Gangwon 2024 Youth Olympic Games: Venues, song, motto, and other key information
With one year to go until Gangwon 2024, the official song has been revealed. Find out how it was created, and other key information for Asia’s first Winter YOG.
It's exactly one year to go until the Opening Ceremony of the Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games [YOG], and excitement is building.
A record 1,900 of the world’s best young winter athletes will descend upon the same province that hosted the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics for a celebration of peace, unity, and sport.
Today, 19 January 2023, honorary ambassadors Kim Yuna (Vancouver 2010 figure skating women’s singles Olympic champion), and Kim Yeri (Buenos Aires 2018 YOG breaking bronze medallist) were on hand to help introduce the official mascot and song at a celebratory event at the Yongpyong resort in PyeongChang.
Below, we take a look at some key Gangwon 2024 information, including the venues, song, motto, mascot, and how to watch Asia’s first Winter YOG.
Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Venues
Gangwon 2024 will heavily rely on pre-existing venues from PyeongChang 2018.
There will be two main clusters, and four seperate locations:
- PyeongChang: Nordic and sliding disciplines
- Gangneung: Ice sports
- Jeongseon High 1: Alpine skiing and dual moguls
- Hoengseong: Remainint freestyle skiing and snowboard events
The Youth Olympic Village will be located in student accommodation at Gangneung-Wonju University.
For more information on the venues at Gangwon2024 click here.
Gangwon 2024 vision and motto
The official slogan and vision for the event was revealed in September 2022, to celebrate 500 days until the Opening Ceremony.
Gangwon's vision is "Youth celebrating peaceful coexistence and unity through sport to create a better future together."
The motto "Grow together, shine forever," was selected based on feedback from "a diverse group of people of different genders, ages and countries of residence," according to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and event organisers.
Gangwon 2024 mascot
Today, Moongcho the mascot was revealed at the one year to go until Gangwon 2024 ceremony in PyeongChang.
Its name is derived from the Korean word “Moongchida,” which means to bring together various thoughts and powers.
Born of a snowball used in a snowball fight between PyeongChang 2018 mascots Soohorang and Bandabi, Moongcho represents the youth uniting and growing together through the YOG.
For more information on Moongcho and how it was created by the youth of the Republic of Korea, click here.
Gangwon 2024 song
A contest targeting young people aged 14-24 was held in South Korea to create Gangwon 2024’s official theme song.
Entitled “We Go High”, the winning tune is encourages young people to believe in themselves and chase their dreams at the YOG, as well the peaceful future they are all helping to create.
The composer, Kim Geun-Hak, was inspired by the passion of football.
"I like soccer, so I often watch Premier League matches, and one day I saw the players playing and thought, 'The Premier League is a league where various races gather to become the best with their team, train themselves not only on the field but also off the field, to always be in the best condition," the music student said.
"The Olympics were the same, so I took the passion and sweat of soccer as the theme and immersed myself in the work to convey it so that you could feel it.
"It is a theme song with a message to young players. Not only youth players, but it also inspires courage to everyone who listens to the song."
Kim Keun-Hak, Choi Seo-Yeon, and the ChunCheon City Youth Choir performed the song in public for the first time at the Gangwon 2024 celebratory event on 19 January.
You'll hear it a lot during the Games, so the chorus lyrics are below in case you wanted to sing along!
"Go ahead and open the door so you can dream, feel my heart that keeps trembling
Listen to yourself, your unshakable promise, and our passion.
"Don't be afraid. Don't hesitate
Go achieve. Make it all yours. Show the fruits of your work.
"Let’s fly higher like stars, higher than the sun
Grow together shine forever, We shine when we are together.”
How to watch Gangwon 2024 Youth Olympic Games
The Winter Youth Olympic Games will be filmed for live television and digital streaming, with full session replays and highlights also available.
Full details of where and how you can watch the action will be confirmed and covered in detail by Olympics.com ahead of the event.
The official @gangwon2024 social media handles will also have further information.
For the latest Gangwon 2024 news head here.