Pyongyang Flower Show

On Kim Il Sung's birthday - the North Korean equivalent of Christmas Day - we attended a special flower exhibition on the two national flowers of DPRK: the Kimilsungia and the Kimjongilia. The flower exhibition was beautiful. There were many ornate and complicated displays of the two national flowers in different 'scenes'. For example, one scene was a reunified Korea, another scene was Kim Il Sung's childhood home, and another scene glorified the two Kims. The scenes were remarkable for their level of sophistication and beauty.





The Kimilsungia is named after the Great Leader, Kim Il Sung. The Kimilsungia is a purple orchid. The name Kimilsungia was officially given to the purple orchid by the President of Indonesia. Kim Il Sung travelled to Indonesia for a state visit. His counterpart, Sukarno (the first President of Indonesia) took Kim Il Sung on a tour of the Bogor Botanical Garden where the North Korean leader admired the orchid. Sukarno honoured Kim Il Sung with the name of this orchid because, apparently, Kim Il Sung was entitled to such a great honour since he had done so much for humankind.





Me and some Kim Il Sung propaganda.


Kimilsungia flower shows are held every year in Pyongyang. The few embassies of foreign countries in North Korea - including Russia, China, and Sweden - usually present their own special bouquet of the flower to the exhibition. The North Korean government says that Kim Il Sung's peerless character is "fully reflected in the immortal flower" which is "blooming everywhere on the five continents".

The Kimjongilia is named after the Dear Leader, Kim Jong Il. The Kimjongilia is a red begonia. The begonia was cultivated by Japanese botanist, Motoderu Kamo, who especially named it after the Dear Leader to commemorate his 46ths birthday in 1988. The begonia supposedly represents the Juche Idea and therefore symbolizes wisdom, love, justice, and peace. It is designed to bloom every year on Kim Jong-il's February 16 birthday.



Emily stopping to smell the Kimjongilias.

Soiree for Kim Il Sung’s Birthday

Visiting Kim Il Sung’s embalmed body was not the only ‘special’ event of the North Korean national holiday of 15 April (Kim Il Sung’s birthday). There was a soiree dance that night in Kim Il Sung Square (the third largest square in the world). The soiree was another unbelievable experience, something that you are unlikely to see elsewhere in the world. The soiree is like a mini-Mass Games involving over 20 000 performers moving in perfect unison. The performers perform a mass traditional dance, dressed in traditional Korean costumes and uniforms. The entire square – along with some of the surrounding streets – is packed with the performers moving as one. There are building-size balloons with designs of the North Korean flag and Communist symbols – notably the hammer, sickle, paint brush symbol – flying over the square. A massive fireworks display explodes overheard, set off from the Taedong River behind the square. The Juche Tower, also seen from behind the square, is lit up with its flame glowing a deep red-orange, as though it were really lit by fire.


Photo from my friend and fellow traveller, G.C.

The audience was also impressive. We sat in the special concrete façade where we see Kim Jong Il sitting whilst watching military parades. The audience is segregated, with Pyongyang’s elite sitting stiffly in one corner, and the foreigners and people sitting below. The left side of the façade was reserved entirely for the military. The top military brass attended the soiree, in full uniform, sitting silently and seriously in their special section. The sight of the military section was really intimidating. It resembled some audience from Nazi Germany. The North Korean state television was also in attendance, again filming live the night’s festivities. And, again, the cameramen were dressed in military-style uniform, using personal cameras and studio cameras from the 1940s and 1950s.

At one point during the soiree, the foreigners were allowed to enter the mass of performers and actually join in on the dancing. Chrys, Emily, Guillaume, Giuseppe, Raul, and I lost ourselves in the crowd and got right in on the dancing. Chrys and Emily were immediately singled out and given willing North Korean dancers. Guillaume and Giuseppe also quickly found partners; I’m surprised Giuseppe didn’t ask one of the ladies to marry him by the end of the night. It was Chrys, though, who actually got asked out on a date in North Korea! By a North Korean man! Asked out on a blind date in North Korea, of all places! It was unreal, like something from a crazy movie! Her dancing partner asked her to go for a drink after the soiree. She had to unfortunately decline as we are foreigners, are not allowed to deviate from our itinerary, and even if we could deviate, our guides and entire group would have had to chaperon.

