North Korea's Mass Games Arirang are an annual performing arts festival featuring synchronized gymnastics, dance and martial arts at Pyongnang's Rungrado May Day Stadium.
Formally known as the Grand Mass Gymnastics and Artistic Performance Arirang, North Korea's Mass Games are an extraordinary series of synchronized performances by over 100,000 participants. The performers take part in highly regimented movements to create a series of patterns ranging from blooming flowers to expanding geometric shapes. During the performances, 20,000 middle school students act as card turners, producing breathtaking backdrops in an astonishingly coordinated effort.
History of the Arirang Mass GamesMass games were developed during the 19th century as a political propaganda tool. After World War II, the performances, which emphasize group dynamics rather than individual prowess, were developed in several communist and socialist countries such as Romania and Yugoslavia.
North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea - DPRK) has regularly staged mass game performances since 1946. Performers spend months and long hours of rigorous training in preparation for the spectacle that has grown grander and more lavish over the years. Performances typically tell stories about the history of DPRK.
Today, mass games are regularly held only in North Korea, where they are used to honor former leader Kim Il-sung or celebrate national holidays such as his son and leader Kim Jong-il's birthday. In August 2007, Guinness World Records recognized the Arirang Mass Games as the largest event of its kind.
In recent years, economic troubles have forced the North Korean government to allow foreign tourists a rare opportunity to enter the secluded country and watch one of the many performances.
What Do Visitors See During Mass Game Performances?North Korea's Mass Games performances currently run for approximately 90 minutes. Before the performance begins, one section of the 150,000-seat stadium begins to look like a giant slideshow, with pictures formed by at least 20,000 students holding up colored cards in perfect unison.
Arirang Mass Games in Pyongyang, North Korea - Photo Credit:
Kok Leng YeoMusic fills the stadium as the event begins with the Grand Prelude. Four acts follow the prelude, each made up of several scenes featuring the colorful pageantry of thousands of gymnasts, acrobats, dancers and martial artists. The performance closes with the Grand Finale.
Nationalism and honoring the North Korean army's greatness are key underlying themes to the entire performance. In one scene, soldiers enter the stadium and dominate the performance as appropriate background images honor the military. Other scenes include depictions of current and future North Korean society and unification of the Korean peninsula. Everything about the event is about size, synchronization and state ideology.
2009 Mass Games PerformancesThe Arirang Mass Games will be held in Pyongyang's May Day Stadium between August 10 and October 10, 2009. Performances will occur four times per week. Ticket prices are expected to range from approximately 80 euros ($115 US) for economy seats to 300 euros ($425 US) for VIP seats.
Tourists from around the world will be welcomed to North Korea to see this amazing cultural event.
ReferencesNoe, N. Rain. "North Korean Mass Games." Theme Magazine. Fall 2006.
"North Korea halts showcase mass games due to flood." Reuters. August 27, 2007.
Top Photo Credit: Peter Crowcroft
