Tiger Times Olympics Special Issue

Passion.

Connected.

PyeongChang 2018 Olympics Special Issue

WELCOME TO THE OLYMPICS Written by Junie Kah A Sky Full of Drones In this year’s portrayal of the iconic Olympic logo, organizers of the PyeongChang opening ceremony worked hand-in-hand with Intel in order to send 1,218 shooting star drones up in the air. Although a pre-recorded film was shown at the actual ceremony, the Guinness Book of World Records has marked the event as having featured the most unmanned aerial vehicles airborne simultaneously.

Traditional Korean Performing Arts Instead of opting for a “K-Pop” styled performance, the PyeongChang opening ceremony featured a masterful blend of traditional Korean elements with a modern twist. Four Korean musical artists shared the stage for a rendition of “Imagine.” Additionally, a Korean folksinger Namgi Kim soulfully sang “Jeongseon Arirang,” which highlighted the distinct Korean elements of the ceremony.

Parade of Nations The PyeongChang Winter Olympics set an Olympic record for the largest number of participating athletes; nearly 3,000 athletes from 92 countries marched into the PyeongChang Stadium on Feb. 9 despite Russia, a prominent country in winter sports, not officially competing in this year’s Olympics. A unified “Korea” entered last, showing off a poignant display of cooperation between North and South Korea.

Shining LEDs The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony was marked by its prevalent use of LED lights that flooded the entire stadium. Other than covering all 35,000 seats with bright flashes of white, blue, and red, the lights were also used to form a dazzling display of a dove, which signaled the ceremony’s central theme of “Peace in Motion.”

Lighting of the Olympic Torch With a number of famous Korean athletes marking the path of the Olympic torch, Yuna Kim, a beloved Korean figure skater and celebrity, held the honor of lighting the Olympic torch as the final torchbearer.

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Tiger Times PyeongChang special

Sensational Inmyeonjo After the conclusion of the opening ceremony, news of the “Inmyeonjo,” a human-faced bird, spread like wildfire across the Internet. The Inmyeonjo caught the attention of the people for its shocking yet seemingly appealing physique. It was even featured as a national “Twitter trend,” and even hit #1 on Yahoo! Japan’s trending search results.

FROM NEW HORIZONS TO PASSION. CONNECTED. BRINGING THE OLYMPICS TO PYEONGCHANG Written by Chris Lee

On On Aug. Aug. 8, 8, 2008, 2008, PyeongChang PyeongChang was was announced announced as as the the host host city city for for the the 2018 2018 Winter Winter Olympic Olympic games. games.

After After two two unsuccessful unsuccessful bids bids for for the the 2010 2010 and and 2014 2014 Olympics, Olympics, PyeongChang PyeongChang was was finally finally selected selected in in the the 123rd 123rd session session of of the the International International Olympic Olympic ComCommittee mittee (IOC).

(IOC). Under Under the the idea idea of of ‘New ‘New Horizons,’ Horizons,’ the the PyeongChang PyeongChang bid bid committee committee appealed appealed to to the the IOC’s IOC’s interests interests of of spreading spreading the the Winter Winter Olympic Olympic games games and and expanding expanding its its popularity popularity to to newer newer regions. regions.

“The “The IOC’s IOC’s most most pressing pressing need need at at the the time time was was how how to to remain remain relevant relevant to to the the younger younger generation,” generation,” said said Theresa Theresa Seungyun Seungyun Rah, Rah, Communication Communication Director Director of of the the Pyeonchang Pyeonchang Olympic Olympic Bid Bid CommitCommittee. tee. “We “We formulated formulated our our main main message message around around that that point. point. We We said said that that ifif you you go go to to France France or or Germany, Germany, which which were were our our competitors, competitors, the the Olympics Olympics would would not not see see new new potential potential or or new new growth, growth, but but ifif you you come come to to Korea, Korea, which which has has never never hosted hosted the the Winter Winter Games, Games, the the Olympic Olympic Games Games would would see see new new growth, growth, interest, interest, fans, fans, and and athletes. athletes. This This was was the the idea idea of of opening opening ‘New ‘New Horizons.’”

Horizons.’”

In In the the third third Olympic Olympic bid, bid, the the PyeongChang PyeongChang bid bid committee committee took took aa new new direction direction by by appealing appealing to to the the IOC’s IOC’s goals goals of of spreading spreading the the Olympics.

Olympics. Instead Instead of of focusing focusing too too heavily heavily on on displaying displaying itself itself as as aa winter winter sport sport powerhouse, powerhouse, South South Korea Korea aimed aimed to to show show that that itit could could extend extend the the popularity popularity of of the the Winter Winter Games.

Games. Based Based on on this this idea, idea, the the PyeongCPyeongChang hang bid bid committee committee mainly mainly appealed appealed in in two two areas: areas: Asia Asia had had very very little little Winter Winter Olympic Olympic games games and and South South Korea’s Korea’s initiative initiative Dream Dream Program Program brought brought

winter winter games games to to youth youth of of other other countries. countries.

“The “The New New Horizons, Horizons, why why they they should should come come to to PyeongChang, PyeongChang, about about opening opening up up winter winter games games and and Olympics Olympics to to new new fans fans and and markets markets was was the the most most compelling compelling reason reason for for them them to to choose choose us,” us,” Ms. Ms. Rah Rah said. said. “South “South Korea Korea had had never never hosted hosted the the Winter Winter Games, Games, and and Asia Asia had had only only two two Winter Winter Games Games bebefore fore Pyeongchang.”

Pyeongchang.”

The The bid bid committee committee initiated initiated the the Dream Dream Program Program in in 2004 2004 to to portray portray Korea’s Korea’s active active engagement engagement in in spreading spreading the the winter winter games. games. The The annual annual program program was was designed designed to to introduce introduce winter winter sports sports to to young young people people from from countries countries where where winter winter sports sports are are not not available. available. Over Over the the years, years, more more than than 1,500 1,500 youths youths from from 75 75 countries countries were were given given the the opportunity opportunity to to train train in in skiing skiing and and ice ice sports. sports. The The program program testitestified fied the the committee’s committee’s persistence persistence because because the the comcommittee mittee kept kept the the program program despite despite losing losing in in the the first first two two bids. bids. The The committee committee not not only only spread spread winter winter sports sports within within Korea Korea but but also also in in other other countries. countries.

“I “I would would say say being being involved involved in in the the bid bid and and meetmeeting ing the the athletes athletes has has been been such such aa learning learning experiexperience ence for for me,” me,” Ms. Ms. Rah Rah said. said. “I “I learned learned that that athletes athletes teach teach us us the the rewards rewards of of patience patience and and persistence, persistence, the the two two words words that that we we mentioned mentioned in in our our presenpresentation. tation. They They know know that that patience patience and and persistence persistence really really do do yield yield results. results. We We see see them them as as successful successful winners, winners, but but to to get get to to that that point, point, they they fell fell many many times, times, failed failed many many times. times. Yet, Yet, athletes athletes know know that that itit is is part part of of the the game, game, so so that that is is why why they they get get up up again again and and again.” again.”

