The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, took place in the South Korean city of Seoul between September 17th and October 2nd. Just as Tokyo 64, the design for the logo for Seoul 88 was the result of a competition. However, rather than pre-selecting a number of designers to contribute proposals, it was open to all. The competition was advertised across the country through print media and radio, and to the international expatriate community by way of South Korean embassies.

The competition was initiated in 1982 by the Organising Committee of the 1988 Seoul Games, the SLOOC. As was accepted at the time only the winners would receive compensation. For first place the prize was ₩3m, with second and third place receiving ₩1m each (around $9,000 and $6,000 adjusted to 2022 rates). The designers whose work was not selected went home empty handed. When the competition closed in December of 1982 there was a total of 924 submissions. Read on to see some of those submissions.