By Korea.net Honorary Reporter Myrtle Iris Villaraza from the Philippines
Photos = PyeongChang Organizing Committee

The 101-day PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic torch relay culminated on Feb. 9 at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics. Through its journey across Korea, the Olympic torch relay has revealed the country’s beauty and heritage while inviting people to the Olympics, and bringing light and cheer everywhere it went. It has made history, too, by carrying the Olympic torch in unique ways and bringing it to places the torch has never been to before. Most importantly, the Olympic torch relay, together with the Olympics Games themselves, sends us important messages.

On Oct. 24, the Olympic flame was lit at a traditional ceremony held in the city of Olympia in Greece. It then travelled around Greece for eight days before being flown on a plane to Korea. It arrived at Incheon International Airport on Nov. 1, marking the start of its nationwide journey.

The relay took place in 17 cities and provinces in Korea, highlighting each location's distinctive traits and features. The journey covered a total distance of 2,018 km. This represented 2018, the year of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. The Olympic torch graced Incheon Metropolitan City, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, Busan Metropolitan City, Ulsan Metropolitan City, South Gyeongsang Province, South Jeolla Province, Gwangju Metropolitan City, North Jeolla Province, South Chungcheong Province, Daejeon Metropolitan City, Sejong Special Self-Governing City, North Chungcheong Province, North Gyeongsang Province, Daegu Metropolitan City, Gyeonggi Province, Seoul Metropolitan City and Gangwon Province.



An impressive Olympic torch relay

The Olympic torch relay in Korea has made remarkable accomplishments. For example, it was the first time that the Olympic torch has been on a warship. This happened in Changwon, where the torch rode Munmu the Great, a destroyer that serves as a guard of Korean waters. Then in Tongyeong, the torch traveled on a turtle ship. This vessel was a reconstruction of a turtle ship made 27 years ago in honor of Admiral Yi Sun-Shin, who used turtle ships to successfully drive away invaders in the 16th century. In Buyeo, the torch was also carried on a Hwangpo sailboat, a traditional boat. The turtle ship and the Hwangpo sailboat are unique watercraft that can only be found in Korea.

During the relay in Jeju, the torch was brought underwater. This was the third time in the entire history of the Olympics that the Olympic flame was brought underwater, with the first time being in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia for the Sydney 2000 Olympic torch relay, and the second being in Lake Baikal in Russia for the Sochi 2014 Olympic torch relay. The relay in Jeju also made history as a robot carried the Olympic torch for the first time. It was carried by Crabster, a Korea-made deep sea exploration robot. Weeks later, other robots, including a humanoid robot called Hubo, also participated in the Olympic torch relay in Daejeon.

Cities and provinces involved in the relay prepared special events and activities to honor the Olympic flame. For example, on Day 20, people in Suncheon, South Jeolla Province, performed a traditional dance called a Ganggangsullae. By tradition, it's done during the full moon to pray for a plentiful harvest. However, on that particular day, it was performed to pray for the success of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics.

“Let Everyone Shine”



Despite knowing about the Olympic torch relay and the Olympics, some people might still wonder, “Why should I support the Olympic torch relay and the Olympic Games? How are the Olympics important or connected to me?” Actually, each one of us is part of the Olympic torch relay and the Olympics, even those from countries that are not participating in the Games this winter in Pyeongchang.

The Olympic torch relay for the PyeongChang 2018 Games carried the slogan, “Let Everyone Shine” (모두를 빛나게 하는 불꽃), and it truly lived up to this. The journey involved 7,500 torchbearers composed of achievers and dreamers from different walks of life: men, women, young, old, athletes, show business celebrities, public servants, noteworthy citizens and more.

Do you know why exactly 7,500 people were chosen? These 7,500 torchbearers represented the 75 million people living in both North and South Korea. According to PyeongChang2018.com, “A total of 7,500 runners were selected in the hopes that the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games would be an opportunity for the two Koreas to take steps toward achieving peace and reconciliation.” As the 7,500 torchbearers carried the Olympic flame, we were also filled with hope that the two Koreas would someday be one again, and together inspire nations worldwide to work toward peace and harmony.

In addition, out of the 101 days of the Olympic torch relay, 13 days were dedicated to the #RelayForEveryone campaign, in which the Olympic torch further let everyone shine by also visiting people who should be embraced instead of ignored by society. They were Korean war veterans, North Korean defectors, refugees, elderly people who live alone, the oldest person in the country, ailing people, child breadwinners, vulnerable children, generous donors, large families, multicultural families and foreign workers. By including these inspiring people in the journey, the Olympic torch relay also empowered other people who share the same stories from around the globe.

Last, but not least, the Olympics promote hope and harmony. As explained in an article on Olympic.org, “The Olympic Games are of course first and foremost about sports and the athletes. However, the Olympic Games also always carry a greater significance for humankind because in our troubled times, they are the only event that brings the world together in peaceful competition. The Olympic Games are always a symbol of hope and peace. The Olympic Games are universal. They stand above and beyond for all the differences that divide us. In our fragile world that seems to be drifting apart, the Olympic Games have the power to unite humanity in all its diversity.” As one of the biggest sporting events in the world, the Olympics encourage nations to put their differences aside, and let respect and friendship rise above.

Now, even if the Olympic torch relay has already ended, you can still relive its journey as the torch spread light and happiness everywhere. You can visit its official website and Facebook page for more information. Don’t forget to support the Olympic and Paralympic Games until the end!

By supporting the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Games, whether you watch the Games in person or watch the broadcasts on TV, you won’t just feel excited and happy, but, more importantly, you'll feel fulfilled for being part of a bigger purpose: that is, taking a step together toward a more peaceful and harmonious world through the successful celebration of sports.

PyeongChang 2018, fighting!

wisdom117@korea.kr

* This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.