The saddest Olympic gold medallist Ri Se-Gwang explains why he looked so dejected

Aug 18, 2016 2:14 PM

brightandglory

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Just taking part in the Olympics should be a career highlight for athletes

But no one have ever looked so sad after winning gold as North Korean gymnast Ri Se-Gewang

Not only for Olympics. Every world event. Every time on the podium

He has spoken about his reserved celebrations and claims he looked sad because... well, he was delighted to win for his dictator

I was filled with joy...

It has recently been alleged that North Korean athletes were banned from visiting tourist attractions during the Olympics

It was also suggested by Radio Free Asia that all Samsung phones that were given to the athletes were collected by a North Korean representative to stop them communicating with the outside world

Why can't you see how perfectly happy am I?

wait, they actually sent someone instead of just claiming they did and won all the medals? wierd

10 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

Guy probably knows what it took to feed him to get him competitive, and how many others that food could have fed so they could live.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Not buying it. North Korea, the real story: v

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

This is not the saddest gold medalist. That french guy looked pretty fucking sad.

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

could be that he just has a reserved personality - his teammate, Hong Un Jong, was pretty smiley on the podium when she won in 2008.

10 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

Did you see them at the opening ceremonies...not one smile.

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Anyone else get the horrible feeling that #5 is definitely going to be killed for that picture?

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I figured he'd be sent to a camp for not winning the gold, tbh. North Korea is scary.

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

resting suppressed by a dictator face.

10 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 0

Anyone else think that all this pointing out how sad he looked might actually get him in trouble?

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

He's sad cuz the Olympics are over for him and he has to go back to his terrible life in North Korea.

10 years ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 2

It's like...He caught a glimpse of the REAL world and now realizes his life is a lie in which he has to return to.

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Can't th cia just assassinate the NK leader. Can't the UN step in? 2 questions

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

This is how you celebrate silver in Denmark http://imgur.com/J1g6HiP

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I understand this is about his face but how are none of the comments about how jacked he is? Holy cow that salute arm is ripped as fuck.

10 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

I wonder if they are punished if they lose, or if they are forced to train and win or else their families will be killed or something

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

10 years ago | Likes 219 Dislikes 2

except all the North Koreans rub their bellies out of hunger

10 years ago | Likes 11 Dislikes 0

When your win gold but realize you're going back to North Korea and forced to worship a demented fat fuck afterwards...

10 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

How much would it cost to wipe out the squirrel face leader? A precise sniper shot would do the trick.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

He won gold to send this message

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

He knows if he "brings dishonor to N. Korea" his family will be raped to death. Literally.

10 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 1

For three generations.

10 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Dear Leader, Fuck you. Sincerely, Ev.Ry.One.

10 years ago | Likes 21 Dislikes 0

Me from the future... We're waiting to hear if he he is dead...

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

10 years ago | Likes 11 Dislikes 0

I really hope someone assassinated kim

10 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 4

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

He has a role similar to the pharaohs of ancient egypt. He is essentially a god, and it would take a lot to cause an actual revolt.

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

With any luck, he'll suffer a fatal obesity related health complication in the near future.

10 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

Another reason to hate China: they're pretty much the only reason N. Korea still exists.

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

Fuck the N. Korea govt, and how they treat their people.

10 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

I honestly believe in my lifetime there will be a war with north Korea

10 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 1

God I hope so. Something needs to be done. Maybe we can use our idiotic amount of military spending for something that's actually important.

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 6

That answer made me uncomfortable...

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

honestly the way things are going with North Korea, i wouldn't doubt it if there was no war, just its inevitable collapse into nothingness

10 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

You know that look as a child when you did something wrong and your parents were about to give it to you? That's the one.

10 years ago | Likes 112 Dislikes 2

More like when you did nothing wrong and your parents were about to give it to you

10 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Either one would work.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

It's common in N. Korean culture to suppress all emotion. Displaying emotions (anger, sadness, joy) is considered a sign of weakness.

10 years ago | Likes 25 Dislikes 1

Earth's very own Vulcans

10 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

...Are they secretly Daleks?

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

That's so tragic. I can only percieve it as Mass hysteria and people corralled into acting through peer pressure for fear of being judged.

10 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

What a life.

10 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

For fear of being killed. Supposedly there were orders to arrest anyone who was in public and not crying...

10 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Can Russia just take N. Korea already?

10 years ago | Likes 94 Dislikes 4

russia and china heavily rely on slave labor from north korea. it's in their vested interest that things stay the way they are.

10 years ago | Likes 56 Dislikes 11

Also NK is a kind of buffer between US occupied SK and the PRC. In the event of war the DPRK would be a disposable "shield", a la Korean War

10 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

the labor is minor, china props up there government to put off a refugee crisis 4x larger then Syria

10 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

the capital building in namibia (the country above S africa) was built by N korean prisoners. they will ship them all over the place

10 years ago | Likes 11 Dislikes 0

Well, I do need a roof over my patio.

