"Radio Star" Kim Gu Ra supported Yu Seun-geun's resolve.
On the 25th aired MBC entertainment 'Radio Star', a special edition featuring '2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics' medalists took place. Short track gold Choi Min-jeong, short track gold and bronze Kim Gil-li, snowboard alpine silver Kim Sang-kyum, snowboard big air Yu Seun-geun appeared.
Kim Sang-kyum became the oldest Olympic medalist. Jin Jong-oh had the record as a 36-year-old medalist in shooting, while Kim Sang-kyum was born in 1989 and was 37 this year. Interestingly, when Choi Min-jeong heard this she celebrated that Kim Sang-kyum had been exempted from military service.
Choi Min-jeong said, "When I heard that Kim Sang-kyum first won a medal, I was happy and said, 'Kim Sang-kyum must have been exempted from military service.' But it turned out he was older than me," which drew laughter. Choi Min-jeong and Kim Sang-kyum are 10 years apart. Kim Sang-kyum said, "I often meet Choi Min-jeong at the athletes' village. But I didn't know her age."
Kim Sang-kyum said, "They told me after the competition. They said it was the 400th Olympic medal and that I was the oldest Olympic medalist," adding that he also had no idea. He said, "I lift 250 kg for training. I'm preparing for the next Olympics. If it's the next Olympics I'll be over 40. But since I keep dreaming, it doesn't go away," saying he is preparing for the next Olympics.
Yu Seun-geun also overcame hardship and reached this point despite others' discouragement. First, Yu Seun-geun explained the snowboard big air event, saying, "The athletes here are in speed events, and I am in a performance event. You ride down 15 meters and show a performance in the air."
Yu Seun-geun, who executed a backside triple cork 1,440 degrees at the Olympics, said, "Actually I never succeeded in practice. My father recommended 1,200 degrees. But I thought I needed 1,400 degrees to be in medal contention," revealing with a cool-headed judgment not typical of an 18-year-old, and at the same time showing that it was a challenge driven by her passion as an athlete.
Hearing this, Kim Gu Ra clicked his tongue and said, "Parents should listen to their children. When my Dong-hyun said he was going to the Marine Corps I said he was being dramatic, but didn't things turn out well like this?" He then actively cheered, saying Yu Seun-geun was right. When Yu Seun-geun first said, "My parents told me to be careful around Mr. Kim Gu Ra," he sided with her with a generous and mild expression.
When Yu Seun-geun said the board she used at the Olympics was an off-season product, Kim Gu Ra gaped. Yu Seun-geun said, "Before joining the national team, my mother supported me by doing dishwashing part-time at a shaved-ice shop." However, that day's beverage sponsorship had arrived in Yu Seun-geun's name.
The production team said, "Today's drinks also came as a sponsorship from Yu Seun-geun," and Kim Gu Ra sincerely encouraged Yu Seun-geun, saying, "Sponsorships and advertisements will come a lot from now on."
[photo source] MBC entertainment 'Radio Star'
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