A shot with some members of the Gangneung Curling Center CCR team / Credit: Haseung Joung
Wearing layers of shirts, vests and a thick winter padding, I hung my pin-less accreditation card on my neck and walked out the door. It was my first day of work at the Gangneung Curling Center. While riding the shuttle bus from my hotel to the venue, on this cold winter day of February, I could see the anticipation of the much-awaited Winter Olympics fill the air of Gangneung. The Olympic rings welcomed people across the city, broadcasters and journalists from around the world were busily traveling to their destinations, and the interaction of cultures through exhibitions and events were everywhere. It did not take long for me to realize that I was actually working at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
The Gangneung Curling Center was my home for 23 days. As a commentary control room (CCR) operator, my job was working behind the scenes, helping commentators prepare everything they needed before a match began and making sure all the technical operations were set and ready so that they could broadcast their commentating back home. Along the process, not only did I meet and escort commentators from different countries, I also got to work with an incredible CCR team. Everyone on my team clicked with each other, and we really were like family. I feel incredibly blessed to have worked with such an awesome group of people. Watching curling matches live was another sight to see. In the Olympics, curling used to be an unpopular sport in Korea, but that all changed in PyeongChang. It was especially exciting for me, a Korean, because curling blew up this Olympics. Witnessing the Korean women’s team progress to the gold medal match, and watching our men’s team and mixed doubles team fight to the very end were unforgettable. I never knew that a couple of stones and brooms could bring so much joy.
As of now, it has been over a month since my internship ended and when I look at all the little Olympic trinkets and the hundreds of photos on my phone, everything feels like a dream. Working with OBS was an experience of a lifetime. Not only was it an opportunity to interact with people all around the world, it was also a chance for me to represent my country as a Korean, and display the affection I have for sports. Although we will not have a home Olympics any time soon, I know the next time I watch the Olympics, I will appreciate it to a greater extent, reminiscing my beautiful time in PyeongChang.
Haseung Joung | Managing Editor
hjoung@masonlive.gmu.edu
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