Hong Kong Activist Known for Impersonating Kim Jong-un
Howard X, a Chinese political activist famous for his resemblance to North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un, has stated his conviction that "satirizing dictators is a tool for defending democracy."
In an interview released by the British media outlet Metro on the 19th (local time), Howard X (real name Howard Lee) said, "As someone who enjoys satire and comedy, impersonating Kim Jong-un is the ideal job for me."
Howard X, a Chinese political activist famous for his resemblance to North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un. Screenshot from Howard X's Instagram.
Howard introduces himself as a musician, music producer, political satirist, and the world's first professional Kim Jong-un impersonator. Born in Hong Kong, he moved to the United Kingdom at the age of nine and later settled in Melbourne, Australia in the early 1990s. Howard earned a bachelor's degree in jazz music in Canberra and has also lived in Hong Kong, Brazil, and Argentina.
His impersonation of Kim Jong-un began after North Korean National Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong-il introduced his son Kim Jong-un to the world stage. On April Fool's Day in 2011, Howard dressed up as Kim Jong-un and shared a photo on Facebook. After seeing this, Israeli fast-food chain Burgeranch hired him as a TV commercial model, marking the start of his full-fledged "Kim Jong-un impersonation" career. Since then, he has appeared in advertisements, short films, TV shows, and video games. He also played Kim Jong-un in the music video for "Lollybomb" by the Russian band Little Big, which has garnered 160 million views on YouTube.
He is also known for his bold appearances at events such as the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in February 2018 and in Singapore during the North Korea-United States summit in June 2018. During an ice hockey game at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, Howard visited the North Korean cheerleading squad and waved the Korean Peninsula flag, but was assaulted by North Korean agents and dragged out of the stadium. In February 2019, he visited Hanoi, Vietnam-the site of the second North Korea-United States summit-together with "Fake Trump" Russell White, but was deported from Vietnam the day before Kim Jong-un's arrival.
"Impersonating to Draw Attention to Democracy"
However, Howard does not impersonate Kim Jong-un simply as a way to make money. He emphasizes that satire serves the greater purpose of defending democracy and is also an effective means of driving change. Howard said, "If I were just another protester holding a picket sign, I would have been ignored and had no influence. That's why I impersonate Kim Jong-un to draw attention to the cause of democracy, and it has been very effective." He added, "That's exactly why dictators react so sensitively. All dictators are afraid of becoming a laughingstock."
Howard also criticized President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, calling them "the two dictators currently dominating the world." He has even prepared what he would say if he ever met Kim Jong-un in person. He said he would tell Kim, "Kill yourself and make me the leader. Then I will liberate your country."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
