PyeongChang 2018 Victory Ceremonies details were unveiled yesterday at the Press Center in Seoul. The first Victory Ceremonies will take place at the PyeongChang Olympic Plaza on February 10.

Attending guests and media got the first look at the Victory Ceremonies host uniform, the awards tray and medallist gifts. They also got to hear the special ceremony music that will be played at each of the 103 Olympic and 80 Paralympic Victory Ceremonies.

The Victory Ceremonies host and tray bearer’s outfits – often seen as a highlight of the ceremony – follow the theme of the Olympic medals in its traditional style and Korean influence. The bold colours of red, white and blue have been used to symbolise the Korean flag and express the host nation’s identity. It consists of traditional Korean winter clothes, with a snowflake pattern and the Korean alphabet incorporated, which are aesthetically Korean and also very practical for the cold winter weather. There are two sets of outfits made with quilting or padding – for snow and ice sports; and a design for men and women at each. The skirt/trousers and coat are all given a hat and scarf as accessories to complete the look. The hat known as the pungcha (풍차) is a modern interpretation of the traditional style, which has been created in collaboration with artist OH Hwa-jin.

The podium on which the medallists will proudly stand upon is another symbol of Korean tradition and design. It has been inspired by the traditional ‘giwa (기와)’ roof tiles, and ‘dancheong (단청)’, which is a traditional painting seen on wooden buildings in Korea that have been adapted to use the Olympic look colours. The overarching white colour reflects the white snowflakes and snow plains of PyeongChang. The podium structure is modular in design to account for its weight and ease of mobility when installing it at venues and in the Medal Plaza. The design also incorporates wheelchair access for athletes and medal presenters that require it.

Victorious athletes at both the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will be recognised at the venue immediately after the end of competition; then again at the PyeongChang Medal Plaza that evening as part of a wider cultural celebration.

The gift that will be presented to medallists at the Olympic venue ceremony along with their medal is a special version of the mascot doll that is inspired by Uhsahwa – a traditional gift that was given to those who passed the state exams to become government officials. The hat reflects the gold, silver and bronze of the medal being awarded, and the outfit reflects the gold of the king, the red of the three ministries and the blue of government officers of the dynasty. Soohorang will be given out during the Olympic Winter Games.

At the Olympic Victory Ceremony, they will be presented with a unique wooden gift that combines the Korean alphabet hangul and the mountainous scenery of PyeongChang. The 3-dimensional creation shows the mountains from the front and side view, while a view from above shows the hangul mould to spell out PyeongChang 2018 in the official Games motif. At the Paralympic Victory Ceremony, Bandabi with Uhsahwa will be presented during the Paralympic Winter Games.

The gifts will be presented from a special ceremony tray, which includes a non-slip surface and special grips for better stability in the cold weather. The simple design also reflects the traditional housing motif like the podium.

LEE Hee-beom, President of the PyeongChang 2018 Organizing Committee said, “The unveiling of our venue and victory ceremony details today is another exciting step towards the start of the Games in February. The design of all the elements we have shown today are unique to Korea and a great way to share some more of our culture with the world. We hope that the gifts, along with our wonderful medal designs, will be cherished by all the medallists who receive them.”

The Victory Ceremonies for both Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will begin the day after the Opening Ceremony of each Games and will take place at the PyeongChang Olympic Plaza between 7-9pm every day. All ticket holders for that day are invited to join in the celebrations and witness the world’s best winter sports athletes standing proud on the podium. The ceremony will include special music created to give a victorious feel to the proceedings, and to express the joy and elation of the athletes.

A wide selection of cultural performances will be held each evening before and after the Ceremonies for the athletes, their families and all the spectators to enjoy. These will include K-pop, cheerleading, military band performances, drone shows, cultural performances from Gangwon Province and each night will end with fireworks.