The world knows North Korea through its gigantic public displays. Its immense military parades and giant spectacles are choreographed in an attempt to portray itself to the world, and to retell its history -- the official version at least. This year's opening performance of the Mass Games, or "Arirang," which took place on Monday in Pyongyang's May Day stadium, was no exception. The event was timed to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of the Korean War in 1953, and saw up to 100,000 performers don a series of costumes and dance in formation in support of North Korea's ruling Kim family. Much of the audience was made up of performers manipulating a series of colored cards to depict several moving images, including a rocket that the state successfully launched last year -- to the consternation of the international community.