Kim Il-Sung: Father of a Troubled Nation

Before his son took the mantle in the 1990s, learn about the original cult of personality that sprung from the Cold War and shaped modern North Korea.

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[Psiballl]

Simon Whistler: The Man Who Never Sleeps.

[xyzzzify]

Youtube: How many accounts do you want?
Simon: Yes.

[SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

Wow you actually talked about my grandpa. Impressive. Amazing how he rebuilt this country from the ashes of the war

[ScarlettDeLion]

First ten minutes: Huh.... he doesn't seem all that bad.

Last 20 minutes: Theeeere it is....

[macwatson]

“Father of a troubled nation.” That’s literally the kindest possible way you could describe him.

[Discosaturn]

Kim Il-Sung was born on the same day the Titanic sank
*His first act was to sink the ship himself*

[yequalsemexplusbee]

Not gonna lie, Kim Il Sung seemed like a chill person. Constantly smiling, walking around with his hands behind his back, pointing at things, and interacting with people.

[anumeon]

Well, atleast Kim Il-Sung never had to see his son being lonely and sad..
But as we all know, the most dangerous one of all the Kims is still around.. Kim Kar-dashian

[daguard]

North Korea is kind of like what would happen if Scientology took control of a country.

[vonPeterhof]

A friend of our family is a Sakhalin Korean who had some relatives in the North, and he actually went to visit them at some point in the 1970s. He said that being there felt like walking through the set of a Soviet movie... filmed in the 1930s.

[ignitionfrn]

1:55 - Chapter 1 - Humble beginnings
5:20 - Chapter 2 - Jumping into the fray
7:50 - Chapter 3 - Homecoming
10:35 - Chapter 4 - Kim & the korean war
12:45 - Chapter 5 - After the ashes
16:40 - Chapter 6 - Later years in power

[Hollyberrystreats]

"He attended Whasung Military Academy but was quickly unimpressed by their methods, the last thing you expect from a 14 year old boy" Actually, if I had to quickly define all 14 year olds' attitudes towards most things, I'd go with UNIMPRESSED

[steveo]

The Korean War did not end, they are technically still at a state of war.

[channel_no_longer_active]

When Kim Il-Sung got sick he became Kim ill-Sung.

[casper]

Kim Ill sung dies
North Korean citizens: are we free
NK: yes but actually no
Citizens: why?
NK: Another one

[AverytheCubanAmerican]

Pyongyang built their metro before Seoul. And it’s honestly so beautiful. You can tell they were inspired by the Moscow Metro

[bobbydeuce]

He has such a warm jovial smile. He really looks like he’s having such a great time.

[clayongunzelle]

The abused often times become abusers themselves. Sad reality of life

[MrDoom]

Kim Il-Sung was perhaps the best out of the Kim Dynasty. He actually cared about uniting his nation and was willing to go to any measure to ensure it. But the problem is, he became too power hungry. Power is dangerous, it consumes people. But he used it better than his son and grandson.

[pyromania]

"If you wanted to create a totally isolated and hermetic society, northern Korea in the years after the 1953 'armistice' would have been the place to start... Pyongyang was an ashen moonscape. It was Year Zero. Kim Il Sung could create a laboratory, with controlled conditions, where he alone would be the engineer of the human soul."
~Christopher Hitchens, describing North Korea after the 1953 ceasefire