I had the privilege of attending the Olympic Opening Ceremony. As I was watching the ceremony, not only was I enamored by the beauty of the celebration, but also with how both traditional and modern Korean culture was incorporated into the show. With the balance of traditional dance with more modern dance along with the mild incorporation of K-pop, the opening ceremony was very reminiscent of the spirit of the Games and what they hope to capture through their sports. While making decisions on the programming of the Games, factors such as the tradition of the sport or event as well as the youth appeal are weighed. I felt that those factors that they take into consideration when making the program were prevalent in the opening ceremony and appreciated by people of all ages.
Another thing that captured my attention at the opening ceremony was how political it truly was. While the Olympics are to be non-political, the night was rife with politics. Watching North and South Korea march under a unified flag and Russian athletes marching with only the Olympic flag says a lot more about current affairs than is typically expected from the Olympic Games. However, it seems that it is very difficult to keep politics out of the picture when planning a global event in which all countries are to unite and take part.