Howard X has built a career out of looking like one of the world’s most controversial leaders—but he’s no fan of the man he impersonates.
Since 2013, the Hong Kong-born performer has made a name for himself as a Kim Jong-un lookalike. But unlike other celebrity impersonators, Howard isn’t just doing it for laughs—his work is steeped in political satire, activism, and, at times, real danger.
It all started with a simple realization: he resembled the North Korean leader. Kim had just taken power from his late father in 2011, and Howard couldn’t help but notice the similarities. “Other people started saying the same thing, and I thought I should do something with this,” he told Metro.
So, he grabbed a suit he already owned, posed for some humorous photos in a grocery store—pointing dramatically at everyday items—and posted them online. Within days, the images went viral. Two weeks later, he was flown to Tel Aviv to perform as Kim Jong-un. Just like that, a new career was born.
But what may have started as a joke quickly became much more. Howard discovered that mimicking one of the world’s most feared dictators could be a surprisingly powerful tool for protest. “Satire is a powerful weapon against any dictatorship,” he told the BBC. “They are scared of a couple of guys that look like the real thing.”
And dictators don’t always take it lightly. In 2019, Howard was deported from Vietnam after staging a fake summit with Donald Trump impersonator Russell White, just before the real Trump-Kim summit was set to begin. He’s also claimed to have been assaulted by North Korean agents—and even had his home raided by Hong Kong police after taking part in the pro-democracy Umbrella Movement in 2014.
That moment pushed him to leave Hong Kong for good. Though no charges were filed, the experience left him shaken. Thankfully, as an Australian citizen, Howard was able to relocate and lay low when needed.
Still, despite the risks, he has no plans to quit.
“I’ve always been political,” he explained. “I’ve always gone to protests for causes I believe in. This impersonation became a very useful tool to satirize dictators. If I was just one protester with a sign, I would be ignored. But this draws eyeballs—and it works.”
That unique blend of humor and activism keeps his phone ringing—especially when North Korea grabs headlines. “Whenever Kim launches a missile, my phone is ringing off the hook,” he laughed. But he doesn’t sit around waiting for world events. “I’ve found that the best way to get work is to do my own projects.”
Though his appearances are often lighthearted on the surface, Howard’s message is serious—and deeply personal.
If he ever came face-to-face with Kim Jong-un himself, Howard says he knows exactly what he’d say:
“I’d say ‘Go kill yourself and make me the leader—I’ll free your country.’”
He knows that kind of blunt honesty could be dangerous, but he stands by it. To Howard, ridicule isn’t just comedy—it’s protest. “All dictators fear being made fun of,” he said. “A lot of protesters come off very angry, and that can turn people off. But satire disarms. It gets people to look.”
He knows his work isn’t always safe, or universally accepted. But for Howard X, the goal is clear: make people laugh, make them think, and never stop speaking truth to power—even if you’re doing it in a dictator’s suit.
