SOUTH KOREA
I
t takes approximately three hours to
drive from Incheon Airport to
Gangwon Province, a mountainous
and forested area in South Korea
renowned for its pristine natural
environment. The drive covers 134km and
in winter, it is common to see the passing
scenery look like an unfinished painting.
Much of the canvas remains white, as if
waiting for an artist to finish up the
drawing. And when the snow starts to melt,
the rolling hills still form an amazing
panoramic view.
But by the end of 2017, a brand new
high-speed rail and the second Yeongdong
Expressway should be ready to charter
tourists from Incheon to Gangwon Province
in just 90 minutes. The transit is specific to
Pyeongchang as it is the main event venue
for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic
Games (PyeongChang 2018), alongside
Gangneung and Jeongseon. These venue
cities are filled with breathtaking scenery
and various tourist attractions throughout
all seasons.
“Winter in Korea often follows a cycle of
four extremely cold days, followed by a lull
period of three days,” Jenny Oh, our
translator and guide for the trip tells us. “I
feel so embarrassed that you do not get to
experience snowfall these few days.”
The amiable young lady shared a couple
facts with me during my three-hour bus
journey. Apparently, highway rest stops
(where we stopped for lunch) are a huge
part of Korean culture, one that is well
loved by both tourists and locals alike for its
wide selection of food, snacks and
sometimes, souvenirs. Expect to find
Ddeokbokki (Korean Spicy Rice Cakes),
Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup),
Jjimdak (Braised Chicken), Juk (Korean
Traditional Porridge), Bibimbap (Korean
Mixed Rice), Bulgogi (Grilled Marinated
Meat) and Sundubujjiegae (Spicy Tofu
Stew).
I step out of the bus expecting the weather
to be bitterly cold despite the lack of
snowfall but it wasn’t. Although it is 3 ̊C,
my sweater and scarf are surprisingly
sufficient for me to roam comfortably the
grounds of Gangneung City. This coastal
city is well known for its beautiful beaches
and decent bar scene but this trip will focus
on the progress for PyeongChang 2018.
Back in May 2016, at the 1,000 days-to-go
celebration for the PyeongChang
Organising Committee for the 2018
Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games
(POCOG), the signature slogan “Passion.
Connected.” was revealed. Both words
were chosen to represent
PyeongChang2018 as the stage of a global
festival, one where Koreans’ warm unique
hospitality and cultural convergence can be
felt, and a platform where the country’s
cutting-edge technology can be shared with
the world. These words are clearly expressed
outside the makeshift colourful container
boxes that hold key information leading up
to the games. A large electronic countdown
screen, life-size sport figurines (with a short
summary of the sport), 4D motion ride, VR
experience and a hands-on Ice Hockey
experience are all part of the immersive and
educational programme for visitors.
The crowd is a river of people, everyone
moving in the same direction. There are only
joyful faces as the lot heads into the
Gangneung Ice Areana for the short track
finals test event – a sporting event that raises
the adrenaline of even the audience. The
crowd moves not like pebbles in a jar, but like
water molecules flowing smoothly past one
another, kids grabbing onto their parent’s
hands with dear life and friends staying
together with fingers entwined. Short track
speed skating has its roots in Canada and the
United States of America where mass start
competitions on an oval track began in 1905.
It is a form of competitive ice speed skating
and in the race, athletes compete not against
the clock, but against each other in the pack.
This introduces the elements of strategy,
bravery and skill needed for racing. It is
pretty invigorating catching the ‘live’
sporting event, considering the fact that I
only just learnt of it minutes ago. Throughout
the course of 2017, each sport will hold its
test events at the completed competition
venues, and sporting aficionados can take the
opportunity to explore the Gangwon
Province region.
By the end of the test event, night hadfallen fast upon the land. No tmore than an
hour ago, the sky was painted in hues of
red, orange and pink but all colours have
faded and only a matte black canvas
remains. At a distance I spot a cluster of
bright shining lights and blankets of snow
on the ground. We have arrived at Alpensia
Resort, an entertainment destination centre
located at a highland 700m above sea level,
the optimum height for human health and
biorhythm. Alpensia features a main
stadium, ecological golf course, world-class
ski slopes and ski jump slopes, as well as a
couple of accommodation options. I settle
into Intercontinental Alpensia
Pyeongchang Resort, a 238-room luxury
alpine hotel and resort nestled within an
Alpine-style village among the unspoilt
beauty of the Taebaek Mountains. Tonight,
it is silent and the stars have hidden well
behind a wall of foreboding clouds.Life-size statues are the perfect
illustration and educational tool
for visitors to learn about the
sport.Below Athletes at the start
line of the ISU World Cup Short
Strack Speed Skating 2016