If you’ve spent any time on the internet in the last decade, you’ve seen it. The high-top fade. The shaved sides. That gravity-defying trapezoid of jet-black hair that seems to sit atop Kim Jong Un’s head like a crown of pure, unadulterated state power.
But honestly? Most of what we "know" about the kim jong un hair style is a mix of viral rumors, tabloid fluff, and some very clever political branding.
It’s not just a haircut. It’s a message.
The "Ambitious" Look: More Than a Fade
In Pyongyang, they don't call it a "high and tight" or a "disconnected undercut." Its official name is the "Ambitious" style.
Think about that for a second. In a country where everything—from the length of your trousers to the badge on your lapel—is a signal of loyalty, naming a haircut "Ambitious" is a heavy-handed hint. It was designed to make him look like his grandfather, Kim Il-sung, the eternal president and founder of the nation.
It’s a visual bridge. By mimicking the "Great Leader's" 1940s-era aesthetic, Kim Jong Un effectively bypassed his father’s (Kim Jong-il) more eccentric, bouffant look to claim the mantle of the original revolutionary.
Why the Sides are Shaved So High
There’s a technical reason for those buzzed sides. It’s not just for the aesthetic of the "Chinese smuggler" cut (a derogatory term used by some locals in the mid-2000s). The extreme taper on the sides and back is meant to emphasize the height of the hair on top.
Height equals power.
It’s a trick used by world leaders for centuries—tall hats, high heels, and in this case, a vertical pompadour. When Kim Jong Un debuted a particularly "boxy" version in 2015, the internet went into a meltdown. People called it the "trapezoid."
But to the regime, it was a display of vigor. A fresh, sharp cut implies a leader who is disciplined and in control.
The Great Haircut Myth: Is It Mandatory?
You probably remember the 2014 headlines. "North Korean Men Ordered to Get Kim Jong Un Haircut!" It was everywhere. BBC, The Guardian, Time—they all ran with it.
It was almost certainly false. Journalists on the ground in Pyongyang at the time, like Simon Cockerell of Koryo Tours, reported zero evidence of mass barbering. In fact, if you look at photos of North Korean men from the last few years, very few actually sport the "Ambitious" look.
Why? Because in North Korea, you don't just "copy" the Supreme Leader. That’s bordering on sacrilege. You want to look like him, but you don't want to be him.
Most men choose from a set of conservative, "socialist-style" trims.
- The "Speed Battle" cut: A shorter, more practical crew cut.
- The "Middle" style: A basic side part.
- The "Low" style: Very short back and sides, but without the dramatic height on top.
Basically, the government does police hair. They’ve even had TV shows like Let's trim our hair in accordance with the socialist lifestyle. They argue long hair "consumes nutrition" from the brain. Seriously. But they aren't forcing everyone to look like Kim.
Evolution of the Look (2011–2026)
The kim jong un hair style hasn't stayed static. If you look at his 2011 debut, it was much softer. The sides were shorter, but the top was floppier, almost like a 90s boy band member.
As his grip on power tightened, the hair got stiffer.
By 2015, we reached "Peak Trapezoid." This was the era of heavy wax and, according to some stylists, potential perms to get that Asian hair to stand straight up against gravity. It was aggressive.
Lately, though? He’s softened it. In recent years, including his appearances in 2025 and early 2026, the fade is still there, but the top is more blended. It looks a bit more "statesman" and a bit less "revolutionary rebel."
The Maintenance Factor
Keeping that hair in place isn't easy.
- Frequency: To keep those sides that crisp, you’re looking at a trim every 10–14 days.
- Product: We’re talking industrial-strength wax or pomade.
- The Eyebrows: Don't forget the half-shaved eyebrows that often accompany the look. It’s a total package of meticulously curated grooming.
Cultural Clashes: The London Barber Incident
Nothing proves how sensitive the regime is about this hair more than the "M&M Hair Academy" incident in London.
Back in 2014, a barber put up a poster of Kim Jong Un with the caption: "Bad Hair Day?"
Within days, officials from the North Korean embassy—which was just down the road—showed up. They told the barber it was "disrespectful" and demanded he take it down. The barber basically told them this was London, not Pyongyang, and kept the poster up.
It became a global news story. It showed that to the North Korean elite, the kim jong un hair style isn't a joke—it’s a symbol of the state's dignity.
Actionable Insights: What This Means for You
You’re probably not going to your local barber to ask for the "Ambitious" cut. But if you’re interested in the intersection of fashion and politics, there are a few takeaways here:
- Context is everything. A haircut in the West is a fashion choice; in North Korea, it’s a political alignment.
- Visual branding works. Kim Jong Un successfully used his hair to link himself to a more popular era of North Korean history (his grandfather's reign).
- Don't believe every viral headline. The "mandatory" haircut story is a prime example of how "weird" news about North Korea often gets exaggerated.
If you’re actually looking to try a variation of this look (the disconnected undercut is still trendy, after all), tell your barber you want a high fade with a hard disconnect. Just maybe skip the trapezoid shaping unless you’ve got a lot of pomade and a very strong sense of irony.
The reality of the kim jong un hair style is that it’s a carefully maintained piece of propaganda. It’s meant to look unique, powerful, and historical. Whether it succeeds at that or just looks "kinda weird" to the rest of the world is entirely a matter of perspective.
Next time you see him on the news, look at the fade. Is it sharper? Softer? It might just tell you more about the current political climate in Pyongyang than a thousand-word press release.