I was so awed by the up-close performance that I wandered around the performers, taking it all in. I also spent a lot of time near the centre of the square where there was serious dancing with acrobats taking place. It was there I saw the most gorgeous North Korean man, tall, dark, and built, wearing a cool traditional costume. He noticed me too, obviously liking a foreigner paying attention. At any rate, I joined in on one dance. My dancing partner must have thought I was such a dumb foreigner, I could barely follow the moves she was trying to show me. Our cameraman caught it all on film; I look ridiculous.

The following pictures are from Kim Il Sung Square - the 3rd largest in the world - the afternoon of the soiree performance. The dancers are practicing and preparing for the event.

Mass Games, otherwise known as Arirang

I attened North Korea's Mass Games, called Arirang. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience; Mass Games are performed only in North Korea. Arirang is held in Pyongyang’s May Day Stadium, the largest stadium in the world, seating over 150 000 spectators. The May Day Stadium is a futuristic-looking venue. The May Day Stadium is a cavernous round building, with massive archways laid over the sides of the building. The May Day Stadium consequently resembles a weird alien spaceship. It is really quite interesting to look at.




We attended the opening ceremony of Arirang. Kim Jong Il usually attends the opening ceremony, but for some reason this year he didn’t make it. As a result of his absence, we were allowed to take pictures of the Games. A major ranking Party member gave a speech at the start of the games over loudspeakers echoing throughout the stadium. There were many high ranking North Koreans in attendance that night, we sat near their section. All of the men dressed in conservative suits and the women in traditional Korean dress. That being said, the rest of the audience was all smartly dressed. This was not your typical stadium-event, it was a real fancy show and people treated it seriously like they were at an upscale theatre.

The Mass Games is a spectacular extravaganza. Over 80 000 performers participate in Arirang, in a highly regimented show that emphasizes group dynamics rather than individual prowess. Each participant knows that the smallest mistake will ruin the group’s performance; they therefore surrender to the group. In this sense they become true Communists. Indeed, Mass Games is an exercise in ideological training. These performers move in perfect unison, as though they are one image.










Some of these pics are from my friend's collection, Giuseppe Cipriani (G.C.).





G.C.



G.C.








Former U.S. Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, attended a Mass Games performance in 2000 stated that only a Communist dictator could get over 80 000 people to move together in perfect unison.








G.C.

The backdrop of the Mass Games is a huge mosaic that covers an entire side of the stadium. The backdrop details North Korea’s Socialist achievements and the country’s revolutionary history and spirit. Images of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il must also be portrayed with total devotion. The North Koreans call it the biggest picture in the world. The backdrop works by card-turners occupying the seats opposite the audience. Over 12 000 school children are used as card-turners. Each chosen school practices daily until perfection is achieved.

The following pictures show one small section of the mosaic. The first shows the students looking up from behind their placards; the second shows them hiding behind them.

G.C.

G.C.

The following show the warm-up before the actual performance. The students are warming-up by chating out their school names (sounding more like military orders being screamed, very intimidating) and changing their placards in separate sections and groups at various times. The warm-up was a simple taste of what was to come during the performance.




The 2007 Mass Games portrayed the greatness of North Korea, the Juche Idea, Kim Il Sung, the North Korean people, and the hope for national reconciliation with South Korea (a recurring theme throughout North Korea). Apparently this year the organizers toned down the anti-American and anti-Japanese sentiments and downplayed the military aspects of the performance. But the Mass Games is already highly militarized; if it weren’t for the colourful outfits and scenes, it could easily have been a military extravaganza. This is similar to much of North Korean society, a society that considers itself still in wartime. The war with South Korea and the U.S.A. never officially ended, there was only a ceasefire; so the North Koreans still consider themselves at war.


G.C.

The stadium is lit up in colourful electronic lights, blaring and flashing everywhere. The open roof the stadium has numerous light displays hanging from its centre, held in place by more multi-coloured lights. This gives the illusion that there is an actual dome covering the stadium. Above the backdrop is a giant electronic torch atop of the building; it is ‘lit’ during the performance by a bright white star. Each side of the backdrop has a multi-leveled manicured garden covered in colourful lights and the years of Juche in block numbers: 1912 (Juche 1; Kim Il Sung’s birth year) on the left side; 2007 (Juche 95) on the right side.