Designed by Joyce Lee

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I NTRODUCING

OLYMPICVENUES Written by Youngseo Jhe and Andrea Kwon

Pyeonchang Mountain Cluster PyeongChang Olympic Stadium

As As the the home home of of both both the the opening opening and and closing closing ceremonies, ceremonies, the the PyeongChang PyeongChang Olympic Olympic Stadium Stadium is is one one of of the the largest largest venues venues with with the the capacity capacity to to seat seat 35,000 35,000 spectators spectators Even Even so, so, it it is is conconsidered sidered small small compared compared to to previous previous Olympics Olympics stadiums stadiums such such as as the the Fisht Fisht Olympic Olympic stadium stadium of of Sochi Sochi Olympics, Olympics, which which could could seat seat 40,000 40,000 people. people. It It is is most most often often recognized recognized by by its its pentagonal pentagonal shape, shape, which which represents represents the the five five rings rings of of the the Olympics.

Olympics. Alpensia Alpensia Biathlon Biathlon Center Center

Alpensia Biathlon Center

Hosting Hosting ten ten games games during during the the PyeongChang PyeongChang Olympics, Olympics, Alpensia Alpensia Biathlon Biathlon Center Center is is the the site site for for all all biathlon biathlon events. events. The The center center was was also also home home to to two two major major competitions competitions including including IBU IBU Biathlon Biathlon World World Cup Cup in in 2008 2008 and and IBU IBU Biathlon Biathlon World World ChampiChampionships onships in in 2009.

2009. The The Biathlon Biathlon Course Course at at the the Alpensia Alpensia Biathlon Biathlon Center Center is is 16.3km 16.3km long, long, with with aa 82.5m 82.5m by by 50m 50m shooting shooting range. range.

Holding Holding aa total total of of 7,500 7,500 people, people, 4,500 4,500 are are available available for for sitting sitting while while 3,000 3,000 are are for for standing standing areas. areas.

Alpensia Cross-Country Skiing Center

The The Alpensia Alpensia Cross-Country Cross-Country Skiing Skiing Center Center is is the the site site for for NorNordic Combined as well as Cross Country Skiing, hosting a dic Combined as well as Cross Country Skiing, hosting a total total of of 12 12 events. events. Like Like the the Alpensia Alpensia Biathlon Biathlon Center, Center, the the center center can can hold hold aa total total of of 7,500 7,500 people people with with 4,500 4,500 seats seats available available for for sitting. sitting. The The Alpensia Cross-Country Center held the FIS Far East Alpensia Cross-Country Center held the FIS Far East Cup Cup National National Championships Championships consecutively consecutively for for three three years years from from 2011 2011 to to 2013.

2013.

Alpensia Ski Jumping Center

Alpensia Alpensia Ski Ski Jumping Jumping Center Center is is home home to to four four Ski Ski Jumping Jumping events. events. The The center center is is also also use use for for Nordic Nordic Combined Combined as as well well as as Snowboarding.

Snowboarding. The The center center can can hold hold about about 8,500 8,500 spectators spectators in in total, total, of of which which around around three three fourths fourths can can sit. sit. With With two two slopes slopes for for competitive competitive rounds rounds and and three three for for practice, practice, the the center center hosted hosted the the FIS FIS Ski Ski Jumping Jumping Continental Continental Cup Cup in in 2009 2009 and and 2011.

2011.

Olympic Sliding Center

The The Olympic Olympic Sliding Sliding Center Center is is holding holding eight eight events events in in the the Luge, Luge, Bobsleigh, Bobsleigh, and and Skeleton Skeleton categories. categories. Able Able to to hold hold 7,000 7,000 spectators, spectators, the the Sliding Sliding Center Center has has 6,000 6,000 standing standing seats seats and and 1,000 1,000 sitting sitting seats. seats. The The seating seating areas areas are are about about aa 20 20 to to 30 30 minute minute walk walk away away form form the the entrance. entrance.

Pheonix Snow Park

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The The Pheonix Pheonix Snow Snow Park Park is is holding holding aa total total of of 18 18 events events in in Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding.

Holding 18,000 Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding. Holding 18,000 people people in in total, total, it it is is one one of of the the centers centers with with aa larger larger capacity capacity sitting sitting with with aa total total 10,200 10,200 seats seats available. available.

Tiger Times PyeongChang special

Jeongseon Alpine Center

Holding Holding aa total total of of 6,500 6,500 people, people, the the Jeongseon Jeongseon Alpine Alpine Center Center was the site for Alpine Skiing.

The center hosted a was the site for Alpine Skiing. The center hosted a total total of of six six events. events.

Yongpyong Alpine Center

The The Yongyong Yongyong Alpine Alpine Center Center is is one one of of the the two two sites sites holding holding Alpine Alpine Skiing Skiing Center Center along along with with Jeongseon Jeongseon Alpine Alpine Center.

Center. HoldHolding ing less less than than the the Jeongseon Jeongseon Alpine Alpine Center, Center, the the Yongpyong Yongpyong Center Center holds holds around around 6,000 6,000 people people in in total. total.

Gangneung Coastal Cluster Kwandong Hockey Centre

The The Kwandong Kwandong Hockey Hockey Centre Centre contains contains one one 60m 60m by by 30m-ice 30m-ice rink rink and and can can hold hold up up to to 6,000 6,000 spectators. spectators. The The stadium stadium consists consists of of five five floors floors in in total, total, one one underground underground and and four four aboveground. aboveground. Women’s Women’s and and men’s men’s ice ice hockey hockey tournaments tournaments are are held held in in this this venue. venue.

Gangneung Curling Centre

Like Like the the Kwandong Kwandong Hockey Hockey Centre, Centre, the the Gangneung Gangneung Curling Curling CenCentre also has 4 aboveground floors and one underground tre also has 4 aboveground floors and one underground floor. floor. This This venue venue can can accommodate accommodate 3,000 3,000 people people in in total. total. Olympic Olympic events events held held at the Gangneung Curling Centre are—like the name suggests— at the Gangneung Curling Centre are—like the name suggests— men’s men’s curling, curling, women’s women’s curling, curling, and and mixed mixed doubles doubles curling. curling. Some Some of the competitions previously hosted in this arena include of the competitions previously hosted in this arena include the the 1999 1999 Winter Winter Asian Asian Games, Games, the the 2009 2009 World World Women’s Women’s Curling Curling ChamChampionship, and the 2011 International Skating Union (ISU) pionship, and the 2011 International Skating Union (ISU) World World Figure Figure Skating Skating Championships.

Championships.

Gangneung Hockey Centre

Though Though the the Gangneung Gangneung Hockey Hockey Centre Centre consists consists of of fewfewer er floors floors than than the the hockey hockey arena arena in in Kwandong Kwandong (only (only three three aboveground aboveground floors), floors), it it is is able able to to hold hold 4,000 4,000 more more people. people.

This This venue venue also also hosts hosts women’s women’s and and men’s men’s ice ice hockey hockey team team tournaments. tournaments.

Gangneung Ice Arena

This This sporting sporting venue venue hosts hosts some some of of the the most most popular popular winter winter Olympics Olympics games—figure games—figure skating skating and and short short track track speed speed skating—so skating—so it it is is not not surprising surprising that that it it is is the the larglargest-scale est-scale stadium stadium in in the the Gangneung Gangneung Coastal Coastal Cluster.

Cluster. SeatSeating ing up up to to 12,000 12,000 people, people, the the Gangneung Gangneung Ice Ice Area Area has has two two 60m 60m by by 30m-ice 30m-ice rinks rinks and and consists consists of of four four aboveground aboveground floors floors and and two two underground underground levels. levels.

