Soohorang (Korean: 수호랑) and Bandabi (Korean: 반다비) are the mascots of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to be held in Pyeongchang, Gangwon, South Korea. Soohorang is a white tiger and Bandabi is an Asiatic black bear.
Contents
Selection
On June 27, 2014, the Pyeongchang Organizing Committee notified the public of their mascot selection contest. The selection process would take place from September 15, 2014 to September 30, 2014. On June 2, 2016, the International Olympic Committee approved the mascots for the games.
Soohorang is a white tiger. The tiger is an animal closely related to Korean mythology, and is a symbol of trust, strength, and protection.
Bandabi is an Asiatic black bear. The bear is symbolic of strong will and courage
Emoticons
Soohorang and Bandabi are available as animated emoticons in Kakao Talk, a popular messaging application in South Korea.