Because it was the opening ceremony, the Mass Games was being filmed live by North Korean state television. Watching the state television at work was interesting in and of itself. In various sections throughout the stadium were the state television studio cameras catching the performance. The studio cameras were something out of 1950s Soviet Union. They were clunky, cumbersome, ancient cameras that were so big and long and old that I was shocked they were in use. Giant, and rusty, spotlights were slightly above the camera sections. It honestly looked like a movie set of a movie studio in the 1950s. Further, there were cameramen moving throughout the audience capturing the audiences reactions. The cameraman were dressed in military uniform, and were holding 1940s cameras that you hold on your shoulder and make those ‘click, click, clicking’ sounds as the film reel rolls. Behind the cameramen were other men carrying giant camera-lights to light the camera’s view. It honestly looked like something out of 1940s Nazi Germany. It was fascinating, but eerie.





We were all blown away by the Mass Games. Nicole admitted that, as a cynical individual, she herself was awed by the performance. We have never seen anything like it before; even an Olympics opening ceremony cannot compare to this spectacle.

The group performances were stunning; I have no idea how they would choreograph or prepare so perfectly. It is unbelievable to see tens of thousands of people moving in perfect unison. The backdrop was equally as impressive. The pictures formed were detailed, and some even ‘moved’. Because of its precision and detail, the backdrop looked like it could have been an electronic screen. Even the practice before the start of the Games was incredible. We arrived about half-an-hour before it began and were able to watch the card-turners practice their stuff. The card-turners had a whole special pre-show, creating images and changing the cards in groups all at different times. This created a jaw-dropping illusion of the opposite wall moving to threatening, militaristic shouts by the card-turners. It sounded like a military parade or inspection.




G.C.

G.C.

G.C.

G.C.

G.C.

G.C.

G.C.


Most of us attended Mass Games twice. Both nights the world’s largest stadium was packed full of spectators. On the second night, Kirsty and I were joking about what we would be in Arirang if such a thing were held in our countries. The most hilarious comment was that about the ‘egg’ characters. There is a scene in Arirang that celebrates the agricultural greatness and progress of North Korea and features dancers dressed in animal costumes, food costumes, and farmer costumes. Anyway, Kirsty thought it would be humiliating if you were asked what you did in Mass Games and if your response was ‘oh, I was an egg’. Especially when there are spectacular, colourful costumes, gowns, and uniforms that people wear, and then there are those stuck being eggs in the agricultural scene. Humiliating.

Korean Film Studios

The Korean Film Studios are where all North Korean movies and television shows are created, acted, produced, and disseminated. The Korean Film Studios - along with all other industries - is centrally controlled and monopolised by the state. Thus, the government vets and monitors all scripts, actors, directors, producers, etc. The government determines what movies and t.v. shows are acceptable and whether or not they closely adhere to principles outlined by the artform Socialist Realism. There are three main studios, they are (i) military features, (ii) documentaries, and (iii) feature films. The Korean Film Studios had large contingents of North Korean military units marching around the lots, some to be used in military features, others to guard the place. But that is not an odd sight in North Korea: the miltary are located everywhere. There are military units marching through the streets of Pyongyang, Kaesong, small villages, farms, and the Korean Film Studios.



We were given permission to tour the feature films studio. We were guided along the various different sets of the feature films, including sets for 1930s-1940s Japan, early-1900s China, ancient Korean villages, and Europe. Although each set had massive buildings and developed streets, they were still rather shoddy. Each set looked as though it was neglected and had not been renovated or updated in years. The European set looked like old gingerbread houses. Apparently they were supposed to represent Switzerland and Austria. They did sort of resemble a skewed version of a dilapitated fake Switzerland. Nevertheless, the Koran Film Studios guide - an older, distinguished man with grey hair - informed us that the North Korean studios are far better than any in the U.S.A. Apparently all American film studios pale in comparison to the advanced and sophisticated studios in DPRK. An interesting delusion

We were taken to the ancient Korean set, with replicas of ancient Korean palaces, pagodas, and homes. A few of us were permitted to dress up in the set's costumes of ancient Korean characters. This was hilarious. We all enjoyed this part of the Korea Film Studios tour the most because we got to play dress-up like kids.

Chrys was dressed as a Korean princess, as was Kadja and Kirsty. The gowns were beautiful with bright colours including pink, red, green, purple, and blue and were decked out with various designs made of jewels. The princesses also wore, what looked like, little pillbox hats decorated with intricate desings made from multi-coloured beads. Sean was dressed as a Korean soldier/knight. He looked hilarious. He had a long blue cloak and a gold helmut, with long red sides protecting the sides of his neck, and topped by a red tassle.

