Olympic shooting star Kim Ye-ji is temporarily putting down her gun to spend time with family, her agency told AFP Sunday, saying she was 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 Elon Musk calling for her to be cast in an action movie, proclaiming: “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, which 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”.
“The level of fatigue has mounted significantly… with tournaments and training, in addition to the public’s interest in her,” the agent said.
He reported that Kim had also experienced “mean-spirited” comments online and strangers had asked her for money.
Yang said he and Kim were still discussing when she might return to competition.
Following the Olympics, Kim has been inundated with interview requests, modelled for brands including Louis Vuitton and become a brand ambassador for Elon Musk’s Tesla.
In an interview with AFP in October, Kim said she hopes to compete until she is 50 years old.
Since the viral videos, “people refer to me as ‘shooter Kim Ye-ji’ rather than just ‘Kim Ye-ji'”, she said.
“I want to continue my work so that the word ‘shooter’ will always be remembered.”
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