Gangneung Oval

The The Gangneung Gangneung Oval Oval is is aa speed speed skating skating venue. venue. It It holds holds 500m, 500m, 1,000m, 1,000m, 1,500m, 1,500m, 3,000m, 3,000m, 5,000m, 5,000m, 10,000m, 10,000m, team team pursuit, pursuit, and and mass mass start start games. games. The The area area has has two two aboveground aboveground and and two two underground underground levels levels and and can can accommodate accommodate up up to to 8,000 8,000 spectators. spectators. The The Gangneung Gangneung Oval Oval is is located located next next to to the the GangGangneung neung Ice Ice Arena, Arena, so so moving moving back back and and forth forth between between the the two two venues venues is is quite quite convenient convenient if if one one is is particularly particularly interested interested in in watching watching various various kinds kinds of of skating skating events. events.

Designed by Claire Lee

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NORTH KOREA PARTICIPATES IN PYEONGCHANG OLYMPICS Fear towards North Korean threats escalate 1984 The socialist states make the “Friendship Games,” a replacement for the Los Angeles 1984 Olympics founded by the Soviets. Negatively affects the Olympics with the absence of prominent players from Eastern Bloc countries. Only the 14 countries that supported Soviet Regime (including North Korea) were included in the Friendship Games.

1964 First time North Korea participates in the Olympics. From then on, North Korea participates in all the Olympics

1998 President Kim Dae-jung creates the Sunshine Policy to soften North Korea’s attitude toward South Korea. During this time, the North and South symbolically march together as one team; yet, they do not compete together.

1988 While North Korea wanted to co-host the Seoul Summer Olympics with South Korea, plans to do so failed. Instead, North Korea ended up boycotting the games and exploding a plane in midair above the route from Iran to South Korea (bombing of Korean Air Flight 858) in an attempt to sabotage the games.

Jan 2003 North Korea’s withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Begins six-party talks involving North and South Koreas, China, Japan, US, and Russia.

2000 AND 2004 Once again, the two Koreas march together in the opening ceremony. However, such attempts of decreasing tensions between the two countries fail.

March 2010 North Korea sinks Cheonan.

South Korean citizens are enraged.

Oct 2006 Aug 2015 North Korea has its North fires during first nuclear weapons annual US and test, which is met South military with economic sanc- exercises. South tions by the UN. stops loudspeaker propaganda.

North Korea brings cheerleading team

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t the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics, those who arguably garnered the most attention at the various events they attended were the North Korean cheerleaders. On Feb. 7, North Korea sent 229 cheerleaders along with the 22 athletes to the Winter Games. The cheerleaders were comprised only of women in their early 20s and from prestigious families.

The North Korean cheerleaders were sent to every event in which the North Korean athletes were competing. Dressed in the same red jackets, hats, and sunglasses, they each had in their hands one North Korean flag and one Korean peninsula flag. Under the leadership of a head cheerleader, they collectively went through their cheer routine. Most of the cheers, chants, and songs consisted of messages that promoted a unified Korea, such as “Korean unification, we are one.”

At an alpine skiing event on Feb.

18 with two North Koreans competing, a section of the seating area was dedicated to the North Korean cheerleaders. They quickly became the spectacle of the event, with a large number of people crowding around them to take selfies, videos, and photos. At every move made by the cheerleaders, whether that was a new song or a change in flags, the crowd reacted with awe.

Interestingly, there was also a group of South Koreans who were participating in several of the chants with the North Koreans. Wearing posters with Korean peninsulas on their heads, the South Koreans responded to the chants of the North Korean cheerleaders. They chanted passionately when the head North Korean cheerleader signaled them, in support of the unification cheers.

After a round of unification cheers, as the first of the two North Korean skiers began his race, they quickly switched gears and took out their North Korean flags. A large flag was

raised at the back of the cheerleading squad as all the cheerleaders enthusiastically waved their own.

Once the North Korean cheerleaders finished their routine, they promptly exited 0 area. It is the first time North Korean cheerleaders have come to South Korea since 2005. The members were selected with strict standards in order to ensure absolute loyalty to the regime in face of the capitalistic influences they would be exposed to in South Korea. Furthermore, supervisors from the North made sure that there was no extensive contact with foreigners during their stay.

The North Korean cheerleaders have greatly aided in promoting the PyeongChang Olympics as an event of peace, free of danger from the North.

As the cheerleaders have now been deployed several times to various international sporting events, it is clear that the North Korean regime is aiming to manipulate its image through these cheerleaders.

Written and Photographed by Hannah Kim

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Tiger Times PyeongChang special

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any citizens of South Korea aspired to lessen tensions with the North through the Pyeongchang Olympics, an opportunity to bond the two Koreas a little more.

In fact, according to the Washington Post, Moon Jae-in stated that “[things have gotten closer to what people hoped] since there have been many achievements advancing inter-Korean talks.” However, despite the fact that the Olympics helped create internal dialogue between the two nations, the

fear toward North Korean threats and their nuclear weapons did not dwindle, especially among the spectators from all around the world. Due to their common fears, several people refused to go to Pyeongchang to watch the Olympics, thus leaving nearly half of the seats empty for few of the games.

In fact, (evidence about the lack of people watching). Thus, the Over the decades, there has been attempts of unification or the weathering down of the hostility between the two

Sept 2017 Ryom Tae-ok and Kim Ju-sik--North Korean Jan 2016 athletes--become July 2017 Announcement officially qualified of first hydrogen Long-range missile skaters for the Olymbomb test by North test-fire (Sea of pics in Germany.

Japan).

Korea.

June 2017 North Korea reject’s South’s proposal to join teams for women’s ice hockey in the 2018 Olympics.

Aug 2017 President Trump and President Kim Jong-un’s battle of words

Nov 2017 3rd ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile) test

Oct 2017 North’s IOC (International Olympic Committee) member stays reluctant to co-host the Olympics, but willing to support South’s bid.

nations. However, the wall by the differences of each nation’s personality and the everlasting blood spilt in the past were two deciding variables that could not disregarded in setting the final equation.

As a result, a possible nuclear missile strike on the South Korean peninsula at any moment quickly became a common, overpowering thought spreading among foreigners, which eventually replaced the excitement of the Olympics with fear instead.

By Andie Kim and Kate Lee

Jan 2018 Kim Jong-un states positive stance toward participation and collaboration in the Olympics in his New Year’s speech. Seoul-Pyeongyang hotline restored in two years.

North decides to send a team to Winter Olympics in South. Hopes to see less tensions but fear toward missiles still remains.

Dec 2017 Reports of Russia’s and China’s sanction violations by sending the North oil and petroleum

One step forward, two skates back

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ith only a matter of days until the long awaited PyeongChang Olympics, preparations are sweeping South Korea as the nation gets ready to host the world. For all the pride Koreans feel, however, in the months before the Olympics, I couldn’t help but be wary of our northern neighbors who have, among other things indulged in activities that threaten our very existence. Seeking to alleviate decades of hostility, North and South Korea recently took a giant step forward in ameliorating decades of hostility by choosing to combine their women’s ice hockey teams under a unified flag in the coming Olympics.

The two Koreas cannot stay separated forever and steps toward reunification should be made slowly, especially if it means putting an end to the horrors that take place under Kim Jong Un’s regime. But while this step toward reunification seems great in principle, it has clear logistical tangles--some more painful than others.

