2000 Won 2017. 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea
| in Krause book | Number: 58 |
| Years of issue: | 11.12.2017 |
| Edition: | 2 800 000 |
| Signatures: | no signature |
| Serie: | Commemorative issue |
| Specimen of: | 17.11.2017 |
| Material: | 100% raw cotton |
| Size (mm): | 140 x 75 |
| Printer: | Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation, Gajeong-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon |
* All pictures marked 
are increased partially by magnifying glass, the remaining open in full size by clicking on the image.
** The word "Specimen" is present only on some of electronic pictures, in accordance with banknote images publication rules of appropriate banks.
Description
Watermark:
The Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium (Korean: 평창 올림픽 스타디움) was a temporary venue for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2018 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Pyeongchang County, Gangwon Province, South Korea. The stadium was demolished after the Games.
It was located in Daegwallyeong-myeon, in the precinct of the Pyeongchang Olympic Plaza, about 2 km. (1.2 mi.) northeast of Alpensia Resort.
To limit its costs, the stadium had no roof or a central heating system. It cost ₩116 billion ($109 million). The 35,000-seat stadium had seven floors above ground, a single floor underground, and a pentagonal design. It had a floor area of 58,790 square meters (632,800 sq. ft.) and its circular stage had a diameter of 72-meter (236 ft.).
Built on an 80,000 square meters (860,000 sq. ft.) site in Hoenggye, it was the final major structure built for these Games. The approximate elevation was 740 meters (2,430 ft.) above sea level.
Adjacent to the stadium was an Olympic exhibition hall, traditional food markets, and other attractions, which would remain as heritage facilities, and the medal plaza which hosted medal ceremonies.
In the candidacy file of Pyeongchang 2018, the Opening and Closing Ceremonies were foreseen to take place in Alpensia Ski Jumping Stadium. This was a plan similar to the one of the 1994 Winter Olympics. However, in July 2012, the POCOG announced some changes in the venue plan and the ceremonies were moved to Hoenggye. The main reasons were organisational, with possible interference between the preparation of the ceremonies and the ski jumping training, and the weather conditions for the spectators.
The construction of the stadium which took one year and ten months was completed on 30 September 2017.
The Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium had been used 5 times before being demolished. It was used as a K-pop concert venue of the 2017 Dream Concert in PyeongChang, marking the 100 Days before the Olympics, the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2018 Winter Olympics, plus the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2018 Winter Paralympics. 
Avers:
Seven sports, one from each international winter sports federation:
Ice skaters, man and woman, foreground (short track is a strong event for South Koreans), hockey, curling, biathlon, ski jumping, luge and bobsley.
Short-distance skaters were selected not only because the South Korean national team is very strong in this sport. Also:
This is one of the few sports that was at the first winter Olympics.
This is a winter sport at the Winter Olympics, in which the Korean team, for the first time, took part (in St. Moritz, Switzerland, 1948).
On background are the mountains in Gangwon Province, South Korea.
Gangwon-do is a province of South Korea, with its capital at Chuncheon. It is bounded on the east part by the East Sea, and borders Gyeonggi Province to its west, and North Gyeongsang Province and North Chungcheong Province to its south. Its northern boundary is the Military Demarcation Line, separating it from North Korea's Kangwŏn Province. Before the division of Korea in 1945 Gangwon and Kangwŏn formed a single province. Pyeongchang County hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics and 2018 Winter Paralympics. Gangwon will host the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics.
Most of Gangwon-do is mountainous. There are practically no large plain spaces, the largest of them are the coastal stripes in Gangneung, Donghe and Sokcho. In the vicinity of Chuncheon, Wonju and Chorvon there are valleys of various sizes. The Taek Ridge becomes lower to the east, leaving the province's coastal plain. In the west, the Thebek Mountains extend to the Seoul area. A significant part of the Jonso region is occupied by alpine meadows and alpine pastures.
Several large rivers, such as the Hangang and Naktong, which are the main water sources of the Republic of Korea, originate in the Tekbek mountains, the name "Gangwon" means in Korean "river source". The most important in Gangwon-do’s infrastructure are two water streams, Namhangan and Bukhangan (southern and northern Hangan, respectively), which merge near Seoul into the Hangang River. The upper course of Bukhangan is located in the DMZ, uninhabited due to the confrontation between North Korea and South Korea, as a result of which the ecological situation there is favorable for the prosperity of many species of plants, animals and fish. There are several dams on the Bukhangan and Namhangan rivers that provide tap water to millions of people in Gangwon-do and surrounding regions. A large thermoelectric power station is also located at Namhangan.
In top right corner is the hologramm. The consonants and vowels of the Korean alphabet forming “Ha-na-doen-yul-jung”, the Korean word for the slogan "Passion, Connected", are embodied as snowflakes.
