ISAC Olympics for South Korean Musical Artists
The 2017 ISAC Games has been raging on in South Korea! Short for Idol Star Athletics Championships, the ISAC Olympics are almost exactly like the Worldwide Olympics, but exclusively for South Korean musical idols. Singing boy groups and girl groups alike compete in sports events. This is broadcasted live on television, and has been an annual tradition since 2010. Fans can also buy tickets to attend the events, sit in the stadium, and cheer for their favorite artists.
Groups train for months before the Idol Star. The events include archery, curling, fencing, football, futsal (modified soccer with 5 people on each team), table tennis, basketball, Korean-style wrestling (also called Ssireum, is a form of nonviolent wrestling), and rhythmic gymnastics. Rhythmic gymnastics if almost like synchronized dancing composed mainly of flips and teamwork choreography.
The most bizarre fact about the ISAC Games is that this sets up an expectation that South Korean idols must be good at everything. In South Korea, musical idols dance live for their performances, sing, compose songs, and compete in athletic events. Hundreds of music videos can be found on the internet. Today, we know this genre to be Kpop, representing the entire music industry of South Korea.
The 2017 ISAC Games was held over the Lunar New Year Week (Martin Luther King Weekend) and currently, Seventeen boy group has won gold in the 400 M relay race, while BTS has won silver in same event. In the 400 M relay race for female groups, Gold went to group Oh My Girl; Silver went to girl group EXID; Bronze went to girl group GFriend. In the 60 M Sprint for females, Rui of (H.U.B) won Gold; Silver went to Yuju of (GFriend); Bronze went to Binnie (Oh My Girl). For female Archery events, Gold went to GFriend (as a group); Silver went to EXID. For the male Archery events, Gold went to boy group B1A4; Silver went to boy group Seventeen
As a whole over the entire ISAC Olympics, the results are as follows:
Seventeen 1G 2S 0B
GFriend 1G 1S 1B
Astro 1G 1S 0B
Snuper 1G 0S 1B
H.U.B 1G 0S 0B
Oh My Girl 1G 0S 0B
B1A4 1G 0S 0B
Twice 1G 0S 0B
Fiestar 1G 0S 0B
EXID 0G 2S 0B
BTS 0G 1S 0B
Victon 0G 0S 1B
WJSN 0G 0S 1B
VIXX 0G 0S 1B
Fans will continue to cheer for the groups they support, and girl and boy groups will continue to work hard making songs and competing in athletic competitions. Enjoy your New Year!
To watch clips of these events, click the links below.
BTS 400 Running Relay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZQ5koAQCtw
Wrestling (BTS + VIXX)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCQ5pQV-cYc
Female Archery (EXID)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohfF2pCE3Yc
Monsta X Archery
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nXCHO3EpcE
Rhythmic Gymnastics (Yein from Lovelyz)
Vivian is a 8th grader this year attending Mr. Weyermuller's 8A class. She has two cats, both of which are featured on Falcon's Flyer (Honey and Onion...