Unfortunately, hockey pucks can’t dismantle nuclear missiles or feed multitudes of malnourished children. While Korean athletes skate on the ice under one flag, just miles away poverty and oppression will still run rampant. Once the show ends and the curtain falls, life will continue in unchanged, opposite directions in the North and the South. Especially with the recent nuclear threats, suddenly holding hands with them as one peaceful tribe seems to reward destructive behavior. What’s more, if any nuclear tests occur in the weeks fol-

lowing the Olympics or even during them, we will have fooled ourselves by claiming we were “one” with the North.

The unfortunate truth is that this wasn’t a democratic decision. South Korean players were not consulted nor was there a majority from both nations who agreed to playing together. Instead, this was an autocratic move from high government officials who used the athletes as pawns in their political chess game.

Te people hurt most by this change are the South Korean women’s ice hockey athletes who have trained for much of their lives for this moment, only to be denied the chance to compete and display their hard work and talent to the world. Although the two nations will combine teams, the number of athletes who can actually suit-up will remain at 22 and at least three North Korean players must be included, which will inevitably cut some South Korean athletes from the roster and at best, reduce the playing times of others. The Olympics is a showcase for the athletes who have worked hardest for the ultimate honor of representing their country as the best of the best-but this merit-based system was cast aside as political plays came before rewarding those athletes who deserve it most. Under the gaze of the world, we are displaying an uncomfortable and complicit injustice, and tampering with the spirit of the Olympics.

In addition to being unjust, this decision carries sexist undertones. Why was the women’s ice hockey team selected while the men’s team was not even considered in

this so-called “unification” effort? Women in sports face levels of inequity that their male counterparts do not. Just two years ago in the 2016 Rio Olympics, husbands got credit for their wives’ Olympic wins, chatter on athletes’ makeup and dress preceded discussion on their athletic prowess, and the achievements of female athletes were downplayed behind those of their male counterparts. Clearly, in PyeongChang, not much has changed. Last week, South Korea’s prime minister Lee Nak-yeon made an effort to justify the integration by saying the women’s team was not a medal contender anyway, further perpetuating the idea that women’s sports are not as important or impressive. As the host nation, this is embarrassing and discriminatory at best.

All of this aside, and from a purely practical standpoint, this plan still fails.

Ice hockey is a team sport, with athletes training together for years to achieve an indescribable synergy. With just days left until the games, even if the North Koreans were the best hockey players in the world, it would not make sense to trigger this switch.

The unified team may be a step forward to ease political tensions, but at what cost?

While the team may break down a few bricks in the looming wall that stands between the two Koreas, injustice and sexism lurk in the shadows, peering back at the world that stands watching our every move.

Written by Soomin Chun

Designed by Amy Jungmin Kim

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Paralympics Committee finalizes preparations for PyeongChang XII Paralympic Winter Games Written by Eju Ro We interviewed the team chief of the PyeongChang Paralympics Opening and Closing Ceremony Committee. He asked to remain anonymous, so for the sake of the article, we will refer to him as Mr. Smith.

As the PyeongChang Olympic Games came to an end, the International Paralympics Committee (IPC) finalized its preparations for the XII Paralympic Winter Games that begins in early March. For the past few years, while the PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG) worked as one group in preparation for the PyeongChang events, the Olympics committee and the Paralympics committee have been planning with distinct themes and purposes in mind.

The PyeongChang Winter Games

as a whole are functioning under the overarching slogan of “passion. connected.,” a message promoting passion among athletes and peace among the competing countries.

According to the POCOG, “passion” represents the excitement and fervor of the winter games in PyeongChang, and the “connected” signifies the unity and openness that the participating countries can experience in Korea.

As could be observed in multiple aspects of the Olympic Opening Ceremony—the Korean dances and dress, the cultural plotline the

ceremony was built around, and the awe-inducing visual factors that reflected ethnic pride—the focus of the Olympic committee was on presenting the culture of South Korea to a global audience.

On the other hand, the PyeongChang Paralympics embodied an entirely different focus—“humanity.” Running under the slogan “passion moves us,” the event emphasized the meaning of being human and the unity of ablebodied athletes and athletes with impairments.

Mr. Smith: “If the Olympics were more cultural and historical, the Paralympics are going to be more human. So the slogan ‘passion moves us’ has a double meaning; while ‘moves’ can mean literal motion, like the athletes actually playing the sports, it can also mean to emotionally touch. We want to touch people and show that we should view these athletes in the same human lens that we view any other athlete.”

In addition to the distinct themes, the two events have their own mascots: Soohorang the tiger for the Olympics, and Bandabi the black bear for the Paralympics. While the meaning

of these mascots is not particularly unique or new, the reason behind why these mascots were chosen is notable.

According to A, the mascots most likely are reminiscent of the mascots

from the 1988 Seoul Olympics and Paralympics: Hodori the tiger and Gomdoori the bears.

Mr. Smith: “The mascots this year are homages to those of 1988. In 1988, however, people rarely knew about Gomdoori—we know that the Paralympics will garner a smaller audience this year as well, but we can see that Bandabi and the Paralympics are getting a greater share of the spotlight and such progress is what we have been working toward.”

After years of preparation, struggles in cooperation among the hundred involved, and designing of ideas and performances, Mr. Smith and his committee are determined to put on successful opening ceremony that will effectively

capture the theme of “humanity.” If the Olympics Opening Ceremony was an elaborate portrayal of Korean culture, the Paralympics Opening Ceremony will be less fancy and more of a candid depiction of what makes the athletes

and audience human.

According to the committee, there will be more dance performances portraying the natural human movements rather than a dependence on advanced technology.

Mr. Smith: “The Paralympics Opening Ceremony will be focused on the idea of common human identity among everyone—able-bodied and impaired athletes alike. To magnify that value, we decided to try something new by breaking down part of the stage in the Stadium and make it a flat surface so that the athletes in a wheelchair and the athletes that are not can sit together as a team like the Olympics. Being in a wheelchair shouldn’t prevent teams from being able to sit together in the ceremony.”

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Tiger Times PyeongChang special

After the Beijing Paralympics in 2008, according to A, China passed legislations serving to increase convenience in public spaces for individuals with impairments. South Korea has implemented similar laws, such as the law

that requires all public facilities to be accessible for individuals with wheelchairs (required ramp at a 12:1 angle).

However, such laws are not strictly implemented and the convenience of people with impairments is often disre-

garded. Perhaps, Mr. Smith hopes, the PyeongChang Paralympics will stimulate legislative action in support of the community of disabled people in Korea.

Mr. Smith: “The PyeongChang Paralympics will hopefully increase viewership of the Paralympics in general. But more importantly, I hope the PyeongChang Paralympics will bring a shift in Korean society’s perspective on people with disabilities. We want people to view these athletes, and people with physical impairments in general, through the same lens with which they view able-bodied individuals. Although the Paralympic Games are just sporting events, the impact they can have on South Korea and its social atmosphere regarding the community of disabled people is something much more remarkable than just playing sports.”

Designed by Joyce Lee

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Following Sonya Crawford: from student journalist to professional reporter to full-time Mom As a Korean American girl growing up in Seoul, South Korea, Sonya Crawford attended SIS for 12 years. Her education in Korea was interrupted for just one year when she left for Michigan. Harboring a strong passion for journalism, Crawford joined the high school newspaper, eventually taking the position of Editor in Chief. At the same time, Crawford began an unlikely career as a young professional journalist with a local Korean TV station.

Crawford covered the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul at the age of 17. The only woman of over 20 reporters from KBS and a fluent speaker of English, Korean, and Spanish, the young journalist was able to bring something different to the table from her Korean coworkers.

