Since the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, the Norwegian men’s curlers have stayed true to the tradition of sweeping down the arena ice in flashy pants, doing so once again at the Winter Games in PyeongChang. From floral prints to seemingly art-inspired patterns, the team has showcased a whole array of made-to-order designs provided by team sponsor Loudmouth. Norway’s ensemble stands as a stark contrast to the other teams’ usual black trousers. On Valentine’s Day, Norway did not disappoint fan

Olympic Games Feb. 19, 2018

On Valentine’s Day in Korea, contrary to traditions elsewhere, it is the women who busily prepare for the upcoming date night. Homemade chocolates and candlelit dinners are just a few items on the extensive checklist. While women here shower men with gifts on Feb. 14, men get the chance to reciprocate on March 14, known as White Day.On Valentine’s Day, many local hotels and accommodations offer promotions and special packages for lovers. “Rooms get fully booked around Christmas and Valentine’s D

Culture Feb. 14, 2018

Chicago-based broadcaster ABC 7 has recently come under fire for “accidently” referring to the PyeongChang Olympics as the P.F. Chang Games on a graphic, referring to a national American-Chinese franchise restaurant in a live broadcast Saturday. WLS-Ch. 7 anchor Mark Rivera was discussing the political backdrop of the Winter Games on Saturday when the controversial “P.F. Chang” graphic logo, with the term replacing “PyeongChang” appeared over his shoulder. Viewers reported confusion and disbelie

Olympic Games Feb. 14, 2018

The Korean Buddhist Cultural Foundation’s head monk Won-kyung selected five temples in the greater Gangwon Province area where foreign visitors can join special temple stay programs during the Winter Games: Naksansa, Baekdamsa, Samhwasa, Sinheungsa and Woljeongsa Temple. Individuals, who carry tickets to the Olympics and Paralympics, will be able to take advantage of the special temple stay program, receiving an 80 percent discount for a one-night stay including one additional person. Visitors c

Culture Feb. 13, 2018

Amid the bitter cold weather sweeping across the Olympic host city of PyeongChang, Amy Williams, BBC’s presenter and former Olympic gold medalist in skeleton, asked her Twitter followers if “anyone knows how to do oil-based makeup well” via social media. “When I tried on water-based makeup, rather than oil-based, my face felt like it was frozen,” she wrote. Along with hashtags “help” and “face freeze,” Williams appeared desperate for cold weather makeup secrets.  BBC’s TV presenter Amy Williams

More Sports Feb. 12, 2018

Members of the public have voiced outrage after seeing North Korean cheerleaders don masks appearing to resemble the North regime founder Kim Il-sung at the women’s joint hockey team’s first game against Switzerland on Saturday.Korea’s joint hockey team suffered a tough defeat against No. 6-ranked Switzerland 8-0 at Kwandong Hockey Center in Gangneung, Gangwon Province. South and North Korea are ranked Nos. 22 and 25, respectively. They were given special permission by the International Olympic

North Korea Feb. 11, 2018

 With the Winter Olympics kicking off Friday, reporters hailing from all over the world are apparently much satisfied with the Gangneung Media Center that opened at the SEAMARQ Hotel in Gangneung, Gangwon Province. While the PyeongChang Main Press Center requires reporters to pay to use facilities, those reporters with a press pass can use facilities, including the cafeteria, free-of-charge. The two media centers were opened to journalists a month ahead of the Winter Games. The large-scale facil

More Sports Feb. 8, 2018

On the eve of the Winter Olympics a stronger police presence surrounded the Gangneung Arts Center in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, where the Samjiyon art troupe is to perform. Performancegoers will be required to park their vehicles at nearby parking lots and walk or take a shuttle bus to the venue. The 140-member Samjiyon art troupe arrived to South Korea via the North’s ferry Mangyongbong-92 on Tuesday at 5 p.m. The Samjiyon art troupe consists of an orchestra, dancers and singers. The troupe w

North Korea Feb. 8, 2018

With just one day left until the Winter Games kick off, participants gathered at the athletes’ village in Gangneung, a subhost city of the PyeongChang Olympics, to officially welcome North Korean athletes on Thursday morning. During the event, the athletes watched a flag-raising ceremony and enjoyed various arts and cultural performances. The North Korean athletes showed a tight bond with one another.Soohorang, the official mascot of the games, also joined the athletes, as they smiled brightly,

More Sports Feb. 8, 2018

Police arrested a 27-year-old on Thursday for allegedly scamming online customers out of millions of won by selling PyeongChang goods in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, and not delivering. The suspect is believed to have received nearly 2.3 million won ($2,100) from 63 people since November. Victims reported the suspect had advertised sales of PyeongChang long, padded jackets, venue tickets and smartphones via an online site selling used goods.  PyeongChang-inspired long, padded jackets are

Social Affairs Feb. 8, 2018

Just two days ahead of the opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics, the “PyeongChang Dessert,” also called “a dish of hope,” became the center of attention online Wednesday. The dessert is to be served at the Olympic opening ceremony reception dinner for South Korean President Moon Jae-in and his counterparts from across the world. The light blue dessert takes on the shape of the Korean Peninsula, with the Demilitarized Zone partially covered by white chocolate drizzled on top. It is reportedly

Olympic Games Feb. 7, 2018

Clad in red coats with a small North Korean flag on the left breast and black fur hats, the North Korean art troupe waved and smiled to reporters after finishing its Wednesday morning rehearsal at Gangneung Arts Center in Gangneung, Gangwon Province. North Korea’s art troupe delegation is headed by Kwon Hyok-bong, director of the Arts and Performance Bureau in North Korea’s Culture Ministry and Hyun Song-wol, the leader of the all-female Moranbong Band and Samjiyon art troupe. The 140-member Sam

North Korea Feb. 7, 2018

Malicious code spread by an email impersonating the police triggered a nationwide police investigation Tuesday. According to the National Police Agency Cyber Bureau, an email titled, “Prevention of threats and terrorism by phone” was been distributed to a large group of people. After working with the Korea Internet and Security Agency, the Cyber Bureau explained that they were able to track down the initial point of distribution and stop the spread.  Employees watch electronic boards to monitor

Social Affairs Feb. 7, 2018

With only three days left to the Winter Games, concerns are being raised about the food safety at PyeongChang, following reports of 41 security guards showing symptoms of the norovirus. According to officials at Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the PyeongChang Organizing Committee, three out of 41 guards who suffered from diarrhea and vomiting were diagnosed with having the norovirus, as of Monday at 5 a.m. (Yonhap)They were reportedly staying at the Ho-lab Mountain Ode Youth

Social Affairs Feb. 6, 2018

As the longest-running Olympic partner of the Olympics since the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam, the Coca-Cola Company unveiled its newest “Polar Bear special package,” celebrating the 2018 Winter Games’ opening ceremony slated for Friday. The limited edition package shows the brand’s most beloved character, the Coca-Cola Polar Bear, enjoying various Olympic sports, such as skiing, figure skating and snowboarding. This marks Coca-Cola’s third Olympics-related package.  Former Olympic figure ska

Industry Feb. 5, 2018