159 nations were represented by a total of 8,391 athletes, 263 events were held and 27,221 volunteers helped for the preparation.
These were the last Olympic Games for the Soviet Union and East Germany, as both ceased to exist before the next Olympic Games.
Seoul was chosen to host the Summer Games through a vote held on 30 September 1981. It was preferred instead of the Japanese city of Nagoya.
Vladimir Artemov of the Soviet Union won four gold medals in gymnastics.
Romanian Daniela Silivas won three medals and equaled her compatriot Nadia Comaneci's record of seven Perfect 10s in one Olympic Games.