Deepfake of Kim Yo-jong singing spoof song goes viral, mocks trash balloon provocations

A parody video featuring Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, singing and dancing to a South Korean song has recently gained widespread attention. The video, uploaded on the “Martian Lil Doge” YouTube channel on July 31, uses deepfake technology to superimpose Kim’s likeness.

As of 3 p.m. on the September 26, the 1 minute and 30-second clip had garnered approximately 738,000 views.

In the video, Kim is depicted wearing a pink dress with bare shoulders, singing a spoof version of South Korean singer Jo Hyun-ah’s song “Give You.”

The lyrics have been altered to lines like “I prefer trash to flowers,” “I like garbage more than the South,” and “I’ll give you all the filth, all my leftover trash to the South.”

Six North Korean soldiers appear as backup dancers behind her. The upper left corner of the video shows a parody logo resembling North Korea’s propaganda outlet “Uriminzokkiri (Our Nation by Ourselves),” humorously labeled “Your Nation by Yourselves.”

A logo similar to “Korean Central News Agency” is displayed on the right, with “Joseon” written instead. This video seems to satirize North Korea’s recent balloon launches filled with trash directed at South Korea.

The YouTuber frequently posts parody videos featuring Kim Yo-jong and Kim Jong-un. Viewers have reacted with comments such as, “Even North Korea would applaud this,” “The soldiers dancing in the background are hilarious,” “It’s both shocking and impressive,” “Grateful to witness true freedom and democracy,” and “Kim Jong-un would subscribe to this channel.”

One comment read, “This is the first time I’ve been afraid of a channel going viral,” suggesting it could become a target for North Korea’s retaliation.

Meanwhile, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that North Korea has launched approximately 5,500 trash balloons across 22 incidents since May 28. The balloons contained everyday waste such as paper, plastic bottles, and vinyl, but no harmful materials were detected.

BY YESEUL HYUN, YOUNGNAM KIM [hyeong.yeseul@joongang.co.kr]