10 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

They have to resolve this themselves. Look at Iraq - do not get involved. It wont help.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Iraq is fucked because we left the without a proper government and because we disbanded the military, not because of the invasion.

10 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Dont let Putin read this post pls.

10 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 4

That wouldn't be much better

10 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 9

On principle, you're right. But I'm convinced it would DEFINITELY be better for 25 million ppl. If not right away, then a generation laterr.

10 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

There are several examples wherein foreign forces usupring a dictator hasn't benefited in the long run.

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

You're not wrong. But there is always room for discussion there; A: depending on who you ask, "the wellmeaning people of western civ." [1/?]

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

[2/?] or the nationals. And B: There are undoubtedly clear cases where you're right, but also many where we can't know for sure if

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

[4/5] have ended by national means, or only subtle foreign influence, so not a huge statistical basis. (not betting $ on this thesis tho)

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Additionally want to underline: I think NK, if succesful non-nuclear invasion, feeding 25mio ppl within 2 weeks would be called a win. $0.02

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

[5/5] Bonus: http://conservapedia.com/List_of_dictators Despite source, list seems (at least superficially) to be neutral and sourced.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

[3/?] continued dictatorship wouldn't have made it worse than what ended up happening by intervention. Besides, AFAIK most dictatorships

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Every time I see a N. Korean competitor I truly see a broken person, no matter how talented an athlete they are. Look at their eyes.

10 years ago | Likes 1037 Dislikes 6

do they have special eyes?

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 6

Dead eyes. No depth. 1000 yard stare.

10 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

not only that, but the second to last image is a beautiful example of what could have been if the region wasn't so divided

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

...racist

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 2

They are talented because they have to be or they start up the anti-air artillery again.

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

1) I can see China losing patience with them. They cause instability, and that's bad for business. There is a precedent of communist...

10 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

I wonder how people see us when we have presidential candidates like Hillary and trump.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 2

What if you can't see their eyes?

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 3

2) ...countries stepping in against a crazy communist neighbour. Vietnam was responsible for crushing the insanity that was the Khmer Rouge.

10 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 1

Yes. And the US backed the Khmer Rouge because they opposed the Vietnamese Communists. China and Russia are playing the same dumb game.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

The US backed (and still backs) a lot of regimes that have no right to exist. Saudi Arabia for example.

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

No argument here.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Watch http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1104746/?ref_=nm_flmg_wr_4 Red Chapel. Great doc, "spastic" n. korean orphan comedian returns from Denmark

10 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Because of his accent and being a self proclaimed "spastic" they can't understand/censor him so he can say what's really happening all movie

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

And I bring this up because of how everyone's fucking eyes are, very haunting and sad.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Thank you, I'm gonna take a look at this now.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

China needs them for the slave labor. They don't want to give it up, so they'll defend north korea, sadly.

10 years ago | Likes 47 Dislikes 3

Not just China, Russian has one of the largest imports of N. Koreans, for all sorts of menial labor and logging.

10 years ago | Likes 19 Dislikes 0

All true, but perhaps if the world would finally admit and label the country as a 'Slave' country / slave-state the world would act.

10 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Sadly I think the biggest concern is an economic consequence to liberation NK, if their borders open the whole are would be destabilized.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Yet at some point a destabilized China is a better thing than a strong one.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Tbh. I wish America would just curb stomp N. Korea. He's worse than Hitler

10 years ago | Likes 257 Dislikes 19

I read somewhere that China would have to pick up the pieces if anyone went in and overthrew the government Which is why they say no.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

In theory it sounds great but that is the same idea that has led to trouble so many times in the past and present

10 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Amen

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

That is not a way to help the Korean people. Just looking at Iraq should tell everyone how policies like that succeed.

10 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Idk. Germany. Japan. South Korea. We can do it right. It takes time. And SK and NK would be one country. Mainly SK's problem.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I'm still not pro-war, but I would imagine it would be simpler than Iraq seeing as how SK will just annex NK.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Yeah, it'd sure help N. Koreans to go in and kill millions of them.

10 years ago | Likes 15 Dislikes 2

That's gone down well so far....!

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Yeah...we tried that once. Didn't go so well.

10 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 3

Wish it was that simple. Its their problem to solve and the US has no right to intervene. MYOBW applies even at the global level.

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

He's close, but not a full Hitler. Stalin is a double, Mao is a penta. Its moreso the fact he exists that angers me.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

fukin nukes man

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

He's nowhere near as bad as Hitler was.

