Mototeru Kamo, a horticulturist of Japan, bred this flower in praise of leader Kim Jong Il in Juche 77 (1988).

A large number of Kimjongilia associations emerged in different countries to propagate the immortal flower and Kimjongilia shows took place on 100-odd occasions worldwide. The groups include the Nordic Kimjongilia Association in Sweden and the Kimjongilia Association of Mongolia.

The International Society for Horticultural Science registered Kimjongilia as a new variety of begonia family and awarded the best prizes to it at international flower shows and expos, including the 12th International Flower Exhibition in May 1991, the Nordic flower exhibition in Sweden in March 1995, the begonia exhibition in California, U.S. in August 2004 and the 2012 world horticultural expo in Netherlands.

Kimjongilia won the top prize at the Mongolian International Flower Exhibition last year and a special prize at the 2014 Qingdao World Horticultural Expo.

The worldwide interest in Kimjongilia is growing deeper with each passing day.