Olympic podium channels Korean architecture

This year’s Olympic podium has been inspired by traditional Korean stone roof tiles and decorative coloring used on wooden buildings. [JOONGANG ILBO]

This year’s Olympic champions will receive their medals while standing atop white podiums, inspired by the appearance of snow blanketing traditional Korean stone roof tiles known as giwa. The lower part of the podium is also inspired by dancheong, or traditional Korean decorative coloring used on wooden buildings and artifacts. The podium, which was designed by Han Kyung-woo, professor of installation art at Seoul National University of Science and Technology, is also modular in design. The Paralympic podiums feature sloped sides to provide easy wheelchair access. “It took me more than six months to design the podium,” Han said. “I tried my best to incorporate Korean aesthetic culture.”

The theme music to be played during the medal-awarding ceremony has been composed by Cho Young-soo and will include elements of both traditional Korean music and electronic dance music, said Cho, who has written songs for various well-known K-pop groups such as T-ara and SG Wannabe.