Seoul: A South Korean Olympic sharpshooter who claimed silver in the women's 10-metre air pistol event has taken the internet by storm, emerging as a breakout style star of the Paris Games. Kim Ye-ji, 31, captivated audiences with her composed demeanour and striking appearance, donning a black South Korea uniform zipped up to the neck, a baseball cap, and wire-rimmed shooting glasses. Videos of Kim, showcasing her calm focus, have gone viral, particularly one 27-second clip where she takes aim, fires, and checks her record-breaking score. Although this footage was actually filmed at the Baku World Cup in May, not in Paris, it quickly spread across social media.

Despite social media platform X flagging some posts for sharing the out-of-context video, it continued to gain traction, alongside images of Kim from the Paris Games. Style magazine GQ lauded her as “the coldest style star of this year's Games,” describing her presence at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre as reminiscent of an "ultra-contemporary, sportswear-wearing sci-fi assassin." One particular post featuring Kim’s video accumulated over 28 million views in just one day, emphasising her significant online presence. Elon Musk, owner of X, even suggested that Kim should be cast in an action movie, remarking, “No acting required!” which further propelled the video’s popularity.

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Kim’s viral moments have led to a wave of fan art, creative edits set to K-pop music, and countless memes that discuss her unique “aura.” Currently ranked first in the women's 10-metre air pistol and fourth in the 25-metre pistol, Kim is set to compete again later this week in Paris. Interestingly, the 25-metre event is her specialty, and she will participate in the preliminaries on Friday, followed by the finals on Saturday. 

“I am confident all the time… I, Kim Ye-ji, am going to win gold no matter what,” she told reporters, demonstrating her determination. In a touching moment, Kim expressed her eagerness to speak with her five-year-old daughter after completing her events, sharing her joy about her newfound online fame: “I think I have become a bit famous now.”

South Korea has a rich history in the Olympics, particularly in archery, where its women archers have claimed every gold medal since the sport's introduction in 1988. The country also excels in taekwondo, its native martial art, and has performed well in shooting, securing nine gold medals since 1992, four of which have been won by women. Notably, male athletes who win Olympic medals are granted exemptions from military service, while this obligation does not apply to women. As Kim Ye-ji continues her journey in Paris, fans eagerly await her next performance, cheering on their stylish sharpshooter. AFP