10 years ago | Likes 16 Dislikes 12

Un is worse. Why? While Hitler did mass genocide he prefer to kill em all. With North Korea they took three generations of a family, and -

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

- torture them for years. Common people also starving so much they ended eating grass or even resorting to cannibalism.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Hey. He must be feeding the Olympian. So there's rhat

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Hes worse? Cause hitler lifted germany from economic collapse while the prk led them to it?

10 years ago | Likes 23 Dislikes 3

In crimes against his own people maybe, but has yet to contributed in a world war killing millions in other countries, so no, not worse.

10 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 9

To be fair, invading other countries was kinda how shit was done for forever. he was just doing what every other country at the time did.

10 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

seriously?

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Hitler is made out to be the be-all-end-all of bad guys. He was efficient. His contemporaries were just as bad and there's been worse.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Hitler was worse for his focussed hatred on persecuted races. Other contemporaries killed more and did less to even try help their country.1

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

NK is easily as bad as many of those contemporaries, keeping basically the entire population in the worst of those conditions. 2/2

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

There are a lot of other countries that are well equipt and could take the lead to do that.

10 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 6

Not trying to get in a who has more guns argument, but N. Korea has a massive military. That's why the Kim family is still in power.

10 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 1

Lol no 1. China doesn't want a border with US bases. 2. Seoul is in shelling range from NK, it would seriously fuck the world economy

10 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

If we went to war against NK.

10 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

I would not be adverse to the idea. The issue is that North Korea has GENERATIONS of brainwashing going on.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

They would fight like the Japs did. No surrender

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

No oil, no point.

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

The oil argument aside, North Korea has enough artillery pointed at Seoul it could kill a million people in the first day of the war.

10 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Oh Im not saying we shouldnt. Im saying why we wouldnt. I think its a damn disgrace the world hasn't liberated the people of NK.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

+1 for America curb stomping, -1 for worse than Hitler. The Kim family is definitely in the running, but no, just no.

10 years ago | Likes 69 Dislikes 23

Maybe it's kind of apples to oranges hitler saw a superior race of aryans but Kim puts literally everyone below him.

10 years ago | Likes 15 Dislikes 0

Um, yes. Public execution, mass enslavement concentration camps for entire families. I won't put them anything less than equal

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I agree but remember we didn't know the full extent of Hitler's crimes until we got in there on the ground. I bet same applies here

10 years ago | Likes 11 Dislikes 0

I think, on intent, on his regime's cruelty to it's people and on pure disinterest in people's well being Kim might genuinely be worse.

10 years ago | Likes 14 Dislikes 1

Why the hell does it have to be a competition? Hitler was a crazy piece of shit. Kim IS a crazy piece of shit.

10 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Hitler tried to do good for his country, Kim keeps his country living in a post apocalyptic world. He treats his people like slaves.

10 years ago | Likes 45 Dislikes 1

That's a really legit point. Right up to the losing the war part Hitler was Germany's savior. The Kims are solely a blight on their people.

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Yes, but, to my knowledge, the Kims haven't actively tried to eradicate a race from the earth, nor take over a continent

10 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

Hitler was in the past. He is dead. Gone. The Kim Family is still alive and kicking. And doing their thing unopposed. Frankly since its -

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Because they cant

10 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

China would be like "No" and then war.

10 years ago | Likes 201 Dislikes 3

Don't forget Russia as well.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 2

China actually hates NK right now. Now may be our only chance to take out Kim without China intervening.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

and Russia

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 2

South China sea is gonna ensure that anyway.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Nah. China is getting tired of that fat shit.

10 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

China doesn't want the NK drugged-out refugees, though.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Honestly i think if we did it then china would sit back and let us call the bluff. They own too much of our international debt to go to war

10 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

because if we did that, we would literally just consider it null and void then park a few carriers in chinese waters then strafe them with

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

bombs til they backed down. That said, n. korea would be the one place id think they shouldnt keep a base after the curb stomp because china

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

That's fine. I, and many other soldiers like myself, would gladly go to war and die to liberate that horribly oppressed country.

10 years ago | Likes 22 Dislikes 2

Can't say you're intentions aren't noble but I'd rather not live in the aftermath of a war between two global superpowers. Can we not?

10 years ago | Likes 14 Dislikes 0

I mean as it stands, we shouldn't just go in there and attack but it's terrible to imagine just how awful life is for all of those people.

10 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

Does anybody know why China benefits from N. Korea as it exists today? Is it still as a buffer zone against capitalism/S. Korea?

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Far as I understand it's a trade agreement? You know. Its the economy! Not sure though :P

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

That, and I've read estimates of up to 1.5 million NK refugees if NK was to collapse.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

thats less then the number of people they harvested for organs from religious prisoners. A drop in the water for those scumbags.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0