I was dressed as a Korean king. Everyone told me the costume suited me! Haha. I was put in a king's long-top (that went down to the knees) coloured a deep red. It had a gold crest of a dragon on the front. There was a special apron, which was a sign of royalty. It was red with designs of doves and other royal symbols and had a long fringe on its bottom. I had a Korean king's crown placed on my head. This crown is nothing like a stereotypical European crown. It was a massive block-like creation that wrapped around my head, covering my hair, and was decorated with vertical lines of coloured jewels and had a chop-stick-like stick cutting through its centre. It was impressive to look at, and heavy to wear. I was in my cowboy boots, so to see an ancient Korean king in cowboy boots was something unique!

U.S.S. Pueblo

The U.S.S. Pueblo is an American naval ship that was captured by the North Koreans in 1968. This capture was a major international event, especially within the context of the Cold War and epic struggle between Communist and Capitalist forces. During that time, much of the West - particularly the U.S.A. - and the Soviet Empire/Communist world were engaged in a Cold War for global domination. The capture of the American ship by Communist North Korea's navy was shocking to the West but a proud and celebrated moment for the Communist East. The capture of the Pueblo is commonly referred to as the Pueblo Incident, or alternatively, the Pueblo Crisis.



The Pueblo Incident occurred in January 1968. The North Koreans claimed that the American ship had illegally entered North Korean waters for espionage purposes; the Americans claimed that the ship was miles outside the North Korean territorial waters for research purposes. North Korean torpedo boats, subchaser, and figher jets confronted the Pueblo. The Pueblo attempted to esacpe the North Korean onslaught. The American ship was attacked and one American killed. The U.S.S. Pueblo was outnumbered and not ready for battle (their weaponry was stored deep in the recesses of the ship), and thus capitulated to the North Koreans. Today, the North Koreans have drawn thick red circles around the huge holes made by their bullets and bombs that hit the ship during the attack.



The American naval officers - over 80 of them - were sent to two POW camps. At times they were allegedly beaten, tortured, and starved. This treatment allegedly worsened after the Americans gave North Korean soliders 'the finger' in staged propaganda pictures. At first, the North Koreans were not familiar with this North American insult, but later learned of it after the publication of the photos. The Americans were also threatened with execution. The North Koreans demanded apologies from them, as well as their 'true' reasons and intentions for being in DPRK's territory. The North Koreans wanted a 'confession' about American spying on DPRK. The North Korean government also demanded that Washington officially and publicly apologize for the Incident. If these conditions were met, the men would eventually be released.

President Lyndon Johnson's administration reluctantly apologized to North Korea for the Incident, 11 months after it transpired. Washington wrote an official admission of spying on DPRK, and a written assurance that America would not spy on DPRK in the future. The captives also officially apologized for their actions. Having met the outlined conditions, North Korea decided to release the crew members. In December, the crew members were taken to the DMZ and made to cross the infamous 'Bridge of No Return' to South Korea. Immediately upon their arrival in South Korea, the U.S. retracted its apology, admission, and assurance. Concurrently, the North Koreans blanked out the paragraph above the signature which read: "and this hereby receipts for 82 crewmen and one dead body".

Today, the U.S.S. Pueblo remains a commissioned ship of the U.S. navy. The ship was never repatriated to the U.S. The ship remains a sore spot between already poor and tense relations between the two enemy countries. Kim Jong Il has ordered that the ship be used for propaganda purposes to promote anti-Americanism and demonstrate North Korean military strength. Washington claims that the return of the still-commissioned American navy ship is a priority for the Americans. The U.S.S. Pueblo is a major tourist attraction in Pyongyang. The American ship is also a source of pride to the North Koreans. It represents their military superiority over the U.S. and also symbolizes their revolutionary spirit and success over Imperialist forces. The ship is therefore a national symbol of independence and sovereignty.



We boarded the U.S.S. Pueblo on a particularly cold North Korean afternoon. The sky was very dark, and the Taedong River was somewhat restless. Boarding the naval ship was like stepping back in time. The ship is exactly how it was when it was captured. The insides - the mess hall, the bunks, the lockers, the clunky computers, the signs - are exactly how they were like in the 1960s. I felt as though I were in a time-warp. I was creeped out; the ship felt as though it were haunted. I wouldnt want to be on it by myself. So I skipped out of the majority of the tour and chatted to one of our guides - Ong-Nim - and Simon (one of Koryo Tour's operators) on the decks of the ship. I braved the icy winds and dark skies, rather than stay long in an old haunted military ship.