Insight into foreign cultures and the ability to speak several languages enabled Crawford to communicate easily with both the public and athletes from all over the world.

Similarly, Crawford’s multinational

identity helped her throughout the coverage of the 1992 Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain.

With experience as a student and a young professional journalist, Crawford made successful strides in her career. She transitioned from print media and in 1993 became a reporter and assistant producer at Public Radio International. She transitioned again five years later, taking a job as a reporter and substitute anchor at KNBC, and continued the tradition of Olympic coverage at the Salt Lake City Winter Games in 2002. After her stint in Los Angeles, Crawford accepted a job as a Washingtonbased correspondent at ABC News, solidifying her role as a respected broadcast journalist. Eventually, family and faith led Crawford to Minneapolis to raise her two sons.

In a Skype interview conducted

by Tiger Times in February, Crawford spoke truthfully about the transition to full-time mother. She described it as challenging especially because

1989

Written by Kirsten Huh

born in Seoul, South Korea

graduated from SIS to Stanford

1988 covered the Olympics for SBS in Korea

1983

1971

moved to Michigan for 7th Grade

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m-Le Botto a y n 89, So

of ‘ Team l l a b t ke y Bas Varsit

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Tiger Times PyeongChang special

she had risen to a level of respect and authority as a 14-year veteran reporter.

However, Crawford, being a bubbly and determined woman, was able to adjust to the change successfully.

She now maintains a healthy balance between being a dedicated mother and a journalist at heart by actively sharing her opinions on various issues online.

Recently, Crawford stepped back into the journalism ring by posting a video on her Facebook page, advocating for people to pronounce Pyeongchang, the hosting county of the 2018 Winter Olympics, correctly.

Receiving over 10,000 views and 300 likes, her video went viral on the Internet, bringing necessary attention to the issue. The former reporter continues to dedicate her time and vigor to journalism even though she is no longer a broadcast journalist.

From aspiring student to professional reporter to responsible mother, Crawford has achieved everything she endeavored.

1992 covered thte Barcelona Olympics

1993 reporter and assistant producer for Marketplace

‘89 Senio r Portrait

2007 retired to raise a family

2018 present day

2002 1994

1999

assistant producer for NBC's Dateline

reporter and substitute anchor for KNBC-TV in LA

Washington correspondent for ABC News

Designed by Young-Jin Park

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INSIDE THE OLYMPICS SUPER STORE A bustling, chaotic, and popular attraction, the Super Store in the PyeongChang Olympic Village has been drawing in thousands of souvenir-hungry and intrigued tourists each day. Filled with an assortment of products ranging from clothes to plush toys to even traditional snacks, the store was a central part of the Olympics, ideal for visitors to purchase valuable mementos and gifts. Given its powerful appeal to the public, there were questions to be answered regarding whether the products available at this store were cost-appropriate, useful, and memorable for the consumers.

“From the amount of people lining up to enter the Super Store, you could automatically tell that this site was a very important part of the Olympics experience,” said Elin Min (9), a freshman student who visited the store in mid-February. “I was amazed by how big [the store] was, not to the mention the huge range of products it was selling. Although I only bought a beanie and a few mascot plush toys, everything there seemed to be in great shape and looked nice overall.”

Item 1: Olympics Logo Sweatshirt Available in most of the Olympic colors—navy, black, red, and yellow—and more, the PyeongChang Olympics sweatshirt has features that appeal to both Olympics fans and fashion enthusiasts alike. Priced at 39,000 won, the sweatshirt is made of high-quality fabric that offers warmth in PyeongChang’s chilly weather and beyond.

Item 2: Olympics Mascot Plush Toy As one of the most iconic attributes of the PyeongChang Olympics, the plush toys of Olympic mascots Soohorang and Bandabi can be found everywhere throughout the store as miniature clip-ons and even giant pillows. The clip-on plush toys cost 10,000 won each, while the larger ones can cost up to more than ten times this amount.

As special edition products, these 2018 PyeongChang mascot plush toys seem to be a worthy addition to any souvenir collection.

By Sia Cho and Andy Yoon Check out ttonl.org for a video review!

Item 3: Olympic Pin A longstanding tradition of the Olympics, pin-trading has become a defining characteristic of the event regardless of the nation in which it is hosted. An entire section of the store was dedicated to pins, which featured designs as diverse as the logo of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, mascots, and specific sporting events.

As one pin costs between 5000 and 6000 won, it could be considered a bit expensive. However, tourists desiring a simple souvenir may have considered them a viable option, priced appropriately for their high quality.

PYEONGCHANG FEATURES ADORABLE MASCOTS

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Tiger Times PyeongChang special

The world is going nuts over Soohorang and Bandabi, the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics and Paralympics mascots. Soohorang is a white tiger; in East Asian folklore, the white tiger is known to represent the spirit that protects the west.

The name is a mixture of the word sooho, meaning protect, in Korean and horang, meaning tiger. Bandabi, the Paralympics mascot, is an Asiatic black bear, and has connections to the Korean word bandal, which means half moon.

There is actually quite an interesting backstory to how these characters came about. The PyeongChang oragnizing committee had originally chosen the kachi tiger (magpie tiger), a tiger that appears in ancient Korean legends, to be the 2018 Olympics mascot and had released a draft version to the public as well. However, in Fall 2015, the committee suddenly changed plans to make the mascot a jindo dog. According to SBS News, a PyeongChang committee official admitted “[former] President Park had ordered the Secretary of the Ministry of Culture

and Tourism, Jong-duk Kim, to change the mascot to a jindo dog.”

Having no choice at the time the committee submitted their dog design to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for approval. Surprisingly, the IOC refused to approve the mascot, as they pointed out that having a dog as mascot for a nation that tolerates the culture of eating dogs is unacceptable. The exact date when the IOC firmly delivered the message was Apr. 8, 2016. The mascot designs were due by June.

With approximately two months left, a designer group that consisted staff from Hongik University and a notable design company Mass C&G started drafting designs for Soohorang and Bandabi. As they were in such a hurry, they were not able to finalize mascot names until ten days before the deadline, and the animation was released another two months later.

Nonetheless, the mascots are receiving laudatory comments worldwide.

By Amy Jungmin Kim

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE

TO OLYMPICS WINTER SPORTS Alpine Skiing Alpine skiing consists of five different events: downhill, super-G, slalom, giant-slalom, and super combined. The various events differ in the skill required of the skiers.

Giant-slalom and slalom are considered technical events, while downhill and super-G are considered speed events.

Super combined adds up the times of a skier’s downhill run and slalom run to determine the fastest skier. In all events, the skier with the fastest time for all of the runs is the winner.

Ski Jump Each competitor must descend a specially constructed ramp, an in-run, until they eventually reach the end ramp, of which they ski off. From here, each competitor attempts to ‘fly’ as far as they can through the air and then successfully land on the steeply sloped hill that lies below as close to the ‘K Line’ as possible.

Skeleton This Olympic sport has only two divisions: men’s singles and women’s singles. In both types, skeleton athletes jump in their sleds after a running start, lying face down and head first. Players may only use the angling of their bodies to steer their sleds. Skeleton takes the total lap time of four runs over the course of two days. The participant with the shortest record earns the gold. Prominent athletes in this field are Martins Dukurs of Latvia and Yun Sungbin of South Korea.

