The Seoul Olympics mascot, Hodori, was introduced for the 1988 Summer Olympics held in Seoul, South Korea. Hodori, a tiger, was chosen as the official mascot to represent the country's culture and heritage. The name Hodori is derived from the Korean word "ho" which means tiger, and "dori" which means boy. With his cheerful and friendly personality, Hodori quickly became a beloved symbol of the Seoul Olympics. Hodori was designed to reflect the warm and hospitable nature of the Korean people. He stood at approximately 1.
Olympic mascots white tiger, bear inspired by Korean origin story
SEOUL, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- Meet Soohorang and Bandabi, the mascots of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
Cute, rounded and full of beans, a snowy white tiger called Soohorang and his kindly looking friend Bandabi the bear may be among the most lovable mascots in the history of the Games.
AdvertisementLee Hee-gon, head of Mass C&G, which developed the mascots, said it was all about making the characters come to life through various forms of storytelling.
"Suhorang is strong and fearless with a spirit of challenge. He is also full of curiosity and loves people in general. He's resilient in the cold and likes winter sports," Lee told UPI.
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The energetic white tiger's name is a portmanteau of the Korean words for protection (sooho) and tiger (horang-i). The tiger has been associated with Korean people throughout history, appearing in folklore as well as paintings and sculptures.
AdvertisementSoohorang is in fact the second tiger to serve as an Olympic mascot in South Korea. At the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, the official mascot was a red Siberian tiger called Hodori.
Lee said his team did feel some pressure designing another tiger given Hodori's popularity. However, they took inspiration from the former mascot's minimalistic but powerful features. "You can say the spirit of Hodori lives on in Soohorang. The designer of Hodori, Mr. Kim Hyun was a member of the advisory committee and he gave us valuable pointers," he said.
Meanwhile, Bandabi, the Paralympic mascot, was inspired by the symbolic animal of Gangwon Province, the wider region where Pyeongchang is located.
"Bandabi has a big heart full of warmth. His merits are strong will, endurance and courage. Also, she is trustworthy with a solid personality. She lives in Gangwon-do where the mountains meet the sea and also enjoys winter sports," Lee said.
His name is a combination of bandal, meaning half-moon, and bi, which means celebration in Korean.
While previous Winter Games tended to spotlight the Olympic mascot, the Pyeongchang Games gives equal weight to Paralympic mascot Bandabi to tell a story of friendship.
The symbolic significance of the tiger and the bear and their companionship dates back millenniums to the mythical founding of the Korean nation.
AdvertisementAccording to the legend, a bear and tiger lived in a cave together and prayed to the heavens to become human beings. After receiving the mission to keep out of daylight and eat sacred food for a given time, the tiger gave up after about 20 days. However, the bear persisted and turned into a woman, and gave birth to the founder of Korea.
The tiger and the bear's contrasting personalities in the age-old tale strike up a harmonious balance, inspiring the chemistry between the two Olympic mascots.
"Soohorang is always curious and easily excitable, bounding left and right, but Bandabi is calm and collected, holding Soohorang back by the hand," Lee said.
Coming up with the characters took considerable time but developing the designs took more than two years of trial and error.
The two mascots had to be optimized for different angles, dimensions and movements to feature in various media platforms.
Lee said an Olympic or Paralympic mascot has never been so digitally advanced.
Through emoticons, virtual reality games, action-packed animations and life-size figures on the streets, Soohorang and Bandabi display scores of varying emotions and movements, kitted with nifty equipment for every sports category in the Games.
Advertisement"3D animations require detail to the point where you can pick up each and every hair on the character while making its movements smooth and dynamic. In reverse, if you flatten 3D characters into emoticons, they look awkward as they should be simple while very expressive, with smooth lines and movements," Lee said.
"Everything had to be simplified but also abundant in expression. We had to take these contrasting factors and make them compatible," he said.
The end result was a sleek and dynamic duo with a burst of cheer and charm.
With the Olympics looming, Soohorang and Bandabi have seen roaring popularity among South Koreans.
They appear on subway screens, the back of city buses and life-size figures of them stand in public areas.
The 200,000 sets of limited edition emoticons released last year were all snapped up in a matter of hours.
More than 100,000 official mascot dolls have been sold, the PyeongChang Olympic Organizing Committee said last week.
Lee said it is now time for Soohorang and Bandabi to shine as the Olympics begins but he hopes their legacy will continue long after the Games are over.
"Japan has the moving cat, China has the Panda but Korea doesn't have a symbolic animal. But now, given the public's affection for Hodori and Soohorang, we can say for sure that the tiger represents our country," he said.
AdvertisementThe International Olympic Committee holds the licensing rights to the mascots and gaining permission to use them is likely to prove tricky but Lee remains hopeful for a breakthrough.
"Soohorang and Bandabi will live on."
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He stood at approximately 1.83 meters tall and was dressed in a traditional Korean attire known as "hanbok". Hodori's bright colors and playful expression showcased his energetic and enthusiastic personality.
Olympic mascots symbolize protection, harmony
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By Hur SomEe and Kim Young Shin
The two official mascots of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are Soohorang the white tiger and Bandabi the Asiatic black bear.
The name Soohorang is a portmanteau of sooho and rang. Sooho, meaning "protection" in Korean, symbolizes the protection offered to the athletes, spectators and other participants in the Winter Games. Rang comes from the middle syllable of the Korean word for tiger, ho-rang-ee. It's also the last syllable in the name of a famous folk song from the nearby town of Jeongseon, the song "Arirang."
Soohorang, the mascot for the Olympic Winter Games, has white fur embellished with black triangular patterns and the PyeongChang Olympics emblem on its chest.
