By James Crook

Gwangju 2015 info bothJanuary 22 - Marketing activities are gathering pace for the 2015 Summer Universiade in Gwangju, South Korea, as Olympians, artists and volunteers join the promotional drive for the event.


The official Facebook page for the 2015 Universiade currently has over 5,000 "likers", and the official Twitter page boasts over 10,000 "followers" with over two years to go until the event gets underway.

A host of London 2012 Olympians have signed up as ambassadors for Gwangju 2015, including double-gold medal-winning archer Ki Bo-Bae and the first South Korean gymnast to win an Olympic gold medal, Yang Hak-Seon.

kibobae 210113South Korea's London 2012 double-gold medal-winning archer Ki Bo-Bae is one of the promotional ambassadors for Gwangju 2015

As well as Ki and Yang, fencing silver medallist Choi Eun-Sook and 18-year-old rhythmic gymnast Son Yeon-Jae have joined the efforts to promote the Gwangju 2015 Universiade.   

Popular South Korean boy-band Sweet Sorrow have also contributed to the effort to raise the profile of the event worldwide with a promotional interview about the event.

Student support has been high for the event, with moe than 1,500 students from the local region signing up to the supporters group "Uni-birds".

The "Uni-birds" are responsible for raising awareness for the event on a worldwide scale, and will work with student editors from universities in Gwangju and the surrounding area, and university student-promotion ambassadors, known as "Uni-friends", to promote the Universiade globally.

Sweet SorrowSouth Korean boy-band Sweet Sorrow are helping promote Gwangju 2015

These "young supporters" groups will embark on a nationwide university tour in South Korea this year, as well as attending the Kazan 2013 Universiade flag reception ceremony in July 2013 the hope of gaining extra support for the event.

The Organising Committee for Gwangju 2015 have announced that they hope to eventually have 250,000 "young supporters" on board to ensure the event gains maximum exposure and support worldwide.

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