8K views · 19 reactions | A huge movie buff (especially of James Bond), Kim Jong-Il used cinema and propaganda as he eagerly sought to win his father’s approval in order to be named his successor. | National Geographic TV | Facebook

Following the sudden death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in December 2011, the country observed a period of intense, highly coordinated public mourning. Citizens were filmed weeping and kneeling in mass ceremonies to demonstrate loyalty to the regime and the succession of his son, Kim Jong-un. These elaborate, compulsory displays of grief are widely viewed as mandatory demonstrations of political compliance. | History In Pictures