Title: Crystal Rie (MASIA ’17) Writes on the History of Korean Skiing

In her piece “A History of Skiing in Korea: From Bamboo Skis to the Olympic Games” for the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, Crystal Rie writes about her grandfather, Choi Hoon, a top Korean skier during Japan’s colonization of Korea and the history of Korean skiing. Choi Hoon, who was among the few ethnic Koreans of his time permitted to ski during Japanese colonization, began documenting and recording the history, challenges, and developments of Korean skiing. With his work still unfinished after his death, Crystal was compelled to continue his work.

Read Crystal’s full article on the Folklife website.

Crystal, who received her M.A. in Asian Studies in 2017, concentrated her degree in History, Society, and Culture with an emphasis on the Korean Peninsula. While at Georgetown, she interned at the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collection Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.