Arirang Festival

The Grand Mass Gymnastics and Artistic Performance Arirang, commonly known as the Arirang Mass Games or Arirang Festival, is a breathtaking gymnastics and artistic event held at the Rungrado May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea. Traditionally occurring in August or September, the festival narrates Korea's journey to prominence through the iconic song "Arirang" and it is so extraordinary that it has been featured in the Guinness Book of Records.

The festival was an annual custom from 2002 to 2013, with some interruptions, and is rich in Korean folklore and symbolism. It evocatively portrays Korea's division through the story of a young couple separated by fate. After a five-year pause, the games resumed in 2018 with performances like "The Glorious Country" and continued in 2019 with "People's Country."

The Mass Games are not merely a display of physical skill; they are also an exhibition of North Korean ideology and political narratives. The performances honor the Workers' Party of Korea, the armed forces, and leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, featuring intricate iconography that might be subtle to foreign observers.

Participants are selected based on their abilities, starting from as young as five years old, and represent various schools in Pyongyang, each distinguished by different colors. Thousands of meticulously trained schoolchildren create stunning mosaic pictures and perform synchronized routines, offering a visual spectacle.

In 2007, the Arirang Mass Games set a Guinness World Record for the largest gymnastic display, involving 100,090 participants at the May Day Stadium. This remarkable event has attracted international attention, with notable attendees such as South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un in recent years.