The Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 medals were officially unveiled today in Seoul. The medals reflect the traditions and culture of the host nation, the Republic of Korea; something that all athletes who step onto the podium next February will treasure in the years ahead.
Medal Design
Korean culture is at the heart of the design. Hangeul, the Korean alphabet and the foundation of Korean culture - has been incorporated into the design of the medals (as it has also been used in the Games emblems and pictograms). A series of consonants have been selected to symbolize the effort of athletes from around the world who bring their youth, solidarity and national heritage together to compete on the stage of PyeongChang 2018. The official slogan of the PyeongChang 2018 Games - ‘Passion Connected’ – also embodies this belief and the Olympic values; excellence, friendship and respect.
The two-dimensional consonants have been turned into three-dimensional figures and cut into cylindrical forms to complete the design that shows the sporting discipline and event. The front of the medal bears dynamic diagonal lines symbolizing both the history of the Olympics and the determination of the participants. The back of the medal features the sports discipline and event alongside the Games’ emblem.
The ribbon from which the medal hangs is an equally important part of the design and has been created using the traditional Gapsa textile of Korea. The light teal and light red ribbon is embroidered with Hangeul patterns and other designs to represent the delicate and refined beauty of Korea.
The gold, silver and bronze medals will all be kept safe and secure in a beautiful case that takes its design inspiration from the curves of Korean architecture and has a wooden finish, like so many of the temples and buildings in the countryside.
The medals were designed by LEE Suk-woo, an industrial designer from Korea. He has a long list of awards and accolades to his name including one of the Top 10 design concept consultants in the 2015 Red Dot Design Awards and was selected as the next-generation leader of Korea by Forbes in 2013.
Launch Event - Seoul
Distinguished guests, local athletes, and media gathered early this morning to witness the unveiling of the medals with just 141 days to go until the Olympic Flame ignites the cauldron in the Olympic Plaza during the Opening Ceremony on February 9. POCOG President LEE Hee-beom opened proceedings before a video of the medal design and production was shown.
LEE Hee-beom, POCOG President said, "The launch of the Olympic Winter Games medals today is a proud moment for us all with less than five months to go until the first Gold medal will be awarded.
"The medals are a wonderful compilation of our culture, tradition and the Olympic values. We wanted the medal to be a symbol of Korea and all the wonderful memories that the athletes will take home from their time here.
"From the case, to the ribbon, to the medals themselves - it has been designed with care and creativity, and we are very excited to see the athlete's passion and pride when they are presented on the podiums at PyeongChang."
The medals were officially revealed on stage by Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism DO Jong-whan, Vice-Governor of Gangwon Province SONG Suk-doo, POCOG President LEE Hee-beom, Honorary Ambassadors JUNG Chan-woo (comedian) and Sean (K-pop singer and philanthropist), and youth athletes of ski jumping (YANG Seung-wook), short track speed skating (NAM Hyun-wool) and curling (LEE Hee-seong) who had been selected to represent the future of Korean winter sports.
Designer of the medals LEE Suk-woo explained, “I was very proud to be selected as the designer of these wonderful Olympic medals for the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games and to see them unveiled to the world today is a wonderful occasion. I have worked on many projects over my career but this is particularly special as they represent my homeland, but they also represent a celebration and a lifetime of hard work and dedication for all the athletes who will receive and cherish them.”
The event was held at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), which is considered to be an iconic building and center of the fashion hub of modern Seoul. From today until Sunday, DDP will be hosting a public design exhibition and the Olympic Winter Games medals will be one of the star attractions for everyone to come and see. Alongside the medal display, there will be a host of Games-related activities for all the family to enjoy including a chance to experience some of the latest technology to be used at the Games.
Running simultaneously with the Seoul event, but 11,000km apart, was a special evening in New York City at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Wednesday evening (EDT). The evening was titled “PyeongChang 2018 at the Met: Celebrating the Olympic Winter Games for Peace” and was held with the attendance of the President MOON Jae-in of the Republic of Korea, who is visiting the city for the United Nations General Assembly.
Invited guests enjoyed performances by Korean artists during dinner, after which President MOON gave an address to the audience before the medals were unveiled on stage. Games ambassador and renowned Korean opera singer JO Sumi sang three songs as a farewell and closing for the evening.
President MOON has expressed his commitment to the Olympic Games since his candidature days. He was appointed as an Honorary Ambassador on July 24 marking 200-days-to-go and has since been actively promoting the Games.
After the medal unveiling, PyeongChang 2018 will spark more anticipation towards the Games as the lighting of the Olympic Flame begins on October 24 at the site of the ancient Olympics in Olympia, Greece. As PyeongChang celebrates many more milestones to come, don’t forget to get your tickets and check out the full Olympic Games schedule at https://tickets.pyeongchang2018.com/. Ticket holders will be able to have the full ‘PyeongChang experience’ and have access to the free Games public transport system and also get free access to the Olympic Park and Olympic Plaza where they can spend a full day out to experience a wide range of cultural activities, try new sports, see the Olympic Flame burning in the cauldron, watch live coverage of the Games and concerts at the live sites, and enjoy so much more!
