Viral Paris Olympics star Kim Ye-ji takes break from shooting to spend time with family
The 32-year-old who rose to stardom during the Games, where she won a silver, says she is tired from the competing and public attention
Olympic shooting star Kim Ye-ji is temporarily putting down her gun to spend time with family, her agency said on Sunday, saying she is exhausted from competition and the huge public attention her nonchalant cool has generated.
The 32-year-old shooter rose to stardom during the Paris Olympics – where she won a silver in the women’s 10m air pistol – after a video of her calmly taking a shot and unloading her gun went viral.
The clip, which was actually taken from a competition in May 2024, triggered an internet frenzy, with people praising her “main character” energy, and Tesla boss Elon Musk calling for her to be cast in an action movie, proclaiming there would be “no acting required”.
Kim will “temporarily suspend her sports career … to have some time together with her young daughter”, said her agent Yang Yong-sik.
As part of the decision, she will not renew her contract with her team that is due to expire in December, he said.
Kim is not retiring from shooting, he added, but wants to “take some time off and make up for the time she couldn’t spend with her family”.
