A song, “When the Ice is Shining,” created by students from Shenzhen University and dedicated to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, was released Feb. 2 by Channel 13 of the China Central Television.

Composed by Shin Moon-sub from South Korea and written (English lyrics) by Francisco Arriaga Gomez from Mexico, the song was performed by more than 100 students from over 50 countries from the StudyinChina Cloud Chorus and the International Chorus of Shenzhen University.

"When the Ice is Shining," a song created by students from Shenzhen University and dedicated to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, is released Feb. 2 by Channel 13 of the China Central Television.

Composed by Shin Moon-sub from South Korea and written (English lyrics) by Francisco Arriaga Gomez from Mexico, the song was performed by more than 100 students from over 50 countries from the StudyinChina Cloud Chorus and the International Chorus of Shenzhen University.

The song is performed by more than 100 students from over 50 countries from the StudyinChina Cloud Chorus and the International Chorus of Shenzhen University.

The singers from 24 universities in China share with audiences the Olympic spirit of excellence, friendship, respect and solidarity.

Shin, who is currently in charge of his university’s international choir and is the initiator of the StudyinChina Cloud Chorus, said the creation of the song was inspired by the theme song of the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games — “Hand in Hand.”

Shin Moon-sub (R) from South Korea performs in the video of "When the Ice is Shining."

“The song was created to inspire all of us,” said Shin. “Through the cloud chorus and production, international students from all over the world formed a strong friendship. We hope the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics will be held successfully.”

“This year’s Winter Olympics is held under the background of the severe global COVID-19 pandemic. The athletes have overcome the additional challenges the pandemic brought to their training and life to show their best in the arena. I’m very honored and happy to be able to join hands with my classmates in Shenzhen and other cities of China to present our good wishes to the event, and I hope the world will witness the confidence and strength of humankind in fighting against the pandemic together through this event.”

The original version of the song won first prize at the awarding ceremony of the fourth Silk Road & Young Dreams music competition held in Beijing last October.

The StudyinChina Cloud Chorus was formed in December 2020 by international students who attended the “My Beautiful Encounter with China” Essay and Short Video Contest coordinated by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange. Their common interest and experience of studying in China brought them together to share with the world their stories in China in the form of cloud choruses.

Stories behind the creation

Three of Shenzhen University’s international chorus members, who co-created a song for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, spoke to Shenzhen Daily about the inspiration for the song and the “unexpected” influence it has generated following its release.

Shin Moon-sub, a Korean Ph.D. candidate of Shenzhen University, who composed the music of the song “When the Ice is Shining” to pay tribute to the Games, said he finished his demo in March last year and then invited two lyrics writers to help complete the work.

“I talked to my friend Zhang Haomiao about my inspiration from the song ‘Hand in Hand,’ which was the theme song of the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. It reminded me of the hard time Korean people had experienced during the diplomatic deadlock between North and South Korea,” he said. “I told her about how I wished we could cheer up people suffering during the hard time of the COVID-19 and how we could support this year’s Winter Olympics, and then she helped write the Chinese lyrics.”

“I spent 10 days to complete the Chinese lyrics,” said Zhang, a graduate from Shenzhen University. “Based on the theme of this year’s Winter Olympics, I wrote the song in praise of the beauty of nature, the pureness of snow and the bravery of athletes and people who have the courage to chase their dreams.”

“With love and a common pursuit, people can be united just as how the Games connect all of us,” Zhang added.

Francisco Arriaga Gomez, the English lyrics writer and a student from Shenzhen University, said he managed to maintain the same spirit conveyed by the Chinese lyrics when finishing his part of work.

“The game unites us and the spirit of it is especially valuable to us during the pandemic,” said Gomez.

“Because of joining in the chorus I got the special experience to take part in writing and singing with others for the song. I wish the Beijing Winter Olympics will be a great success.”

Gomez wrote in the lyrics that we all “get united under this light” and will “be a part of this brotherhood,” as he was touched by the Chinese part of “friendship unites our homelands.”

“I was surprised to know that people outside of Shenzhen got to know more of the city and my school because of the song,” Shin said. “Originally we just wanted to show our enthusiasm to the Games, but then I found it a way for others to know more about the city and its strengths.”

Shin said he felt honored as a Shenzhen student to draw people’s attention to the spirit of the Olympics and helped organize more than 100 international students across China to sing for the Games.

To complete his dream, Shin spent time online teaching over 100 participants from more than 50 countries and 24 universities to sing the song and edited each part of the singing into the final version.

In October, Shin, Zhang, Gomez and two other members of the school’s chorus team won first prize at the music competition of the fourth Silk Road & Young Dreams.

Shin then led the StudyinChina Cloud Chorus (whose more than 100 members took part in recording the song), re-edited the original song and released the current version through Channel 13 of the China Central Television.

Shin’s story has also caught Korean media attention.