Websites to waste time: Kim Jong-il Looking At Things

If we didn't know any better, we'd have assumed that pint-sized dictator Kim Jong-il was a busy man. Yet as one blog shows, he's only busy visiting factories and looking at things.

By Emmet Purcell

Much like the fact that the entire world must smell like new paint to Queen Elizabeth II, wherever North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il goes, he is greeted by an army of flunkies and yes-men, all eager to prove their worth.

In fact, it appears as though all Kim Jong appears to be doing lately is visiting various places of business and looking at their wares. Not actively trying out their products or asking questions, just looking at them.

The pheomenon of the 'Dear Leader' looking at things forms the basis of a hilarious Tumblr blog, simple entitled 'kim jong-il looking at things', set up by a Lisbon-based art director in late 2010.

Without fail, a new update appears every 2-3 days, and all feature the dictator decked out in favourite snazzy shades looking at everything from cheese to sewing machines and even DVD labelling machines. It's an exciting life, for sure.

Just over a year later and the blog has over 33,000 'Likes' on Facebook and was even named as one of Tumblr creator David Karp's favourite accounts on the site when interviewed recently by CNN. So just what is the appeal in looking at regularly updates pictures of Kim Jong-il staring at frozen food?

Honestly, we have no idea. However, there's something fantastic about how inoffensive and pointless the entire endeavour would be, if not for the fact that looking at Kim Jong looking at things is both fascinating and hilarious. Take a look at one of our favourites below; 'Kim Jong-il looking at a radish':

Really? He had nothing better to do that day than look at that radish?

As you quickly discover upon clicking upon the blog, there is no end to what Kim Jong-il will look at. Vegetables, bubblegum, cows, fish tanks, women - he's seen it all. And thankfully, so can you if you just click on the link here to enter the world of bizarre North Korean propaganda.

On a side note, if anybody finds a picture better than Kim Jong staring at a cucumber, feel free to drop your own link in the comments section below.