Local advises Pyeongchang Olympics visitors to prepare for cold weather

Choi Su-gyeong, a government employee working in the department of strategy and audits at the Pyeongchang County Office, shows off the type of clothing necessary to enjoy a positive experience at the Winter Olympics on Feb. 6. (provided by Pyeongchang County Government Office)

Earmuffs, masks, scarfs, and heat packs are all essential for a positive experience

“If you show up at Pyeongchang with one measly hand warmer, you’re severely underestimating how cold it gets here,” said 40-year-old Choi Su-gyeong, a government employee working in the department of strategy and audits at the Pyeongchang County Government Office in Gangwon Province. Choi advises visitors to the Pyeongchang Olympic Games to apply heat packs from their back down to their toes. Choi knows a thing or two about Pyeongchang’s frigid winter conditions – not only did she grow up here, but she has organized winter festivals and New Year’s sunrise viewings every year since 2013, as well as test events for the Pyeongchang Olympics.

On Feb. 6, Choi added a post to the Pyeongchang County Office’s social media account that recommended seven types of arctic outfits needed to endure the bitterly cold winter in Pyeongchang. The first item she recommended is earmuffs or a hat with ear flaps. “The part of the face that gets the coldest is the ears. If your ears have ever been in agony in the winter wind, you can probably relate to this,” she wrote.

Choi Su-gyeong, a government employee working in the department of strategy and audits at the Pyeongchang County Office, lays out the type of clothing necessary to enjoy a positive experience at the Winter Olympics, including a hat, hot pack, and fur boots. (provided by Pyeongchang County Government Office)

The next item of arctic attire is a neck warmer or a mask that comes up to just below your eyes. Pyeongchang is a pretty windy place – as attested by the racks where pollack are hung up to dry in the wind. “In order to endure the bitter wind in Pyeongchang, the only part of your face you should leave exposed is your eyes,” Choi wrote.

Heat packs are essential, too, and the main places they need to be applied are the back and thighs. But since applying them directly to the skin can lead to burns, Choi advises, they should be placed on top of innerwear.

Other must-haves are fur boots and thermal underwear for the upper and lower body. In addition to this, Choi suggests wearing thick winter stockings. Wearing sneakers or tennis shoes makes the toes vulnerable to frostbite. Inside the fur boots, visitors should wear thick hiking socks, with heat packs attached to the soles of the shoes.

Choi suggests wearing a coat long enough to cover the rear end, such as the knee-length padded coats, which are currently popular in South Korea. A blanket to cover the knees is also necessary for those sitting for long stretches to watch the opening and closing ceremonies or events on the slopes.

“To make sure you don’t have a bad experience eating out, be sure to go where the locals go,” Choi added. “My recommendations for winter wear at the Olympics are based on my experience running various outdoor events in Pyeongchang.”

By Park Soo-hyuk, Gangwon correspondent

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