Highlights from the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics opening ceremony

It was a cold kickoff to the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Friday morning but that didn’t stop athletes and fans from celebrating the opening ceremony.

The Games started at 8 p.m. local time, (6 a.m. ET), with a dazzling fireworks show, a dancing white tiger and a choreographed dance of drummers in a stadium packed with around 35,000 spectators.

Here are some of the biggest moments from the opening ceremonies.

Dancing and fireworks

The Games started with an opening spectacle of dancers and fireworks.

A united Korea

A unified Korean team of athletes marched out together carrying the unification flag as South Korean President Moon Jae In watched from the stands near Kim Yo Jong, the sister of the North Korean leader.

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WATCH: South Koreans welcome visit of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s sister

0:35 South Koreans welcome visit of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s sister

Team Canada

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Canada sent over 200 athletes for 105 events. The nation has started competing in curling’s mixed doubles, luge and ski jumping.

Ice dancing pair, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, were Canada’s flag-bearers for the event. The duo won gold in the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, and silver in the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

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Russia marches under Olympic flag

The opening ceremonies included 168 Russian athletes who marched under the “Olympic Athletes from Russia” banner, wearing neutral uniforms.

This comes after the Russian doping scandal, resulting in the nation being banned by the International Olympic Committee. However, some athletes were still invited to compete. If they win events, the Olympic flag will fly and the Olympic anthem will be played.

Tonga’s famous flag-bearer shows up

Tongan flag-bearer Pita Taufatofua was part of the opening ceremonies at the Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium. And just like the Rio Olympics in 2016, he marched without a shirt (despite the freezing conditions).

1:25 Tonga’s shirtless flag bearer reveals he’s only spent 12 weeks on snow training for Olympics

Mike Pence sits near North Korea delegation

U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence and the sister of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un did not interact despite being seated just feet apart during the Olympic opening ceremony.

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WATCH: Mike Pence, Kim Jong Un’s sister seated next to each other at Olympic opening ceremonies

0:26 Mike Pence, Kim Jong Un’s sister seated next to each other at Olympic opening ceremonies

Lighting of Olympic cauldron

The opening ceremony capped off with a magnificent display of the lighting of the Olympic cauldron.