"Hodori" the Tiger, Mascot of the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games

Details: "Hodori", the mascot of the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, portrays the friendly side of a tiger, which is present in many Korean legends. The mascot's name was chosen from a list of 2,295 names submitted by the public.

The " Ho" in "Hodori" comes from the Korean word for tiger, and "Dori" is a common masculine diminutive. The Olympic rings adorn the neck of Hodori, and he wears a "Sangmo" hat from a traditional farm dance. The streamer on his hat in the shape of an S stands for Seoul.

Seoul also had a female mascot, but Hodori the tiger captured the spotlight, and his female counterpart "Hosuni" was seldom seen.

Designer: Kim Hyun