The Olympics is the biggest sports competition in the world. The Winter Olympics happens every four years. This year, the Olympics are a little more special for me, because they are being held in PyeongChang, South Korea.
You see, I’m half Korean, and so it has been really fun to watch the Olympics and see Korea on tv and hear them talk about its culture.
One of the most iconic parts of the Olympics is the Opening Ceremony and lighting the Olympic flame. I enjoy watching the march of nations when the athletes from each country walk out together carrying their country’s flag.
This year, South Korea and North Korea walked out together carrying a Unification flag. This was meaningful for many Koreans, but there were also a lot of people who were not happy, because North Korea is still a dictatorship with some of the worst human rights in the world. Many families were separated from each other when the Korean War ended and Korea was split into two, but as my Grandmother says, “We are all one people.” When the Olympic flame was lit, two athletes from South and North Korea carried the torch together to the top of the stadium.
Another really cool part of the Opening Ceremony was when 1,218 drones with lights flew together in the shape of a snowboarder and then turned into the 5 rings that are the symbol of the Olympics. I’m not sure who was driving each of the drones, but it was a world record for the number of drones!
My favorite sport is watching the figure skating. Every country has a sport that it’s obsessed with. Brazil loves Fútbol and India loves cricket. Korea loves speed skating. Korea has won 53 medals in the Winter Olympics and 42 of them have been in speed skating. On Saturday, Lim Hyo-jun, who is a speed skater, won the first Gold medal for Korea. The crowd was going crazy! (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/10/sports/olympics/south-korea-speedskating-gold-medal.html)
Just as cool, as I’m writing this blog, I’m watching Chloe Kim, my new favorite, win a Gold medal in the halfpipe snowboard for USA. She just flipped 1080 degrees! That's 3 full turns in the air! She is an American who was born in California and whose parents are from Korea.
So if I don’t respond to your texts or emails the next couple of weeks, it’s probably because I will be watching a lot of Olympics and doing a lot of cheering for the USA and for Korea. I can’t wait to watch more ice dancing!
Hi minionsrule!12,
ReplyDeleteI loved all the excitement for the olympics within your post. Do you like the summer olympics or the winter olympics better?
Sincerely, cole sprout
minionsrule!12-
ReplyDeleteI love how passionate you are about the Winter Olympics, and your writing was very detailed. I also like watching ice skating, it is one of my favorite events to watch, and so I can relate to your excitement. You talked about the opening ceremony, but what are your thoughts on the closing ceremony? Is it not as cool?
-Slim Celery
Dear minionsrule!12,
ReplyDeleteI like how you talked about how you enjoy watching figure skating. Do you think watching the Summer Olympics or Winter Olympics is more interesting?
Sincerely,
ILikeFood
Dear minionsrule!12,
ReplyDeleteI really liked reading your blog post because to me I just turn on the Olympics and think really nothing of it and I do not have any strong connection to it but you have a real connection to the Olympics this year then most people can say they do.
What did you feel when you found out the Olympics was going to be held in PyeongChang?
Sincerely,
LoveAndGelato
Dear minionsrule!12,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed how in your blog post you talked about how North and South Korea walked out together with the unification flag. I know that I was thinking about what Koreans would think, I know I went back and forth. One question I have for you is; How did you feel about the Koreas opening with the unification flag?
Sincerely,
Purplesealsonpluto
Dear colesprout,
ReplyDeleteI actually probably enjoy the Summer Olympics more, because I also like watching sports like gymnastics, synchronized swimming, ping pong, Taekwondo, and surfing (that is coming in 2020). Even sports like volleyball can be fun to watch every four years : ) Thanks for reading my blog and for your most interesting question.
From,
Minionsrule!12
Dear minionsrule!12,
ReplyDeleteI thought your blog post was really fun to read, while also talking about more serious topics (like when North Korea and South Korea carried a unification flag together). I usually watch the Summer Olympics more, but this year I watched some of the Winter Olympics and I thought they were pretty awesome! What is your favorite sport to watch in the Summer Olympics?
Thanks,
Soccer4life4415
Hello minionsrule!12,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed how much you expressed your passion for the Olympics. I can definitely relate, as I feel the same way when I see athletes like Shaun White, or Lindsay Vonn, doing what they do best. When do you first remember following the Olympics with a self-formed passion like this (as in I was sorta forced to watch the 2012 Games by my parents)?
minionsrule!12, I thought this blog was very interesting. I like how you talked about the olympics. I also like how you made this blog personal to you and talked about how you are Korean. What is your favorite olympic sport?
ReplyDelete-Pemma?