was born in February 1941 to Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-suk in Siberia in the Russian Federal Republic, Soviet Union where his father had been in exile because of his guerrilla activities. North Korean propaganda, however, dates Kim Jong-il's birth to 16 February 1942 and locates it at the Mount Paektu area in Korea, the mythical place of origin of the Korean people, where Kim Il-sung supposedly ran a guerrilla camp. In reality, the guerrillas were based in Manchuria at the time and Kim himself had been to the Soviet Far East before and after Kim Jong-il's birth. In North Korean propaganda, Kim Jong-il is often associated with the image of the star. He is most often referred to as the "bright star", although the "shining star" is also used. According to legend, a bright star appeared on the sky the night he was born, and guerrilla fighters carved messages on trees proclaiming: "Three Heroes Shining in Korea with the Spirit of Mount Paekdu: Kim Il Sung, Kim Chŏng-suk, and Kwangmyŏngsŏng " and "Oh! Korea! The Paekdu Star Was Born!"
History
Kim's birthday had been provisionally celebrated from 1976 on, but it became a national holiday only in 1982, two days after he became a member of the Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea. When he ascended to the leadership of the country, his birthday was marked as "The Spring of Humanity" on the North Korean calendar. During his lifetime, though, Kim shunned away from public occasions during his birthdays. The anniversary got its present name in 2012, the year following his death, when the Politburo announced that: "February 16, the greatest auspicious holiday of the nation when the great leader Comrade Kim Jong Il was born, will be instituted as the Day of the Shining Star". An equestrian statue with Kim Jong-il and Kim Il-sung was revealed to commemorate the day. On 12 February 2013, North Korea conducted its third nuclear test a few days before the Day of the Shining Star in celebration of it.
Celebration
The holiday begins on 16 February and lasts for two days. Celebrations are observed throughout the country. The capital, Pyongyang, has observances such as mass gymnastics, music performances, fireworks displays, military demonstrations, and mass dancing parties. Boulevards are lined up with flags and banners. Millions of people visit the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun where both Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il lay in state. Exhibitions of the orchid Kimjongilia take place. The orchid is named after Kim and has been cultivated to bloom around the Day of the Shining Star. Outside of Pyongyang, commemorations are not as lavish. The North Korean government often allocates more food and energy to the people on Day of the Shining Star than normally. Children are given candy, and it is one of the few occasions on which new members are admitted in the Korean Children's Union. Vitaly Mansky's 2015 documentary film Under the Sun chronicles the run up to such a ceremony on the Day of the Shining Star. Government and business offices, banks, and retail close for the Day of the Shining Star. Weddings are commonly held on the Day of the Shining Star. The two-month period between the Day of the Shining Star and the Day of the Sun is known as the Loyalty Festival Period and festivities occur throughout. On the calendar, the Day of the Shining Star takes place after the Generalissimo Day and before the International Women's Day. The Day of the Shining Star is one of three days celebrating Kim Jong-il on the calendar, the other two being the Generalissimo Day and the Day of Songun.
