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Five facts about the North Korean Arirang festival
North Korea's Arirang festival is in motion, and people from all over the world are traveling to the isolated communist country to watch what truly is an impressive undertaking. But, what do we really know about it? So much about North Korea is shrouded in mystery, making it hard to really learn much about what goes on there. Instead of relying on the accounts of tourists, the western media or other "unreliable" sources, let's go straight to the horse's mouth. The Korea Central News Agency is the
So, let's learn a little about Arirang – from the folks who know it best!
1. Truly performed by masses: 100,000 performers participate in the Arirang festival, which is "admired by the spectators for its kaleidoscopic background and wonderful scenes"
2. New this decade: Arirang was introduced in 2002 to celebrate the ninetieth anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung
3. Countless of performances: Over its eight-year life, Arirang has been performed "several hundred times"
4. World record-setting: The Guinness Book of World Records picked up Arirang in August 2007, but that's not nearly as impressive the fact that it was "the first to receive Peace Order and its diploma in April of the same year since it was instituted by "Protectors of Arts for the Century", a Russian international charity fund, to appreciate epoch-making masterpieces, inventions and works"
5. Millions and millions served: Apparently, 12,127,000 people have viewed all the Arirang performances held, 118,000 of them foreigners ... but who's counting?
Of course, according to the KCNA: "'Arirang' is recognized as cultural asset of humankind."
[photo by yeowatzup via Flickr]
5. Millions and millions served: Apparently, 12,127,000 people have viewed all the Arirang performances held, 118,000 of them foreigners ... but who's counting?
Of course, according to the KCNA: "'Arirang' is recognized as cultural asset of humankind."
[photo by yeowatzup via Flickr]
Filed under: Arts and Culture, Festivals and Events, Asia, North Korea
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
ronald Aug 15th 2010 8:39PM
Good time to nuke them.
Bahmueller Aug 16th 2010 12:24AM
Yes, the festival is indeed a "cultural asset of mankind," but only to the extent that totalitarian tyranny is also a "cultural asset of mankind."
PS In a remarkably revealing comment, the whip-cracking director of the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics said of his "festival": "Only the North Koreans can do it better." This says it all--and the present DRNK "festival" is proof. What readers need to acquaint themselves about is exactly what the performers are put through to make it happen. No decent society would do it. The spectacle of the festival is a mask for mass degradation and great suffering.
mesaman Aug 15th 2010 8:51PM
And, folks, of the 100,000 participants, several of them will be fed during their brief stay in Kim Sung Il-ville (once known as P'yong Yang), almost 10,000 of them will be returned safely to their homes. Those not accounted for have already been conscripted into the PRNK army and sent to the Manchurian border, or used in the North Korean LIghter Than Air Weight Reduction program. Each person who successfully reduces their body weight to less than one mg will be tied to a balloon and raised triumphantly in Kim Sung Il square in Kim Sung Il-ville.
Fran Aug 15th 2010 9:51PM
The AOL link to this story calls the festival "very unique." Nothing is "very unique." "Unique" means "one-of-a-kind." Either something is unique or it isn't - there are no comparative degrees.
stephen Aug 15th 2010 10:08PM
Unique; 1) being the only one of its kind 2) unusual or rare.
The New American WEBSTER handy college DICTIONARY.
ManicD Aug 16th 2010 12:28AM
Thats tellin' em Fran. I'll bet the "writer" could expound for hours about how America (the white man) cheated, fleeced and took advantage of every other race and nation on the Planet, but doesn't know who wrote Websters Dictionary. Another shining example of a "Liberal" Arts Education in a post "Viet Nam Era" America......God help us.
stephen Aug 15th 2010 9:59PM
Do they have an open bar and do you have to bring your own bullets ?
ManicD Aug 16th 2010 12:36AM
No open bar, but they GIVE you your first bullet...you have to catch it with your head.
stephen Aug 16th 2010 3:17AM
Rancid, you could have the house special, a grenade down your shorts.
ajschrod Aug 15th 2010 11:11PM
I was led to believe these people are impoverished, their leaders are despotic, they are isolated, and travel to and from the country is restricted. Now I read that this (apparently) lavish "festival" is attended by millions of foreigners-- how can this be ?! Who are these visiters and how did they get there, and how many are westerners? Is this a case of our newsmen not knowing what really goes on there, or purposely painting a false picture of their standard of living for some reason?
Schmice Aug 16th 2010 12:05AM
The article said that over 12 million had seen the performances and of those seeing it, 118 thousand were foreigners. Assuming that the 118 is even true, that is an infinitesimal percentage of the 12 million. I don't believe that their standard of living is very high, If you see any North Koreans who seem fat, it is just their stomachs bloated from starvation. Their government only survives because starving people cannot muster the energy to fight a better nourished militia.
ziggy Aug 15th 2010 10:22PM
does this mean that whey NOW can AFFORD 2 FEED their STARVING people ... i think not...who are they trying to pull the wool their eyes too anyways??? HUH!!! try'n 2 sweep a Torpedo Under The Rug with all that i guess... N O T ...Dammm Dirt Bag Nation...pfffft...
jellybaby Aug 15th 2010 10:18PM
dogeaters...
ojsimpson Aug 15th 2010 10:48PM
North Korea won the World Cup and EVERY medal in the Olympics.
Marty Aug 15th 2010 10:54PM
Well its good to see something positive coming out of this country. As bad as leaders can be, and as dangerous... people are people worldwide and love celebrating and taking pride in things.
Caper Aug 16th 2010 12:12AM
Wow, 100,000 people disemboweling each other for the pleasure of a couple of dozen top idiots... whee!.. is there a cruise-ship tour headed for their?
Boy, what a slow news day this must be!
ManicD Aug 16th 2010 12:53AM
Marty, I'm sure you're a good person and all that, but you must stop smoking that stuff, it's starting to effect your judgement. Considering the country they live in and all you've undoubtedly heard about it, how many of those people do you think were there of their own chosing and how many were ordered to be there.
RevWright Aug 15th 2010 10:51PM
The new Presidrent of North Korea is Wei Eat Dung.
Paul Pillfil Aug 15th 2010 11:22PM
of course many of the dancers have planned to act out on escape routs right after the " Ode to Elvis's Penis " is just about over . Although one would think the better time would be right during the start of " The great Sinking of the Imperialist Bastard South Korean Battle/Fishing Boat Ship " .
kerrio98 Aug 15th 2010 11:27PM
I am an American who attended the Arirang Festival a few years ago. It was totally amazing - like nothing I've ever seen before.