the hats look like salad bowls. they used to be most Stalin-era looking .. flatter.
I think you’re right they were flatter...but they were raised to make them taller...rather like kim II wore his hair spiked to increase his height....and he wore lifts in his shoes as well.
His son does this as well...and why his hairstyle is cropped at the sides as it gives an ‘illusion’ of height. As we know N.Korea are specialists at creating illisions.
The N.Korean culture, like most Asian cultures, Japan, S.Korea, China etc. are very sensitive about “appearances” or what might be perceived as unfavorable. But of course for
N.Koreans it’s additional element is fear-based.