Luge Out of these three sledding sports, the luge is the only division in which the player begins in the sled. The player gets in the sled face up and feet-first and then slides forward to start his or her run. Luge singles consists of four runs while doubles consists of two, and the participant(s) with the fastest total time takes home the gold medal. According to the PyeongChang 2018 Games official website, luge games are timed to one-thousandth of a second, making it among the most precisely timed sports. Germany produces some of the strongest luge athletes: the country has won 31 gold, 23 silver, and 21 bronze medals total in this discipline throughout the history of the winter Olympics.

Bobsleigh Unlike luge or skeleton, bobsleigh uses sleds that have brakes. In a two-person bobsleigh, there is one pilot and one brakeman, with the former sitting up front. The pilot uses a rope attached to the inside of the sled to steer through the track. In a four-man bobsleigh, two pushmen are added as players. Speed is crucial in bobsleigh, as this discipline is timed to one-hundredth of a second. Just like in skeleton, the team with the shortest lap time measured over four runs wins. Francesco Friedrich, a German bobsledder who has won numerous gold medals in the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation World Championships, is one the best bobsleigh athletes.

Written by Angela Choe, Youngseo Jhe, Hannah Kim, Kate Lee

Biathlon Biathlon combines cross-country skiing and target shooting with rifles. The shooting portion of the event is referred to as a shooting bout. Each race consists of either two or four shooting bouts. When a skier misses one’s target, a penalty is given in the form of minutes added to the time or an extra loop for the skier to complete.

Snowboarding: Halfpipe The athlete must complete the course from start to finish while performing airborne tricks. Each athlete competes in three qualifying runs where the best score for each athlete is used to determine the outcome. Judges score each run based on the execution of the run, risks taken, precision in the sequence of tricks and the height of the tricks. Athletes are deducted points when they fall and perform low-risk routines.

Nordic Combined There are two portions to this event: ski jumping and cross-country skiing. In each round, the ski jump takes place first and the cross-country skiing occurs the later on the same day. A ski jumper earns style points on a scale of zero to 20 from five judges, and the highest and lowest scores are eliminated. Depending on the strength and direction of the wind, the athletes can have points added or deducted from their scores.

Figure Skating Figure Skating is a sport distinguished by choreographed performances decorated with advanced jumps, spins, and dance movements. Some notable ice skating techniques include the axel, a one-and-a-half spin done in mid-air, and the lutz, a full mid-air revolution. Athletes are judged based on the smoothness and difficulty of their performance; common moves like flips are worth one to four points while difficult tactics such as triple axels have a base value of 8.5 points.

Speed Skating Speed skating is a sport where competitors race each other on a 400-meter oval track with the goal of making it to the finish line in the least amount of time. Athletes can participate in different types of races, including the 500, 1000, 3000, and 5000-meter race. Long track speed skating can be one of the most intense sports in the Winter Olympics, as the ranking of players are determined by even the slightest differences in time.

Designed by Amy Jungmin Kim

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written by Junie Kah On Feb.14, 12 snowboarders who made the final cut for the men’s snowboarding half-pipe event participated in the final run at Phoenix Park for the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics.

Shaun White, a snowboarder representing the United States, received his third Olympic gold medal with a finishing score of 97.75 on his last run. Ayumu Hirano, representing Japan, and Scotty James, representing Australia, placed second and third, respectively.

“Before going to watch the event, I did not know of the half-pipe snowboarding event or any of the prominent athletes, like Shaun White. Even so, watching the very competitive races was an exciting experience. Now I am interested in not only the athletes but also snowboarding as a sport. I look forward to attending many more Olympic snowboarding events in the future,” Hannah Kim (11) said.

The half-pipe is designed in a semi-circular structure so that the snowboarders can perform various

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Tiger Times PyeongChang special

tricks while moving across the sides of the pipe. When momentum builds up, along with speed, athletes can go as high as 12 meters up in the air.

Half-pipe snowboarders are given three opportunities to score as high as possible by executing a number of flips and turns, in which the top three highest scoring players are awarded the three Olympic medals in the final round.

“It was an overwhelming experience. I have never been in a foreign country for an event like the Olympics, so it was surreal to be chanting ‘U.S.A.’ with a mob of people, and that definitely allowed me to feel the Olympic fervor,” said Patrick Young, high school English teacher. “Specifically, Shaun White had a lot of different type of tricks with a diverse range, which made it interesting to watch.”

Even the most talented snowboarders can experience severe injuries and falls throughout his or her run while coming down the slopes on his second run, Japanese snowboarder Yuto

Totsuka suffered an unfortunate fall that led to him being dragged down on a stretcher without finishing his final turn. White also encountered a minor accident on his second run, but continued to finish off strong on his last run, outscoring Hirano by 2.5 points.

“I went to go watch a few other Winter Olympics sports, but this event was special. Unlike events like ice hockey where we have to observe the players from the bleachers, there was more interaction between the athletes and the audience, especially as the snowboarders were gliding down the slopes,” Ashley Kim (10) said.

On the day of the event, fans from all over the world convened to watch their athletes hit the half-pipes. While none of the Korean snowboarders qualified for the final run, many still went to witness the Olympic spirit. As the game ended, the audience members proudly waved their country’s flags, regardless of what rank the athletes placed.

Edward in PyeongChang: Working Behind the Scenes WRITTEN BY HANNAH KIM

Although the Olympics was hosted in Korea, many SIS students were unable to attend events due to their busy schedules and continued school. However, Edward Ahnshin (9), worked at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics as a side slip crew of the Snowboard Parallel Giant Slalom (PGS). With his strengths in skiing, his job as part of the Olympic slipping crew was to ski on the sides of the slope to make sure that the pathway was flat and remove any obstacles in the course.

Since he was in kindergarten, Edward has been going to PyeongChang every year to ski. Over the years he learned proper skiing form and built experience on the slopes, which is what helped him get a place in the slipping crew. Even for Edward, skiing as part of the slip crew for the

Olympics was not an easy task. “I was very nervous at first to be part of the slipping crew because I knew that since it was the Olympics, if I made a mistake, the consequences would be large. As I was so nervous, during one of the runs I fell while skiing down the slope. Although it did not have any impact on the event, it led me to become more determined to execute my job well,” said Edward.

From Feb. 15 to 25, Edward spent 10 days at Phoenix Snow Park, where he served as part of the slip crew. Over the course of 10 days, not only did he earn a small amount of money for his job, but he also had the opportunity to watch the runs of several worldclass snowboarders. Notably, he was present to watch the Korean snowboarder Lee Sang-ho become the first Asian to win an Olympic medal in al-

pine snowboarding. However, Edward gained more than simple working experience through this opportunity.

“My experience at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics led for me to appreciate the value of hard work. Although working 12 hours a day on the slopes was not an easy task, at the end, I was proud that all the hard work resulted in successfully hosted events. I learned what goes into organizing large-scale events such as the Winter Games, that it requires much more behind-the-scenes work than what is seen or broadcasted.”

Although he had to miss one week of school to work at the Olympics, Edward said the experience was worth it. As the opportunity was a special one, he said he will remember it as a highlight of his high school career in South Korea.

Designed by Yejune Park

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yun sungbin The Korean population was gathered around the television on Feb. 16, lunar new year, to watch no other than the new Korean Skeleton legend. Yun Sungbin became a star in Korea after becoming a gold medalist skeleton racer in the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics. Garnering an immense amount of popularity, Yun Sungbin became known for the iron man helmet he wears when racing. He is the first Asian athlete to win an Olympic medal in a sliding event, and the first Korean medalist in a non-skating event.

