Gangwon preps cultural Olympics
CHUNCHEON, Gangwon - The regional government of Gangwon said it is determined to offer the best cultural experiences to visitors during the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.The province, where the host city of Pyeongchang, some 180 kilometers (111 miles) east of Seoul, and two sub-host cities Gangneung and Jeongseon are located, has already been running 41 cultural programs - 11 in the run-up to the event, and 30 during the Olympics and Paralympics - with a budget of 58.2 billion won ($52.9 million).
The Olympics will be held from Feb. 9 to 25 and the Paralympics from March 9-18 next year under the slogan “Passion. Connected.” A dozen venues in those cities will stage seven sports across 15 disciplines.
On Dec. 21 and Jan. 10, there will be congratulatory events, including art, musical performances and fireworks, at the Olympic Stadium in PyeongChang to mark the 50-day and 30-day countdowns, respectively.
From Feb. 3-24, a nonverbal show that combines Gangwon Province’s unique culture and stories with technology will be performed twice a day at the Haeram Culture Center of Gangneung-Wonju National University. During the Olympics, a concert will be held at the university every Saturday.
From Jan. 30-Feb. 16, the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Music Festival will take place both at the Gangneung Art Center and the Seoul Arts Center.
The Gangwon International Biennale 2018 will run from Feb. 3 to March 18 under the theme of “The Dictionary of Evil.” Around 100 pieces of art will be presented by 60 teams of artists from 20 countries on topics ranging across such topics as political crises, refugees, violence, immigration, identity, war and power.
Meanwhile, the streets of the host cities will be adorned with “welcoming” lights that run as long as 54 kilometers. A slew of outdoor festivals showcasing, among other things, traditional Korean culture will take place until the Paralympics end in March.
During the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Festival, which will run from Dec. 22 to Feb. 25, visitors can experience traditional winter activities, such as riding a wooden sleigh and catching fish through ice holes. Cooking sessions will teach foreign visitors how to make local delicacies. People will also be able to make snow sculptures and run in a half-naked marathon.
Yonhap
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)