Polyakov loop modeling for hot QCD

We review theoretical aspects of quantum chromodynamics (QCD) at finite temperature. The most important physical variable to characterize hot QCD is the Polyakov loop, which is an approximate order parameter for quark deconfinement in a hot gluonic medium. Additionally to its role as an order parameter, the Polyakov loop has rich physical contents in both perturbative and non-perturbative sectors. This review covers a wide range of subjects associated with the Polyakov loop from topological defects in hot QCD to model building with coupling to the Polyakov loop.