The mascot for the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea was a white tiger named Soohorang. Soohorang was chosen as the official mascot to represent the 2018 Games, which were held in PyeongChang. The white tiger is a symbolic animal in Korean culture, representing courage and protection. Soohorang was designed to be a friendly and inclusive mascot, appealing to people of all ages and backgrounds. The name "Soohorang" combines two Korean words: "sooho," meaning "protection," and "rang," which means "tiger." The mascot's design featured a smiling white tiger wearing a traditional Korean hat called a "gat.
With a look inspired by white tigers, designers developed Soohorang with South Korean culture and lore in mind. In describing the character, the International Olympic Committee says, "The white tiger has long been considered Korea's guardian animal."
Now, as weird and as blobby as Wenlock and Mandeville might look, their design is arguably simpler than Izzy the mascot for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. It is unclear when tigers disappeared from the southern part of the Korean Peninsula, though one account describes the killing of the last Korean tiger in 1921 in the coastal city of Gyeongju, South Korea, The Seoul Times reported.
" The mascot's design featured a smiling white tiger wearing a traditional Korean hat called a "gat." Soohorang was seen throughout the Games, appearing on merchandise, in promotional materials, and even as a giant inflatable figure at venues. Overall, Soohorang served as a spirited and energetic symbol of the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.
Meet 'Soohorang': Pyeongchang's Mascot For The 2018 Winter Olympics
The Olympics has a long history of mascots. Many are cute animals. Others are . something else.
Meet 'Soohorang': Pyeongchang's Mascot For The 2018 Winter Olympics Getty Images Posted: 4:21 p.m. EST Feb 6, 2018Meet Soohorang: this year's very cute and very fearsome mascot for the 2018 Winter Olympics.
With a look inspired by white tigers, designers developed Soohorang with South Korean culture and lore in mind. In describing the character, the International Olympic Committee says, "The white tiger has long been considered Korea's guardian animal."
South Korea's affinity for tiger mascots has been represented in past Olympics. The last time the country hosted the Summer Games in 1988, its mascot was the tiger Hodori. Wearing a traditional Korean hat and the Olympic rings, he was selected from more than 4,000 mascot entries.
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Hodori and Soohorang, like many other past Olympics mascots, are clearly inspired by culturally significant animals. But other countries' past mascots haven't always been so obvious.
Take for example Wenlock and Mandeville, the mascots for the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in London. At first glance, the creatures look like one-eyed humanoid blobs, but they were actually designed to look like a drop of steel used to build the Olympic Stadium. The mascots were selected over a humanized pigeon, an animated teacup and Big Ben — if Big Ben had arms and legs.
Now, as weird and as blobby as Wenlock and Mandeville might look, their design is arguably simpler than Izzy the mascot for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
If you're asking yourself, "What is it?," you're actually on the right track. Izzy was originally named "Whatizit." He's not an animal, a human figure or even an object, but instead, "a product of information technology."
Former officials with the 1996 Olympics told Atlanta Magazine some people were horrified with the design, but somehow, the strange creature still managed to make money from merchandise. At the end of the day, that's probably all that really matters.
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Reviews for "Soohorang and the Olympic Spirit: Capturing the Essence of the Games"
1. John - 1 star
The mascot for the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea was a major disappointment. The character was supposed to represent the host country and showcase their culture, but it fell flat on both counts. The mascot was a cartoonish white tiger, which seemed like a generic choice and didn't have any cultural significance. Additionally, the design of the mascot lacked creativity and originality. It was too simplistic and lacked the detail and charm that you would expect from an Olympic mascot. Overall, I was thoroughly unimpressed by the mascot for the 2018 Winter Olympics.
2. Sarah - 2 stars
I found the mascot for the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea to be underwhelming. The character was a white tiger named Soohorang, which didn't make much sense to me in the context of the Olympic Games. The design of the mascot was okay, but it lacked the wow factor that previous Olympic mascots had. It seemed like a missed opportunity to showcase the rich culture and history of South Korea. I was expecting something more unique and memorable, but unfortunately, the mascot fell short in my opinion.