During which year did South Korea host its first Olympics?

The 1988 Olympic Summer Games were held in Seoul, South Korea, from 17 September to 2 October. They were only the third Olympic Games to be held on the continent of Asia. The 1964 Tokyo Summer Games were the first and the 1972 Sapporo, Japan, Winter Olympics were the second. As of 2018 Seoul is the largest city in population to ever host the Olympics, which will change in 2020, when a larger Tokyo will host the Summer Games for the second time.

Some of the 1988 highlights were:

Vladimir Artemov of the Soviet Union won four gold medals in gymnastics.

Ben Johnson of Canada won the 100 meter dash final with a new world record, but was disqualified due to drugs.

Daniela Silivas of Romania won three gymnastic gold medals and tied Nadia Comaneci's record of seven perfect 10's.

To top things off, Lawrence Lemieux, a Canadian sailor, was poised to win silver when he abandoned his race to rescue an injured competitor. He lost his chance for a medal but was awarded the Pierre De Coubertin IOC medal for his bravery and sacrifice.