Get to know Kim Ye-ji, the cool Korean sharpshooter the internet can't get enough of at the Olympics
Korean pistol sharpshooter Kim Ye-ji recently set a new record and bagged a silver medal at the women’s 10m air pistol event, and the internet is totally swooned by her cool aura!
Ye-ji, who made her debut at the Olympics, scored 241.3 points, falling short behind another South Korean delegate 19-year-old Oh Ye Jin who took home the gold.
Despite this, the 31-year-old Olympian has won the heart of the internet after her photos during the game went viral, with social media users pointing out how cool she looked—from her steely gaze, unbothered demeanor, cool glasses, to her badass stance—she surely nailed that “main character energy.”
Some users expressed how swooned they were with her aura.
This girl is a movie character like how is she real pic.twitter.com/hys1bLyj4t
— Daniel (@growing_daniel) July 30, 2024
the most aura I have ever seen in an image pic.twitter.com/HHo8yCV5O4
— Women Posting W's (@womenpostingws) July 30, 2024
Curious to know more about the sharpshooter? Read on.
She started sports shooting in middle school
Although it was her first time competing at the Olympics, Ye-ji has long been passionate about sport shooting. According to her Olympic profile, she started taking up the sport in middle school merely because she “was curious about shooting.” She has since joined several other prestigious competitions like the World Cup.
She is a loving mom and friend
Contrary to her cool and intimidating demeanor, Ye-ji is actually a softie being a loving mom to her daughter. In fact, along with her cool stance at the event, she is seen wearing a cute elephant doll affixed to a towel, which fans alleged belonged to her kid.
Her kind, nurturing side is also evident when it comes to sports. In her interview with the Associated Press, she said her roommate and competitor, Ye-jin, was like a sister to her.
“I always want to care for her and always be there for her. So when she won the gold medal, I was extra happy,” she told the outlet.
“I do not view her as my rival. This is a big stage, the Olympics, and we won the gold and silver. When we won these medals, we were so proud we are Koreans,” she added.
She is a rising decorated athlete
Before her Olympics stint, Ye-ji set a world record of 42 at the women’s 25m pistol event at the Baku World Cup held in May. She is also a two-time medallist at the same event after bagging gold in a 25m pistol and silver in a 10m air pistol.
