There is something completely different about watching the Olympics when you are living in the country you are rooting for — and the 2010 Winter Games gave us the best of both worlds.
Today marked the kickoff to the 2010 games and being in South Korea we feel a certain sense of pride rooting for the “home” team. While I certainly do want to see the states do well as always, its exciting to follow some of the South Korean athletes on their quest for gold in these Olympics as well.
I did a blog recently on the bobsled team which will be competing in their first games ever this year but the South Korean team has a few more names that are worth a watch as you tune in this year.
You’ve probably heard of Yu-Na Kim (Kim Yu-na), the figure skater. She’s been pegged as the overall favorite for gold in these games with her massive world title victory last year. The South Korean’s boast the strongest short track team in the world which was proven yet again in the last winter olympics where they cleaned up taking 6 of 8 golds in the sport. Lee Ho-Suk and Kwak Yoon-Gy will are the ones to watch in theshort track events.
On the women’s side SoKo, check out Kim Min-Jung who won medals at the World Championships in 2009. She’s a medal favorite in the relay events this year as well.
Lee Kang-Seok and Lee Kyu-Yulk are considered favorites to medal in the man’s long track speed skating events. Both finished 1 and 2 respectively at the 2009 worlds.
This years South Korean team is the largest team ever sent by the country and its gonna be exciting to see how it all goes down.
if (WIDGETBOX) WIDGETBOX.renderWidget(‘daa0b1a0-befb-4ac6-af9d-41c89e53d77b’as they say with fists raised high…..FIGHTING!!!!!!
…and thanks for reading,
adam
Exclusive Winter Olympics news & widgets at NBC Olympics.com!
Q: How did South Korea perform at the 2010 Winter Olympics? A: South Korea sent its largest ever Olympic team to the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games. The country dominated short track speed skating as expected — having claimed 6 of 8 gold medals in the sport at the previous Winter Olympics. Yu-Na Kim delivered one of the most celebrated figure skating performances in Olympic history winning gold and setting a world record that still stands as one of the greatest in the sport.
Q: Who was Yu-Na Kim and why was she so important to Korea? A: Kim Yu-Na is arguably the greatest figure skater South Korea has ever produced and one of the most beloved athletes in the country’s history. Going into the 2010 Vancouver Games she was the reigning World Champion and overwhelming favorite for gold. Her performance at those games was considered near perfect and she became a national icon whose influence on Korean culture extended far beyond sport.
Q: What is South Korea’s strongest Winter Olympic sport? A: Short track speed skating is South Korea’s dominant winter sport and one of the most exciting events at any Winter Olympics. The Korean team’s combination of technical skill, tactical racing and sheer competitive ferocity has made them the most successful nation in the history of the discipline with dozens of Olympic gold medals across multiple Games.
Q: What is it like watching the Olympics while living in South Korea? A: Unlike anything we have experienced anywhere else. The national pride and collective excitement surrounding Korean athletes — especially in short track and figure skating — is electric. Every cafe, restaurant and home has the Games on and cheering alongside locals who genuinely live and breathe these moments is one of the most memorable things about expat life in Korea.
Q: What is the Korean word for fighting used as encouragement? A: 화이팅 or 파이팅 — pronounced “Fighting” — is one of the most commonly used expressions of encouragement in Korea. It is shouted at sporting events, used between friends before exams or challenges and heard constantly during the Olympics. It is the Korean equivalent of “you’ve got this” and once you hear it you will never forget it.
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