Queen Yuna
It’s the highest honor bestowed during an Olympic opening ceremony. Every four years, a competitor from the host nation is chosen to light the Olympic cauldron, the climax of the entire ceremony. For the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, the athlete chosen was figure skater Yuna Kim, rather known in Korea as “Queen Yuna.” Also, Yuna Kim was profiled for the TIME 100 in 2010 by U.S. skater Michelle Kwan, the most decorated figure skater in U.S. history. “Kim’s inspiring performances in Vancouver changed the face of figure skating forever,” Kwan said. “Those 6½ minutes on the ice left not only a mark in the record book but also an indelible impression on millions of young girls around the world.”