On his final run, he recorded a time of 3 minutes and 20.55 seconds, 1.63 seconds ahead of silver medalist Nikita Pregubov. The time difference between the two racers made it the largest victory in Olympic skeleton history. Considering that the difference in time between records between sliding racers is usually in the tenth or the hundredth, Yun Sungbin dominated the race without a doubt.

For many in Korea, skeleton is not a sport they are familiar with. This is mainly because there were not many competitive Korean athletes in the sport, largely due to the absence of proper facilities to support skeleton racing. However, as a result of Yun Sungbin’s stellar performance in the Olympics, more light is being shined on sliding sports, particularly skeleton.

choi min-jeong New players arise in the Korean short track speed skating scene every now and then, and now is Choi Min-jeong’s turn. Winning gold medals in both the women’s 3000 m relay and the 1500 m event, Choi Min-jeong rose as the star of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic games. Prior to the Olympics, the 19-year-old broke the world record for the 1500 m race at the ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Cup in 2016. She is currently ranked first in the world for the 500 m, 1000 m, and 1500 m short track events.

On Feb. 17, Choi Min-jeong dominated the 1500m race and won the gold medal for South Korea. Beginning the race slowly but steadily in fifth place until the second lap, she brought her speed up and came to the lead with twelve laps left. Although she soon fell behind to three skaters, with three laps left she made her burst to lead the race, creating a large distance between her and the other skaters. As she passed by the skaters ahead of her, she made sure to keep her left arm firmly behind her back in order to avoid the unfortunate penalty she was given in her 500 m race several days before, although she had come in second.

The 3000 m relay, which Choi Min-jeong participated in along with Kim Alang, Shim Suk-hee, Kim Yejin and Lee Yoo-bin, earned another gold medal for South Korea. With six laps left in the race, Kim Alang skated two laps to get ahead of the two skaters that were in front of her, altering the order of the relay. This later proved to be critical in South Korea coming in first. Choi Min-jeong finished the race, passing by the Chinese skater who was in the lead. Winning two gold medals at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics, Choi Minjeong has become the star of the Korean short track scene.

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s ’ a e Kor

Written by Hannah Kim

athletes of PyeongChang

women’s curling team By the time the Korean women’s curling team beat Japan in the semi-finals, they were already national superstars.

The team surprised the world when they came in as first in their division, and then again when they eventually won the silver medal. Not only was it their first time competing in the Olympics, but also all of the team members were born after 1990, which makes it a relatively young and inexperienced curling team.

The Korean women’s curling team quite literally came out of nowhere. At the 2017 ISU Curling World Cup, the team came in seventh, and qualified for the Olympics only because Korea was the host nation.

Gradually throughout the days of the Olympics, the women’s curling team became an online sensation. Skip

Kim Eun-jung became an icon for her large glasses and intensity during the games. “Young-mi” became a popular term as well, known both the way Team Korea communicates and the backstory of the team. Other than Young-mi herself, the four other players have personal connections to Young-mi. As the curling team began as a small after-school effort at their high school, their teamwork is particularly noteworthy.

As a result of the success of the Korean women’s curling team at the PyeongChang Olympics, a large amount of attention was given to the sport. The Olympics as a whole resulted in a diversification of interest in various winter sports, a trend that hopefully continues.

Designed by Soomin Lee

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Welcome to the ICT Hall

Written by Andrea Kwon

Amazed at the artificial intelligence machine, a foreigner gives the robot a command.

Photo by Hannah Kim

A giant chandelier hangs in the middle of the hall, attracting the attention of visitors walking by.

Photo by Fiona Cho

A giant chandelier hangs in the middle of the hall, attracting the attention of visitors walking by.

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Tiger Times PyeongChang special

Photo by Fiona Cho

A spectrum of colors light the wall filled with small yet unique photos of Korean national heritages. The robot shaped as the PyeongChang Olympic mascot Soohorang welcomes the visitors in the entrance, showing a peek of what await them in the galleries.

Built to promote information and communication technology (ICT) in Korea, the ICT hall showcases not only Korea’s an interactive platform to experience technology but also modern art. The hall was planned by the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Communication and highly promoted by South Korean technology firms, notably KT Corporation.

Highlighting the flow of K-Art, ICT hall begins with a gallery of Korean modern art as well as media art. Although the gallery has artworks from a number of rising artists, it holds much focus to the renowned media artist Paik Nam-June, filling up much of the first floor with his work. Most notably, “Turtle,” one of Paik Nam-June’s most famous works, is displayed along with chandeliers made up of antique television screens along the ceiling. The mysterious song and smoke that comes periodically brings a mystical atmosphere to the gallery.

“I thought that the ICT hall provided a really interactive way to experience Korean culture and its rising technology,” said Ashley Kim (10), a visitor of the ICT hall in mid February. “It was interesting to see such famous works at a close distance while also having fun with technology.”

Along with art, the ICT hall also provides an interactive gallery for ICT in which the visitors could first handedly experience rising technologies.

5G network, an improved network system than the current 4G system, is displayed as well, allowing visitors to experience the faster speed and better quality screens that 5G provides. The ICT hall also allows guests to use virtual reality (VR) goggles to experience virtual snowboarding and bobsleigh.

The ICT hall shows insight to the prospective future in Korea as well as the world. While the incorporation of art within the portrayal of future technology expresses modern Korean culture, the guests’ interaction to technology also adds hope for a more promising future.

the past, present, and future of Korea Written by Dawn Kim

Before there was the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics there was the 1988 Seoul Olympics. As the first Olympics held in Korea, and the second to be held in Asia, the Seoul Summer Olympics could arguably be held as one of the most pivotal events to take place in the Korean peninsula following the Korean War. Thirty years down the road, we may finally present some key comparisons between South Korea’s two Olympic games.

Hodori & Soohorang

Hodori, an Amur tiger who also served as the mascot of the 1986 Asian Games, was the official mascot of the 1988 Seoul Olympics. He was created by Korean designer Kim Hyun in 1983, and selected in a nationwide contest. Of the plethora of items produced for the Olympics, stuffed versions of the tiger were quite popular and could be most frequently seen. A fur suit of the character was created for the opening ceremony, during which Hodori rode a water ski on the Han River.

Soohorang, the official mascot of the PyeongChang Olympics, was inspired from a white tiger. Created by

five different designers in a joint effort, Soohorang was created only months prior to the Olympics. Its name is a portmanteau of “sooho,” the Korean word for protection, “horangi,” the Korean word for tiger, and “Jeongseon Arirang,” a traditional folk song originating from the Gangwon province. The character has received worldwide popularity, winning the attention of not only spectators but also Olympic champions Shawn White and Lindsey Vonn. Similarly to Hodori, stuffed versions of Soohorang are widely popular to the point of selling out on online stores.

굴렁쇠 아이 vs. 다섯 아이들 (“Gulleongsoe” Kid vs. the Five Children)

If there was one objective South Korea had during the Seoul Olympics, its greatest bid was to shed its image of being a war-torn country. When asked to recall the most memorable part of the Seoul Olympics, much of the Korean public picked the performance of the “gulleongsoe” kid.

