In not even one week of official competition, the Olympics have gifted the internet with plenty of new athletes (and non athletes!) to obsess over. None however, come anywhere near close to the style and swagger of Korea shooter Kim Yeji. She is the moment personified.
Whether it’s for their amazing performance in their chosen sport, or for their hilarious social media presences (shoutout to Henrik ‘Muffin Man‘ Christiansen), the Paris 2024 Olympic Games have introduced the world to a tonne of athletes that have grabbed our attention.
And then there’s Kim Yeji, who blows them all out of the water.
Representing South Korea in three shooting events, not only has Yeji won a silver medal for the women’s 10m air pistol, she’s also won the adoration of people across the globe who are in awe of her deadly cool, futuristic, avant-garde style.
The 31-year-old pistol-wielding badass caught the attention of people online when footage of her competing in May was shared to X (formerly Twitter) highlighting how much “Main Character Energy” she is giving.
Peep the clip below and witness her unparalleled coolness for yourself.
The most "Main Character Energy" I've ever seen in my life.pic.twitter.com/ExuXVxB3VB
— Del Walker 🇵🇸 (@TheCartelDel) July 30, 2024
Now, kindly pick your jaw back up off the floor.
There’s something about the cyberpunk/Matrix inspired all-black look of her outfit, futuristic glasses, and chillingly nonchalant demeanour that oozes swagger — and the internet absolutely loves it.
Plus the sheer aura of breaking a world record while holding one hand in your pocket? I’m shaking.
Kim Yeji’s immaculate vibes have resulted in folks all over the internet hailing her as the “coolest person ever”.
“This girl is a movie character, like how is she real,” one fan wrote on X.
kim yeji’s aura is unmatched pic.twitter.com/ydhviHAZmZ
— 🌕 (@alilmoonn) July 30, 2024
One signature feature of her competition outfit at Paris 2024 brought her even more adoration online.
Some of her new fans noticed how while holding her pistol with one hand, during her shots Yeji was holding a small stuffed elephant toy.
This toy was then revealed to be Yeji’s “lucky charm”, as it belongs to her infant daughter — with Korean news-outlet Insight reporting the 31-year-old is the mother of a five-year-old.
Omg her daughter’s elephant doll was with her during the olympics🥹 Kim Yeji is MOTHERING. pic.twitter.com/kiZlb7Beia
— Lit 🍉 (@hahyunsing) July 30, 2024
Adorable? Absolutely.
Cool? Infinitely.
The shooter’s vibe also drew comparisons with her and famous action heroes, with many online calling for her to feature in a movie of some sort.
I’m assembling a team pic.twitter.com/dP0diSWp4V
— Trung Phan (@TrungTPhan) July 30, 2024
same pose. same aura. insane pic.twitter.com/2zX3iiorxT
— Michaela 🍓 (@Michisugussy95) July 30, 2024
And naturally, because this is the internet, she also has a tonne of her own edits and fan art.
김예지 국대 선수분 너무…멋있어서 팬아트를 그릴 수 밖에 없었다. https://t.co/jSU2hnCQKE pic.twitter.com/tgjs1vZA45
— w.homil (@homil_21) July 31, 2024
@larragrace MAIN CHARACTER VIBE! The south korean markswoman KIM YE-JI making noise y’all! i swear! there’s sumthn with these korean women! 🔥🔥🔥 #yeji #kimyeji #yejikim #marksmanship #fyp #foryoupage #foryou #fypシ #viral ♬ MTG MALDIÇÃO ETERNA 1.0 (Slowed) – DJ GLK & MC LIPEX
Yeji won the silver medal in her second event, with fellow South Korean shooter Oh Ye-jin placing first.
This result highlighted the coolest characteristic of Yeji’s — sportsmanship, as she raved about her friend in an interview with Associated Press.
“She is like my youngest sibling, and I always want to care for her and always be there for her. So, when she won the gold medal, I was extra happy,” Kim said.
“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. I thought it did not matter who won the gold.”
When is Kim Yeji’s next event?
Kim Yeji’s next and final event is the women’s 25m pistol, with qualifying rounds on August 2 at 5pm AEST.
Should she proceed, the medal medal event is on August 3 at 5:30pm AEST.
The Paris 2024 Games can be viewed live and on-demand on Channel Nine and 9Now, or on Stan.
The post Who Is Kim Yeji? Why The Internet Is Obsessed With South Korea’s Silver Medal Shooter appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