In top left is the Logo of the XXIII 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.
The presentation of the logo of the XXIII Winter Olympic Games 2018 in Pyeongchang took place on May 3, 2013, when the main symbol of the Games was presented to the general public. The author of the logo was the famous South Korean artist-designer Ha Jong-joo.
The main elements of the logo are the letters of the Korean alphabet Hangul. The symbols “ㅍ” and “ㅊ”, whose outlines can be seen on the emblem of the Games are consonants, with which the name of the venue for the Olympics-2018 begins - Pyeongchang, in Hangul - 평창.
The first element of the ㅍ logo is the three constituents of the Korean traditional Jung-ji-ying culture (天地 人), designed to symbolize the existence in harmony of heaven, earth and man.
The second element of the ㅊ Games ’emblem is nothing but snow and ice, symbolizing relevant sports in the context of the Winter Olympics.
The colors used are the five traditional colors of Korea, matching the colors of the Olympic flag: white, black, blue / green, yellow and red.
The logo is accompanied by Olympic rings and the inscription "PyeongChang 2018". (olympteka.ru .rus)
Revers:
The painting "Tiger under a Pine Tree" ("Songhamaenghodo") by Kim Hong-do (1745-c.1806) and Kang Se-hwang (1713-1791). Latter half of Joseon. Ink and light color on paper. 90.4 x 43.8 cm. The painting is in "Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art", in Seoul.
The Korean tiger with its massive body and beautiful striped fur was depicted in hyper-realist fashion by Kim Hong-do, an artist belonging to the Royal Bureau of Art. His teacher, Kang Se-hwang, painted the pine tree.
"Having fallen in love with the image of the strong, agile Korean tiger, I once collected tiger pictures. The Korean tiger is bigger than the Bengal tiger of the Indian subcontinent and its fur is thick and luxuriant with beautiful stripes. Strong and powerful yet elegant and dignified, full of tension and at the same time bearing a sense of ease, it has been depicted in countless works of art.
The tigers in Korean folk paintings are free and easy creatures with a sense of humor. In them we can detect the optimistic nature of our ancestors. They have a real sense of vitality. The finest tiger painting in Korea is undoubtedly “Tiger under a Pine Tree” by Kim Hong-do (1745–c. 1806), a court painter of the Joseon Dynasty. The painting is perfect in every way, from the harmony between the tiger and the pine tree to the arrangement of empty space.
Empty space, or yeobaek (“the void”), reveals much about the Korean outlook on nature and the world. The void belongs to nobody. It is the “horizon of the sensibilities,” renewed by every beholder. When my mood sags, I like to look at Kim’s tiger painting. As I examine the tiger striding forward, its massive front paw outstretched, and the upright tail filled with lively energy, the blues fade away before I realize it.
No old Korean paintings show the tiger baring its teeth to instill fright. The paintings are reflections of the tigers of this land, a curious blend of strength without savagery, living in peaceful coexistence with humans.
I look into the tiger’s glittering eyes and, in my mind, stroke its huge paws. It appears that even Kim Hong-do, an artistic genius who could capture any subject in a few strokes, was especially meticulous about his tiger, applying thousands and thousands of strokes of paint as if it were a form of spiritual practice. My eyes scan every fine strand of hair and soon energy returns to my body and mind." (Kim Seon-woo. Poet and Novelist)
Soohorang (Korean: 수호랑) is the official mascot of the 2018 Winter Olympics. From this one can draw an association why the painting is depicted on a commemorative Olympic banknote.
Soohorang is the mascot of the 2018 Winter Olympics. "Sooho" means "protection" in Korean, symbolizing the protection offered to the athletes, participants and spectators at the Winter Olympics, as well as preserving the world peace that is the spirit of the Olympic Games. "Rang" derives from "Ho-rang-i", the Korean word for "tiger"; it is also the last letter of "Jeongseon Arirang", a cherished traditional Korean folk song of Gangwon Province.
Soohorang took its motif from the white tiger, known as "baekho" in Korean, which is considered to be Korea’s sacred guardian animal. Its colour is also indicative of the snow and ice of winter sports.
Tigers have long been a notable aspect of Korean folklore and culture. Baekho, the white tiger, is described in myths and narratives as a divine imaginary animal that watches over the mountains and nature. A cultural symbol for prosperity and protection, Baekho is revered as a god who cares for humanity, praying for the peace and well-being of the village in Korean folklore, while maintaining the continuity of Hodori which was the mascot of the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. It has also been noted that Baekho is in harmony with the Winter Games that take place in "the white fields of snow".
In summary, Soohorang is full of "passion and enthusiasm" and "a strong personality that protects the people who participate in the Olympics."
Comments:
So looks like a set of the Bank of Korea, with two uncut banknotes, in my collection.
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