The 2018 Winter Olympics are set to start up on February 9. As a result, there is more and more information available to interested individuals about what they can expect from the festivities. For example, those who are planning to watch the opening ceremony for the 2018 Winter Olympics on NBC should know that Katie Couric has been chosen to co-host, which is interesting because this is far from being her first time co-hosting such an event. As a result, it seems probable that Couric will provide the viewers with a more than competent effort, which should make the start of the Olympics that much more interesting.
What Can We Expect From the 2018 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony?
With that said, there are some things that promise to make the opening ceremony for the 2018 Winter Olympics an interesting one, though it is best to start off with a short introduction. For those who haven’t been paying much attention, these Olympics will be held in Pyeongchang, which is situated to the southeast of Seoul. This is not the first time that South Korea has held the Olympics, as shown by the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. However, it is interesting to note that this will be the first time that South Korea will be holding the Winter Olympics.
Regardless, while the opening ceremony for the Olympics promises to be as interesting as ever, it is the politics that might prove even more interesting for some. For example, Russia has been banned from the 2018 Winter Olympics because of its systematic doping, which is a significant contrast from when it held the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. As a result of the ban, Russia will not be entitled to participate in the opening ceremony, meaning that the Russian flag will not be shown and the Russian anthem will not be played. It should be mentioned that Russian athletes are still capable of competing in the Olympics, but if they choose to do so, they won’t be able to compete under their own flag but will instead be required to compete while wearing neutral uniforms.
However, the more interesting part might be how South Korea and North Korea have been engaging in some serious talks, with the result that the South Korean athletes and North Korean athletes will be marching at the opening ceremony as a single team as opposed to two separate teams. This is a huge gesture, not least because it has been so long since something like this has happened. With that said, the choice has produced a fair amount of controversy in South Korea for unsurprising reasons. On the one hand, the South Korean government’s desire to improve its relationship with its northern counterpart is understandable considering that South Korea has much more to lose than anyone else in case something serious happens.
On the other hand, South Koreans are no happier than anyone else with recent political shenanigans in the region, meaning that there is a significant segment of South Koreans who are rather disgruntled with what is happening. Regardless, the choice for the two teams to march together will be but one of the more interesting moments that interested individuals can expect from the opening ceremony, meaning that the viewers should be in good hands, particularly since Couric will be co-hosting once more.
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