Interestinly, Ong-Nim was talking about her worries for her next tour group in a few weeks. The upcoming group was a small number of Americans coming in for their 2 night allowance for the Mass Games season (Americans can only enter DPRK for 2 nights during Mass Games times: April and August-October). Simon and I told her not to worry. Despite any misgivings about the American government, the American people are good people, friendly, fun, and warm who do not desire war. I dont think Ong-Nim was convinced.

There are a few North Korean navy personnel and officers on the ship. Like everything else we did whilst in DPRK, we had a specially guided tour. Our guide was a young navy woman, in full naval uniform, and bright red lipstick.






We had to watch a 15 minute propaganda video on the Pueblo Incident - from the North Korean viewpoint - with its kitchsy music, colourful language denigrating the "brazen-faced American Imperialists", and old footage of negotiations of that time. We were taken on a tour of all areas of the ship, including the secret communications room full of old computers, encryption machines, and radio equipment, all of which is partially disassembled from North Korean technical inspections.

It is rumoured that the Soviet Union wanted North Korea to take the ship in order to get their hands on some American military technology.

It was an interesting tour and a historic place to visit. But I was happy to disembark from the ship; like so much else in DPRK, it creeped me out. To see a 1960s American naval ship docked along the pleasant banks of the Taedong River is also something very strange. If the ship is ever repatriated to the U.S., I'll be one of the rare few to have toured it whilst still in the hands of the North Koreans.

Arch of Triumph

The Arch of Triump is one of Pyongyang's main attractions. The Arch of Triump is a stunning monument of intricate architectural design. The Arch of Triump is a massive building that demands respect and attention. The Arch is one of the main monuments that remains totally lit-up at night (until around 10PM of course when almost all lights go out) whilst the surrounding Socialist apartment complexes are in darkness or with a few dull lights on. Because of this intense lighting at night, the Arch is made to look even more impressive. That being said, the Arch is an impressive piece of propoganda that contributes to the idolatry and myths surrounding the Kim dynasty.

The following is a picture from our tour bus approaching the Arch of Triumph. Imagine this monument lit-up at night. It is made even more impressive by the powerful lights surrounded by the darkness of night.


The Arch of Triumph is larger than its famous Parisian counterpart, the Arc de Triomphe. North Korea's Arch stands 60m high; France's Arc stands only 51m high. North Korea's arch honours Kim Il Sung's revolution against the Japanese in the early 20th century. Up until the mid-20th century, Korea was a colony of Japan. In 1945, the Japanese were driven out of Korea. Kim Il Sung is given significant credit for defeating Japanese colonial rule, which is one of the fundamental reasons for the unconditional devotion and respect heaped upon him and his family. To commemorate Kim Il Sung's heroic anti-colonial revolution - as well as the revolutionary spirit of North Korea in general - the Arch of Triumph was constructed to remind North Koreans and the world of the power of North Korea.



The Arch was one of the first monuments that we saw when we arrived in North Korea on that cold, dark, rainy night. Once we entered Pyongyang from the empty international airport, we passed a few lit-up Communist monuments along the blacked-out streets of the capital. The Arch was one of them. The lights made it seem as though the sun itself was shining down specially on the Arch, as though the sun was honouring North Korea's revolutionary spirit. The North Koreans would say that the sun does indeed shine down on North Korea because Kim Il Sung is the sun and now that he is part of the heavens, he has turned into the sun itself. So the 'sun' shines down on the Arch until around 10PM at night when that too must succumb to the rolling blackouts of Pyongyang. I was amazed at the Arch, it was a glorious building made all the more beautiful by the lights in the midst of darkness and rain. It was like a rose amongst many thorns.

Party Foundation Monument, my favourite Communist monument

The Party Foundation Monument was an impressive piece of architecture. As its name states, this is a monument dedicated to the Communist Party and Socialist principles of North Korea. This was the most memorable monument and image of North Korea.

The monument is a circular platform with Communist slogans and friezes of the North Korean 'worker'. The images are life-like.







Dominating the structure are three life-like giant hands, each 50m high. One hand is holding a hammer, a paintbrush, and a sickle, each representing the worker, intellectual, and farmer respectively, all uniting for Communism.





The hammer, representing the worker.


The paintbrush, representing the intellectual.


The sickle, representing the farmer.


Chrys, Guillaume, Tim, Giuseppe, and I formed a Socialist Realism pose in front of the Party Foundation Monument. We were all, tongue-in-cheek, devoted to Communism ourselves. That being said, we are all fans of Socialist Realism and therefore wanted to have our own propaganda photograph.