A visitor tries the VR biathlon at a hands-on experience zone for next year’s PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games set up at the Korea Tourism Organization Seoul Center.
By Kim Tae Won and Sohn JiAe
Photos = PyeongChang Organizing Committee
With the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games about 170 days away, a series of events have been launched to give Olympic fans hands-on experiences with some of the major Winter Olympic sports right in the heart of Seoul and in Gangneung, Gangwon-do Province, one of the Olympic host cities.
The PyeongChang Organizing Committee is running hands-on experience zones both at the Korea Tourism Organization Seoul Center and at the Gangneung Green City Experience Center, allowing citizens and tourists to try some of the major Winter Olympic sports in virtual reality (VR). Visitors are able to try five VR sports here: ski jumping, speed skating, biathlon, bobsleigh and luge.
The Seoul zone is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week. The Gangneung zone runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., but is closed every Monday.
At Gwanghwamun Square in downtown Seoul, the Bobsleigh in the City festival is being jointly organized by the organizing committee, the Seoul city government and the Gangwon-do provincial government. It brings to Seoulites and vacationers a giant “bobsleigh” waterslide between Aug. 19 and 20. Riders will be able to enjoy the sport not on ice, but along a 22-meter high water slide that goes for 300 meters.
The ride will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and free tickets will be given on a first-come-first-served basis.
The two-day Bobsleigh in the City festival will allow visitors to ride a ‘bobsleigh’ water slide set up in the heart of Gwanghwamun Square in downtown Seoul on Aug. 19 and 20.
The pre-PyeongChang excitement can also be enjoyed along the Yeouido Hangang Park. The Hangang Summer Festival (한강몽땅축제) serves up some Winter Olympic entertainment at the 2018 PyeongChang Village, where visitors can enjoy VR ski jumping, and hockey and curling on an ice rink, too.
The 2018 PyeongChang Village runs until Aug. 20, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, and from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends.
“VR experiences and the ‘bobsleigh’ water slide will bring dynamic thrills and entertainment to those waiting for the upcoming Winter Olympic Games,” said Kim Dae-kyun, director of the public relations department at the PyeongChang Organizing Committee. “This will hopefully lead to more interest and more participation in next February’s Winter Olympics.”
twkim0717@korea.kr
