US Olympians Try Their Hands at K-Pop's ‘Finger Heart.' What's That?
Some members of Team USA threw up the Finger Heart to start the 2018 Winter Olympic games, but in Korea the symbol has been famous for several years
By James Best ••
UPDATE: Lindsey Vonn and shirtless Tongan flagbearer Pita Taufatofua made the gesture with the head of International Olympic Committee as part of the closing ceremony of the Pyeongchang Games.
About 10 members of Team USA looked a little bit confused at the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang Olympic Games as they twisted their thumbs and fingers into the shape of a popular, if subtle, Korean gesture that stands for love and more.
The "Finger Heart" isn't too well known in the United States, but it's a well-known symbol among Korean pop stars and their fans. Singers and actors will flash their crossed thumb and forefinger — that's the symbol — during concerts and at fans to show their love.
Amazon lists apparel featuring the Finger Heart, and one group, We Love Peace, is trying to popularize it with a movement online to promote freedom, peace and equality that's even featured U.S. Alpine skiing star Lindsey Vonn.
The American athletes got into the act on Friday, when the Olympic spirit of bringing peace to the world through sport was in the air.
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Fireworks explode outside the stadium during the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Pyeongchang Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018.
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Kim Yu-na, South Korean Figure Skater lights the cauldron during the Opening Ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018 in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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The Olympic cauldron is lit during the Opening Ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018, in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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The Olympic torch ignites the cauldron for the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games.
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The Olympic torch is carried to the cauldron during the Opening Ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018, in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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A general view of the South Korea and Olympic flags during the Opening Ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium in South Korea.
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The Olympic flag is raised during the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018.
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The South Korean delegation parades during the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Pyeongchang Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018.
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Perfomers during the Opening Ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018 in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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Perfomers during the Opening Ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018 in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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A general view during the Opening Ceremony of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at PyeongChang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018, in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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Musicicans, In-Kown Jeon, Eun-mi Lee, Hyun-woo Ha and Ji-yeong An perform during the Opening Ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018, in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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Perfomers during the Opening Ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018 in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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The Unified Korea delegation parades during the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Pyeongchang Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018.
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A general view as performers entertain during the Opening Ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018, in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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Perfomers during the Opening Ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018, in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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Perfomers during the Opening Ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018, in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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Vice President Mike Pence, bottom right, speaks with second lady Karen Pence at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics. Behind Pence are Kim Yong Nam, second from top right, president of the Presidium of North Korean Parliament, and Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018, in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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South Korean President Moon Jae (C) shakes hands North Korea's Kim Yo-jong (sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un) with during the Opening Ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium in South Korea.
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Members of Republic of Korea team during the Opening Ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018 in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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South Korean President Moon Jae-in, front left, first lady Kim Jung-sook, Kim Yong Nam, the 90-year-old president of the Presidium of the North's Parliament, second from left in the back, and Kim Jong Un's sister Kim Yo Jong, right, wave when the combined team came in during the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018.
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North Korea's Hwang Chung Gum and South Korea's Won Yun-jong walk onto the stage during the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018.
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Flag bearers Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada and teammates enter the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018, in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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Flag bearer Pita Taufatofua of Tonga leads the team during the Opening Ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018, in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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Flag bearer Tucker Murphy of Bermuda and teammates enter the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at PyeongChang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018, in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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Athletes of the United States arrive during the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018.
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Erin Hamlin carries the flag of the United States during the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018.
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Vice President Mike Pence, bottom, watches the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018. Seated behind Pence are Kim Yo Jong, top right, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of North Korean Parliament, second from right.
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Flag bearer Lucas Eguibar of Spain leads the team during the Opening Ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium on February 9, 2018 in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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Flag bearer Lizzy Yarnold of Great Britain leads the team during the Opening Ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018, in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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Flag bearer German Madrazo of Mexico and teammates enter the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at PyeongChang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018, in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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Dancers perform during the Opening Ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018, in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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Performers entertain the fans during the Opening Ceremony of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at PyeongChang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018 in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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Dancers perform during the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018.
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Fireworks explode outside the stadium during the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Pyeongchang Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018.
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Participants perform during the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Pyeongchang Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018.
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The South Korean flag is carried into the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018, in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, left, shakes hands with South Korean President Moon Jae-in as his wife Kim Jung-sook stands second from right near Kim Yo Jong, far right, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and Kim Yong Nam, North Korea's nominal head of state, third from right, during the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018.
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Performers make the Republic of Korea flag during the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018.
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Dancers perform during the Opening Ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018, in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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Dancers perform during the Opening Ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018, in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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Actors perform during the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Pyeongchang Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018.
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Artists perform during the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Pyeongchang Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018.
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Actors perform during the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Pyeongchang Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018.
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White Tiger & Five Kids perform during the Opening Ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018 in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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Fireworks explode during the Opening Ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018, in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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Fireworks explode during the Opening Ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018, in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.
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People arrive at the Olympic Stadium ahead of the opening ceremony at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018.
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Members of the North Korean delegation sit before the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018.
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Members of the North Korean delegation sit before the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018.
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Security personnel stand guard at the Pyeongchang Olympic Plaza ahead of the opening ceremony for the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games in the Hoenggye-ri village area of Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, South Korea, on Friday, Feb. 9, 2018. South Korea will host the games this week in the alpine resort town of Pyeongchang with 2,925 registered athletes -- the largest number ever at an Olympic Winter Games -- from 92 national committees.
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Members of the North Korean cheering band wave ahead of the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Pyeongchang Stadium on Feb. 9, 2018.
The Finger Heart sign has been around for several years, but its origin appears to be a bit of a mystery. Both Korean actress Kim Hye-soo and K-pop artists Woohyun and G-Dragon claim they started the sign, according to K-pop fan sites.
Due to its similarity to the money gesture created by rubbing the finger and thumb together, it's been misunderstood, including when it appeared at the most recent Olympics.
During the 2016 Rio Games, two Malaysian divers were photographed making the finger heart sign following their silver medal finish in synchronized diving. One took to Twitter to clarify to another person, "it's actually heart sign not money."
