It's been dubbed an opening ceremony full of delicacy and class - but Pyeongchang 2018 also has it's fair share of controversy too.

First their was the freezing temperatures, then a norovirus outbreak, unhappy Russians and even the American team having a high-profile fall out.

All this under the spectre of North Korea - who have sent a delegation despite ramping up nuclear tensions with the United Nations.

And the opening ceremony had echoes of all of the above.

Here's what we learnt as South Korea officially lit the fuse on the 2018 Winter Olympic Games...

After 60 years, finally a 'unified' Korea

Members of the joint women's ice hockey team Jong Su-hyon of North Korea and Park Jong-ah of South Korea (
Image:
TASS)

As the athletes did their parades, you'd expect the biggest cheer to be for the host nation.

But this time it was different, as North and South Korean came out as an 'unified' team.

This has been a dream for many since the countries were split it two after the Korean war in 1948 - tearing apart families on either side of the border

With tensions rising in the region as the secretive North tests it's nuclear capability, these games are seen as a chance to build bridges.

Unified inter-Korean team flag bearers Chung Gum Hwang and Yunjong Won arrive (
Image:
REX/Shutterstock)
Korea parade during the opening ceremony to the delight of the crowd (
Image:
REUTERS)
Sister of Kim Jong Un, Kim Yo-jong applauds during the opening ceremony (
Image:
Getty Images AsiaPac)

And this was proved when the Olympic flame was carried by two ice hockey players - one from the north and another from the south - on the way to being lit.

Kim Jong Un sister's was also present as the team walking out became the most emotional moment of the ceremony

It didn't all go to plan though for the 'unified Korea' however.

A martial arts display by North Korean athletes at the opening ceremony for the 2018 Winter Games was met with silence, with the only supportive noises coming from North Korean cheerleaders high in the stands.

There's still a way to go, but it's a start.

...but Russians say 'we're being shunned'

Athletes representing Russia marched under the Olympic flag (
Image:
Getty Images AsiaPac)

The Russians are not happy. Their contingent, the third largest at the games, marched under an Olympic flag - as they're technically not supposed to be there.

Russia is banned from competing over doping allegations - but individual athletes are not.

Olympic Athletes from Russia delegation parade during the opening ceremony (
Image:
AFP)

The Olympic anthem will be played at any medal ceremonies they feature in and they marched out in neutral colors - electing to make the walk in denim bottoms, grey jackets, and white scarves.

All this led the country's Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko to liken the Olympics to an exclusive membership club after 45 Russian athletes were denied entry after an appeal was dismissed.

Among the athletes who were hoping to gatecrash the Olympics by forcing an invite through CAS were Victor Ahn and and Elena Nikitina.

Now both will return home.

Bermudans get a little short at the ceremony

Cross-country skier Tucker Murphy of Bermuda carries the national flag (
Image:
TASS)

You may expect it to be cold at the Winter Olympics - the clue is in the name.

However Pyeongchang is freezing, with temperatures of minus 20 forcing people to walk out of an earlier opening ceremony rehersal.

But some still like to stand out.

It wasn't the first time that Bermudans wear their iconic long shorts to an Olympic ceremony - but it was the first time they've tried it in this sort of cold.

The Bermudans wear their iconic shorts during the ceremony (
Image:
Getty Images AsiaPac)

However flag bearing cross-country skier Tucker Murphy and his two pals did just that, proving they are hardy souls.

Much more sturdy than the American team - who all wore heated jackets to the event.

But nothing beats an oiled-up Tongan

Tonga flag bearer Pita Taufatofua braves minus-25C (
Image:
PA)

Pita Taufatofua likes to cause a stir and almost broke the internet in Rio de Janeiro when he appeared at the Summer Olympic Games opening ceremony without his shirt on.

Oiled-up Taufatofua won plenty of fans before competing in taekwondo two years ago.

Incredibly, the Australian-born athlete has now qualified as his country's sole competitor for the Winter Olympics as a skier.

And despite saying before the event that he'd be rugging up for today's curtain raiser in PyeongChang, he didn't disappoint fans - he was bluffing.

BBC presenter Clare Balding led the Taufatofua appreciation society, saying: "Tonga we love you! This is BRAVE."

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The Jamaican bobsleigh team is back

Flag bearer Audra Segree of Jamaica enters the stadium during the ppening ceremony (
Image:
Getty Images AsiaPac)

What many of us know about the Winter Olympics can be summed up in two words.

Cool Runnings.

This was the not-so-accurate account of the Jamaican bobsleigh team's bid for glory in 1988 Calgary Games.

Needless to say, it did not go to plan.

Cool Runnings, Malik Yoba, Leon, Doug E Doug, Rawle D Lewis (
Image:
Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock)
And now come the Nigeria bobsleigh team (
Image:
AFP)

However it make an hilarious film with John Candy and really put the country - and the bobsleigh - on the thoughts of the world.

Now they're back 30 years on with the Jamaican women's team proud to carry on the 'Cool Runnings' legacy.

Driver Jazmine Fenlator-Victorian led out the contingent and she said: "We’re also humbled and honored to be compared to those men that started and fought so hard to represent Jamaica."

And they're not the only ones.

Nigeria have also sent a women's bobsleigh team - and that means the Jamaicans may well now not finish last.

The Americans are already fighting

Flag bearer Erin Hamlin of the United States leads the team out (
Image:
Getty Images AsiaPac)

Never mind North Korea, the Americans managed to fall out before they event got to the Stadium.

Speed skater Shani Davis said he would not march at the opening ceremony after losing out on a coin toss to carry his country's flag.

Davis had called the method "dishonourable" in a tweet on Thursday when Luger Erin Hamlin was selected to carry the flag instead, which she duly did.

Flag-bearer is chosen by a vote of the eight U.S. winter sports federations but the vote was tied 4-4 between Hamlin and Davis, and a coin was used to break the tie, in keeping with USOC rules.

Hamlin, who will retire after the Games and became the first American female luger to medal at an Olympics when she won bronze in Sochi four years ago, said she was "honoured and excited" to be named flag-bearer.

At least they had those heated jackets to thaw any bad feelings.

And the Brits mean business

Flag bearer Lizzy Yarnold of Great Britain leads the team during the Opening Ceremony (
Image:
Getty Images AsiaPac)

No fuss, no drama.

The British team - led by flag bearer Lizzy Yarnold - came out, did their stuff with minimum of clonk.

With all the drama and controversy going on the British team just have to go out and do what they've been training for.

Lizzy Yarnold of Great Britain poses after being named Team GB flag bearer (
Image:
Getty Images)