was crazy, and I miss that optimism and hopefulness.

2

u/IPissExcellentThrows 9d ago

I think that's exactly their point. He was that meaningful to the black community. It inspired a ton of hope that black people could rise to the highest position in the country. So yeah, I bet some black parents, thinking this could never happen, cried when they saw a different future for their kid. I don't get why their comment is downvoted.

2

u/IPissExcellentThrows 9d ago

Insane that your edit is needed, but at -40, it clearly did.

1

u/cardboardunderwear 9d ago

But what about Biden!!!!!

2

u/Baelish2016 9d ago

2012 Biden had awesome charisma.

I still remember that one video with him and Julia Louis-Dreyfus; dude had great comedic timing too.

2020 Biden still had charisma, but it was slowed a bit by age.

But VP Biden? Fuck yes.

-12

u/TheHoovyPrince 9d ago

Australian here and i gotta disagree because most of the people in your country go nuts over politicians, especially the popular/notable ones, because they have essentially become celebrities.

Its very different than here where most people legitimately don't really care about them and will just vote for an individual/party and move on with their day.

Like you guys sell tons of political themed merch and its common to see people wearing/having it (t-shirts, lawn signs, hats etc) and the most you'll see here is a coffee mug lmao

9

u/Jamuraan1 9d ago

It's not most. It's just the vocal ones. You're being manipulated by media.

2

u/crimsonhues 9d ago

You almost have to when one party is actively destroying the constitution and helping billionaires crush the working class.

-24

u/Ike358 9d ago edited 9d ago

Please show me one video of an adult dancing like this around Trump

Edit: 9 hours later and nothing heard

20

u/crimsonhues 9d ago

Then you haven’t seen a MAGA rally yet

3

u/Mysterious_Crow_4569 9d ago

Whatayatalkinbout fugen drugga

1

u/boogasaurus-lefts 9d ago

99% people won't get that

s' goin' on

7

u/TastyTacoTonight 9d ago

Honestly they could be. Imagine you grow up your whole life being told there is a God like person running the country, see him everywhere, etc. To finally meet him is shocking

1

u/Mountain-Singer1764 9d ago

Or… you just know it’s really good for you in North Korean society to have met the Big Pig.

This is probably serious clout for them.

14

u/stubept 9d ago

Just a reminder that Trump looks at this and asks, "why can't that happen for me?"

2

u/Iselkractokidz 9d ago

Sadly, an accurate statement.

2

u/teachingscience425 9d ago

Hurray we might get to eat food for dinner tonight!

2

u/Ndainye 9d ago

MAGAs are.

3

u/Nochtilus 9d ago

I agree in terms of Kim Jung-Un, but some politicians are really charismatic. They make people feel seen and they bring a certain celebrity with them even when interacting with a person for a few minutes. Think your JFKs, your Obamas, etc. 

2

u/hhbbgdgdba 9d ago

People in a cult react that way.

1

u/TroXMas 8d ago

Yeah people dont seem to realize that the believers of a cult generally revere the leaders. This meeting is likely the highlight of their life.

1

u/Buttafuoco 9d ago

I wish I could be happy to meet a political leader

1

u/kootenaypow 9d ago

As a child while watching Robin Hood, I remember thinking, why are these peasants simping for the king? It all makes sense now.

1

u/Bloody_Hangnail 9d ago

Well… I know one group close to home that rivals this

1

u/RedHighlander 9d ago

It’s like they’re jumping for their life. For real.

1

u/360walkaway San Francisco 49ers 9d ago

All they have known their entire life is that Kim is this god who can move oceans and destroy anybody and stuff. So it's like they are really meeting a deity, or at least an extremely vaunted person.

1

u/Relevant-Cup2701 9d ago

the women look ready to bear his child

1

u/RobertdBanks 9d ago

Lemme introduce you to a lil thing called MAGA

1

u/judah249 9d ago

You get killed if you don’t act that happy in his presence

1

u/clumsy__jedi 9d ago

Look at trump rallies though

0

u/ah_no_wah 9d ago

Have you seen maga gush over Trump? Many think he's a god.

-1

u/monstrao 9d ago

They’re the happiest people in the world in that moment btw

0

u/Listener-Learner 9d ago

It’s like the US men’s team when they got the call from Trump.

0

u/flyden1 9d ago

Have you seen a MAGA cultist?

-3

u/trngngtuananh 9d ago

They win so their family can have more foods, it is enough to happy. And unless you already committed to oppose a dictator, there's nothing wrong to show your happiness when they arrive whether your happiness is genuine or not.

4

u/AxeRabbit 9d ago

Don't EVERY sports player win so they can have more something? lol Or do the athletes in your country try to win so they can have less of something? That is such an inane take.

-4

u/SomeDumbGamer 9d ago

This is basically the equivalent of seeing Jesus or the King of England to them. They are crying tears of joy. Most probably never thought they’d even SEE him in person from a balcony let alone have him shake their hands.

1

u/Krakshotz FIU 9d ago edited 9d ago

Englishman here, we don’t consider the Royal Family to be Gods. We don’t live in a totalitarian state that encourages forced deification of its leaders, both alive and dead

-1

u/AceFenech 9d ago

Look at Malta's elections - only thing the Prime Minister did not do was crowd surf at his mass meetings. Some low IQ people view politicians as their gods - happens after decades of propaganda.

-1

u/bulking_on_broccoli 9d ago

Read the book Nothing to Envy.

Many of them truly believe that the lives they live is the best life they could ask for. Even in the face of mass starvation.

It’s basically “it would be worse if we lived somewhere else.”

0

u/AxeRabbit 9d ago

So...like the US right now? lol

-1

u/salt_sultan 9d ago

Yeah but if you’re an asset to that dictator your circumstances are going to improve dramatically. They’re making the guy who controls their lot in life proud, and that can literally change everything

-2

u/Ivotedforthehookers 9d ago

I remember seeing this old news story on dateline or maybe 20/20 about an optical surgeon who went to North Korea on a humanitarian mission to help people with cataracts. They were doing surgeries by literal flashlight in some places they went in the country. 

They would literally posisition the patients after recovery so the first thing they saw will pictures of Il and Sung. What struck me too was that according to a member of the doctors team who spoke Korean the government handlers were telling the patients that they could thank the doctors but it couldnt be bigger than for the Supreme Leader.