The white tiger is the successor of Hodori, the orange tiger mascot of the Seoul 1988 Summer Olympics. Tigers are traditionally familiar animals on the Korean Peninsula. Folklore has it that white tigers, in particular, appear as guardians that looked after the people in the village.
Following the Olympic Winter Games from Feb. 9 to 25 will be the Paralympic Winter Games from March 9 to 18. The Paralympic mascot is Bandabi the Asiatic black bear. That species of bear is also a symbol for the province of Gangwon-do.
Bandabi has dark gray fur and a white half-moon marking on its chest.
Its name is a compound of the word banda, from the bear's name in Korean, and bi ("bee"), which stands for the celebration of the Games.
The bear appears in the foundational myth of the Korean people, and is another animal very familiar to folklore and stories across the Korean Peninsula. Korea's foundational myth says that a bear locked itself in a cave for 100 days, living only on garlic and mugwort. It endured this because it wanted to become human. To many people, bears are seen as warm-hearted, trustworthy and have strong willpower, which resembles the spirit of the Paralympic Games.
Olympic mascots wearing traditional Joseon hats will be presented to the champions at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. (PyeongChang Organizing Committee)
Soohorang and Bandabi will accompany the champions at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
As well as their winning medals, champions here will also be presented with mascots wearing traditional Joseon hats. The hats are decorated with traditional eosahwa paper flowers. These were presented to the top scorers on state examinations by Joseon monarchs.
Tags
- PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games
- Soohorang
- Bandabi
Seoul olympics mascot
Since the 1972 Munich Games, mascots have been a regular fixture at the Olympics with each host country selecting something that reflects its particular culture. And for South Korea, that honor went to a white tiger that was named Soohorang. Today is Valentine's Day and Soohorang clearly has plenty of admirers who are clamoring to have pictures taken with it and get a piece or two of candy.
While many might have the view the feline as a fearsome beast, that's not the case for the white tiger in South Korea, where it is a familiar figure in Korean folktales as a symbol of trust, strength and protection. This was not the first time that South Korea had chosen a tiger for a mascot: when the the country hosted its first Olympic Games in 1988 in Seoul, an orange Amur tiger named "Hodori" was used as the mascot.
Fans meet Soohorang the mascot on day two of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Olympic Sliding Center on February 11, 2018. /VCG Photo
Fans meet Soohorang the mascot on day two of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Olympic Sliding Center on February 11, 2018. /VCG Photo
Now in 2018, it's Soohorang's turn. The name of the animal is also significant as Sooho is the Korean word for protection while Rang means tiger and appears in "Jeongseon Arirang," the traditional folk music of Gangwon Province where PyeongChang is located, while its white color connects to the snow and ice of winter sports. Soohorang has been a hit everywhere it goes, capturing the attention of children, adults, spectators, athletes, and even security personnel.
The 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics mascot Soohorang (R) and Paralympics mascot Bandabi. /VCG PhotoThe 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics mascot Soohorang (R) and Paralympics mascot Bandabi. /VCG Photo
Being a symbol of the Olympics is no easy task as Soohorang is in constant demand, and with Feb. 14 being Valentine's Day, that meant some extra work as the tiger made its way around the Main Press Center dispensing hugs, posing for pictures, and handing out candies to the people telling the stories of the 23rd Winter Games.
As the official mascot, Hodori played a vital role in promoting the Olympic Games and engaging with both local and international audiences. He appeared in various promotional events, merchandise, and educational materials, becoming a recognizable and endearing symbol of the Olympics. Hodori's presence also helped to boost the morale of athletes and spectators during the Games. His friendly and approachable demeanor made him a favorite among children, who enjoyed interacting with him and taking pictures. The success of Hodori as the Seoul Olympics mascot has left a lasting legacy in the world of Olympic mascots. His popularity inspired future Olympic host cities to create mascots that embody the spirit and culture of their respective countries. In conclusion, the Seoul Olympics mascot, Hodori, is an iconic symbol of the 1988 Summer Olympics. With his friendly and energetic persona, Hodori brought joy and enthusiasm to the Games, leaving a lasting impression on both athletes and spectators..
Reviews for "How Seoul Olympics Mascot Inspired a Generation of Athletes"
1. John - 2 stars:
I found the Seoul Olympics mascot to be underwhelming and uninspiring. The design of Hodori, the tiger mascot, lacked creativity and failed to capture the excitement and spirit of the games. The mascot lacked any distinctive features and looked more like a generic cartoon character rather than a representation of the Olympics. Overall, I was disappointed with the mascot and felt it did not live up to the expectations of such a prestigious event.
2. Sarah - 1 star:
I couldn't understand the concept behind the Seoul Olympics mascot, Hodori. The design was confusing and didn't seem to have a clear message or purpose. The color choice was also unappealing, and the mascot looked more like a poorly drawn cartoon character than a symbol of the Olympics. I was expecting something more iconic and memorable, but Hodori fell short of my expectations. Overall, I believe the Seoul Olympics mascot was a missed opportunity to create a truly remarkable and unforgettable symbol for the games.
3. David - 2 stars:
I found the Seoul Olympics mascot to be quite forgettable. The design of Hodori lacked uniqueness and failed to make a lasting impression. The mascot lacked any distinct features or characteristics that would make it stand out. The choice of a tiger as the mascot was also quite cliché and didn't feel particularly representative of Seoul or South Korea. Overall, I found the mascot to be average at best and did not leave a lasting impression on me as a viewer of the games.
The Cultural Significance of Seoul Olympics Mascot