For two minutes, spectators attending the ceremony fell

North Korean response

North Korea’s response to the Seoul Olympics was anything but friendly. The country first demanded for the joint hosting of the Olympics by the two Koreas, then attempted a boycott of the games. The most definitive and infamous action taken by North Korea is the 1987 bombing of KAL flight 858, which led to the deaths of all 115 passengers, and the 1896 bombing of Gimpo airport, which killed five and injured 33. The multiple threats of terrorism briefly jeopardized South Korea’s hold on the Olympics until then-president Roh Tae-woo gave a speech reassuring the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

silent as they watched Yoon Taewoong, a child who diagonally crossed the stadium’s grass field while rolling a hoop. The nine-year-old child, who stopped in the middle of his way to wave to the audience, was born in Sep. 30, 1981, the day when Seoul was chosen to host the 1988 Olympics. He eventually became the symbol of Korea’s hope to achieve reconciliation and peace. Taking cues from Yoon’s performance, the opening ceremony of the 2018 Olympics perpetuated the themes of harmony and convergence, portraying a winter story where five children from Gangwon-do seek passion and peace.

The PyeongChang Olympics saw a considerable increase in North and South Korean discourse. Only months before the Olympic games, representatives of the two Koreas met at Panmunjeom on Jan. 9 to discuss the North Korea’s participation in the Olympic games. North Korea ultimately sent a total of 32 athletes and over 200 cheerleaders to the Olympics. North and South Korea presented themselves as a united Korean team during the Opening Ceremony, entering as the last team according to Olympic tradition under the Korean Unification Flag.

Designed by Young-Jin Park

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National

flagpoles

Written by Fiona Cho

Not only are the Olympic Games a time to celebrate and recognize athletes from different countries, but they are also an opportunity for ordinary people from all around the world to come together and interact with one another. Whether they are from Europe, America, or Asia, the experiences of these foreigners may vary, but what connects them is the shared sense of joy and pride felt during the many emotional moments of the Olympics.

“As a foreigner living in Korea, I was so proud of the work Korea did to host the Olympics. I thought they did a great job! Volunteers were so friendly and the cultural centers in the Olympic Villages and at the different event sites were amazing. Our friends visiting from the states were really impressed. They couldn’t believe how efficient things were and how cheap it was. For example, the shuttle buses to and from events were free. It was free to park and very easy to find parking. We were given lots of free gifts as well such as free Men’s Downhill tickets from dressing in Hanboks. In [the] Olympic Village, they had a nice set-up so people could learn about Korean food, and they had samples. We even got a bag full of free Korean traditional snacks. Overall, it was a very good experience!”

Andrea Goodrich “One of the best parts of the Olympics is just the positive, encouraging energy from the crowd. I think you become extra proud of your country. I am from Canada, and we have a lot of amazing athletes, so it was really nice to see people supporting the Canadian athletes even though it is very far away from home [here]. As Canadians, we’ve always had a focus on helping young athletes, and it really shows that we care about sports and physical activity.

For instance, the Canadian government, as well as other organizations, has a lot of initiatives that try to find and promote rising athletes. Through these programs, we were able to help more people and improve [collectively], with this progress being shown from Vancouver 2010 to PyeongChang this year.”

Cindy Presse

“My experience at the Pyeongchang Olympics was great. I had a lot of fun attending events and just roaming around the general area, which was filled with people from all over the world. I think the highlight of my trip was the men’s hockey game. Although I’ve watched Olympic hockey games in the past on television, it was really different being there in person and watching the players on the ice right in front of me. I was really amazed by the level of speed and athleticism all the players displayed. Though it could get a little aggressive sometimes, for the most part everyone was calm and collected, passing in a self-assured, efficient way. Other than that, I just enjoyed staying in PyeongChang and relaxing for a few days.“

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Emma Lee (10) Tiger Times PyeongChang special

OLYMPIC CUISINE MEDALISTS Written by Jeremy Nam

GOLD Osam-Bulgogi After staying for hours in the freezing cold, the SIS group arrived at the restaurant Ken Wu Ri for lunch. There they ordered osam-bulgogi, an amalgamation of squid and korean pork belly sautéed with an assortment of vegetables, rice cakes, and marinated seasonings. The soft texture of the squid complemented the classic snap of the pork belly. The dish was accompanied by an assortment of fresh Korean banchan to balance the heaviness of the main dish, as well seasoned thistle rice––a dish that added a degree of much needed carbs to the overall osam bulgogi experience. The total fee for the meal was sky-high, not from the restaurant’s actual prices but from the SIS group feasting on this delicious dish.

SILVER Hodduk Multiple vendors throughout the Olympic village served Korean street food hodduk, golden, crispy fried batter oozing with brown sugar syrup, and boonguhbbang, fried batter filled with red bean paste in the shape of a goldfish. Unlike western batter dishes, hotteok and boonguhbbang is made with actual bread dough and yeast, not baking powder. These timeless snacks brought the Korean street food experience of eating a piping hot batter dish in the blistering cold straight to the international community. Perhaps it was the especially punishing weather of PyeongChang, or the spirit of being at such a memorable event, but this was one of the best hodduk experiences that the SIS group had.

BRONZE Hwangtaedeokjang At the mouth of the road leading up to the Olympic Village from the nearest bus stop, Hwangtaedeokjang calls to chilled and weary visitors with its open, homely wooden tables and soft morning light.

One of the most popular hwangtae (dried pollock) restaurants in the vicinity, the restaurant caters to all audiences with simple, spicy dishes such as hwangtae jjigae, saengtae (undried pollock) jjigae, fried doduk (medicinal plant) with gochuchang, and a heartwarmingly ample accompaniment of side dishes. Those of age could also enjoy their meal with a bowl of Korea traditional rice wine, or makguli. All in all, Hwangtaedeokjang is hearty in its cooking, generous in its portions, and pleasant in the way it invites visitors to celebrate Pyeongchang’s specialty.

Designed by Soomin Lee (L) Yejune Park (R)

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T

he 2020 Summer Olympics—which will run from July 24-Aug. 9—will take place in Tokyo, Japan. The Games will mark the first time the Japanese capital has hosted the Summer Olympics since 1964 (the first to ever be held in Asia). The emblem for the next Olympics has been unveiled as a circular pattern made up of rectangular shapes in indigo blue. According Tokyo 2020 organizers, the logo represents “unity in diversity” and a “refined elegance.”

The Tokyo Games will boast five more sports than the Rio Olympics to total 33, and these new categories, meant to draw a younger audience, include surfing, skateboarding, sport climbing karate, and softball/baseball. The host country also hopes to promote technological innovation by showcasing its autonomous cars, cyber security, visitor guidance by digital signage, and robots.

TOKYO SUMMER OLYMPICS 2020 22

Tiger Times PyeongChang special

Written by Yejune Park

T

he 2022 Winter Games will take place in Beijing, China. Having hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics, Beijing will be the first and only city to hold both the Summer and Winter Olympics. Organizing the Olympics requires huge infrastructure projects. Since Beijing has already played host, some facilities have already been taken care of, which will lower costs for the city. But China will still be building six new venues in addition to the six that were built back in 2008 for the Summer Games. The emblem for the Beijing Winter Olympics, which was designed by artist Lin Cunzhen, was revealed in December and features a skater atop a mountain with a skier at the mountain’s bottom. While the blue color of the logo represents “dreams, the future and the purity of ice and snow,” red and yellow (colors of China’s flag) symbolize “passion, youth and vitality.” Even though the next Winter Olympics are four years away, Beijing is already selling merchandise for the Games, with ten official retail stores open across the country.

BEIJING WINTER OLYMPICS 2022 Designed by Claire Lee

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Tiger Times PyeongChang Olympics Special Edition, April 2018