Let Morning Shine over Pyongyang: The Future-Oriented Nationalism of North Korea's Arirang Mass Games

The Arirang Mass Games are one of North Korea's most spectacular forms of cultural expression, comprised of breathtaking displays of music, dance, and gymnastics that can involve up to 100,000 participants. Although the content of the performance is avowedly nationalistic, the overall musical and theatrical concept is not native to North Korea at all, but rather blends elements from a variety of sources, including many from the West. Here, I argue that this seeming paradox can be resolved by viewing North Korean nationalism as primarily future-oriented, with a focus on the promised utopian society yet to come.