North Korea isn't thrilled about Seth Rogen and James Franco's 'Let's kill Kim Jong-un' comedy


James Franco and Seth Rogen's ongoing bromance has borne yet another piece of fruit: The Interview, an upcoming comedy in which the duo travel to North Korea to assassinate real-life dictator Kim Jong-un. But there's at least one person who isn't laughing: Kim Myong-chol, the executive director of the Center for North Korea-U.S. Peace (and a man widely regarded as the unofficial spokesman of the North Korean regime).
In an interview with The Telegraph, Kim Myong-chol had some particularly wrathful words about the U.S. government, whom he seems to blame for the existence of The Interview. "There is a special irony in this storyline as it shows the desperation of the U.S. government and American society," he said. "A film about the assassination of a foreign leader mirrors what the U.S. has done in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Ukraine. And let us not forget who killed Kennedy — Americans. In fact, President Obama should be careful in case the U.S. military wants to kill him as well."
Kim Myong-chol added that he thinks Kim Jong-un will "probably watch the movie anyway," because come on — if someone made a movie about assassinating you, would you be able to resist checking it out? --Scott Meslow
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.
-
Colleges are canceling affinity graduations amid DEI attacks but students are pressing on
In the Spotlight The commencement at Harvard University was in the news, but other colleges are also taking action
-
When did computer passwords become a thing?
The Explainer People have been racking their brains for good codes for longer than you might think
-
What to know before 'buying the dip'
the explainer Purchasing a stock once it has fallen in value can pay off — or cost you big
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read