South Korean media treating Chloe Kim as one of their own
U. S.-born Chloe Kim blew away the competition in becoming the youngest ever to win a gold medal in halfpipe snowboarding.
The 17-year-old, who scored an astonishing 98.75 on her final run, is attracting fans from around the world — including from South Korea, where her father lived before emigrating to the U. S. in 1982.
« It means a lot just being able to do it where my family is from, » Kim said during a press conference after her record-setting performance. « A lot of pressure, but I’m happy I was able to do it here and do it for the fans and the family. It was a really fun moment for everyone. »
Local media in South Korea have published several stories about the proud Korean-American, giving her as bright a spotlight as many of the host country’s own atheletes.
Chosun Ilbo, a newspaper with a circulation of about 1.8 million, published a closeup of Kim sticking her tongue out, with the caption: « Chloe Kim, who once scored 100 out of 100, shows off technique at a whole different level. »
Seoul Broadcasting System aired a two-minute documentary on Kim after she won gold, featuring the first time, in 2016, when she landed back-to-back 1080 spins. The broadcast piece announced her as « Sun Kim, » her name in Korean.
Kim’s fans also took to social media to show their admiration for her incredible performance. Actor Park Seo Joon uploaded a screencap of Kim and wrote, « This is unbelievable… »
