The PyeongChang 2018 Olympics are less than 100 days away.
On the brink of this grand, global sports festival, the public’s interest in winter
sports is also rising.
Now we zoom in on the passion and anticipation of the upcoming winter Olympics displayed
on the ice.
This is an indoor ice link in Gyeonggi-do Province.
Since its opening in 2003, this link has been a great spot for locals to spend their leisure
time.
On one side of the rink, some young skaters are practicing marching in place wearing protective
gear and skates.
This class is run by the Korea Skating Union to support and encourage the sports activities
of adolescents.
In the class, the students get to learn the basics of skating for two hours daily for
four weeks.
Their passion is burning as the Olympics are approaching.
(Korean) "We’re running short courses on some 20
ice rinks across the country, and the public’s interest is increasing with the Olympics approaching."
The students are skating on the ice...
Though they are just beginners, they seem to be fully mesmerized by skating.
(Korean) "As a beginner, I suffered from foot pain
and had a hard time learning how to walk in skates.
Nevertheless, learning something with new people is fun."
(Korean) "It’s hard to keep my balance on ice, but
it’s really fun, not to mention beautiful.
That’s why I love skating."
The number of winter sports clubs is increasing at the same time.
As of the end of 2017, there were a total of 743 winter sports club registered in the
Korean Sport and Olympic Committee with nearly 30,000 members.
A considerable number of the members join the clubs in anticipation for the PyeongChang
2018 Olympics.
All the figure skating clubs have seen a drastic increase in membership from 5 years ago, thanks
to the Korean figure skating queen Kim Yuna.
Hwang Il-hae and Kim Mi-yang ( & ) fell into ice dancing after turning 40.
Some 40 members of the gathering borrow an ice rink to practice three times a month.
(Korean) "I began ice dancing because it offered a
much more amusing way of enjoying skating with music and dance."
(Korean) "It’s very refreshing to sweat in the cold.
It’s a seasonal trait of winter."
Every year, an average of 50,000 people visit ski slopes, and there are as many as 480 skiing
clubs across the country.
The challenge is winter is short, and most ski slopes are located in the countryside,
making it hard for people to enjoy skiing frequently.
Some places incorporate virtual reality into skiing to attract skiers.
Standing on the simulator in ski boots, the speed and thrill of skiing can be experienced.
(Korean) "I’m skiing indoors today, but it doesn’t
feel much different from ordinary, outdoor skiing and is a very good exercise.
It’s great."
This place also displays the immense interest in the upcoming Olympics.
Here visitors can ride the Olympic courses, including the downhill, the slalom, and the
giant slalom.
Allowing people to ski all season, these sites are creating a new way of spending leisure
time.
(Korean) "Many aspiring athletes come to ski here,
and ski club members also come to this place after work on weekdays to quench their thirst
for skiing and snowboarding."
Short winter and lack of facilities have long been a major challenge for Korean winter sports.
With all the efforts made for the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics, it looks like winter sports
in Korea will undergo major change... for the better of course.