In the summer of 1988, South Korea hosted its first-ever Olympic Games, in Seoul. This was a very big deal globally because there was no political boycotting. The 1980 Summer Olympics was held in Moscow, and then the 1984 Summer Olympics was held in Los Angeles. For Korea, this was their chance to show Korea to a global audience, especially post-Korean War. Before the 1988 Summer Olympics, Korea previously hosted the Miss Universe and the Asian Games.
Fun Fact: The Summer 1988 Olympics was the last Olympics to release real doves. This is due to the fact that many of the doves died due to flying into the cauldron. Besides that, the opening ceremony is very beautiful, demonstrating Korea’s rich history and dreams for the future.
Still to this day, around Seoul, there are landmarks of the Summer 1988 Olympics. Today, many of the sports stadiums are used for events such as concerts. Back in 2019, when I came to Korea, I was in the Olympic Stadium to see a BTS concert.
If you come to Korea, I highly recommend visiting Olympic Park. During the summer and autumn months, it is very pretty and is a wonderful blend of park, landmark, and event arenas.
DU Abroad 