The Olympic Games aren’t just about breaking records that seem impossible to ordinary people, such as what China’s Pan Zhanle has recently done after completing the 100-meter freestyle in 46.40 seconds, showcasing exceptional talent. Alongside world records and impressive performances, the Games also create icons. Paris is no exception, with unexpected interest generated by the Olympic shooting competitions in France.
Olympic Games with a sci-fi touch. Olympic shooting may not be the most popular sport, but it’s gaining attention at the Paris Olympics because of the unique styles of some of its medalists. Two athletes in particular, Kim Yeji of South Korea and Yusuf Dikec of Turkey, have achieved two things: getting a silver medal and going viral.
Who is Kim Yeji? She’s a professional shooter from South Korea, a world record holder, and the winner of a silver medal in the women’s 10-meter air pistol shooting category. She’s still set to compete in the 25-meter event. However, Kim has become an icon and viral figure for more than just the trophies she’s won. In fact, she’s received considerably more attention than her teammate Oh Ye Jin, who won gold in the women’s 10-meter shooting event and set a new Olympic record.
Capturing Elon Musk’s attention. What's made the South Korean shooter go viral is her style and poise. Some even refer to her as a “cyberpunk star.” Whether that description fits Kim more or less is up in the air, but the undeniable fact is that she’s captured the attention of thousands of people on social media, including billionaire Elon Musk.
Cap on, stuffed elephant... and “the most aura.” The reason? In Paris, despite the tension of the Olympics, Kim competed with a composed expression, a relaxed posture, a black jacket, cap, and distinctive professional glasses used to prevent blurring and enhance accuracy while shooting. These glasses are popular among shooters, according to the Olympics organizers, but Kim’s unusual choice has drawn unexpected attention. As NPR remarked, “The cyberpunk eyeware tops off her look.”
Adding to Kim’s unique style is another intriguing detail that has captured the interest of the Olympic Games fans: a stuffed elephant. The toy, which belongs to her daughter, dangled from her pocket during the weekend’s competition in Paris, providing a remarkable contrast to the athlete’s equipment. “The most aura I have ever seen in an image,” one X user shared alongside a photo of Kim from the event. The post already has more than 431,000 likes.
Following in the footsteps of Jason Bourne and John Wick. Business writer Trung Phan shared one of the most popular X posts about Kim. He humorously put together a picture featuring three action movie characters: Jason Bourne, John Wick, Robert McCall, and the South Korean shooter. “I’m assembling a team,” Phan joked and asked Hollywood to make the film.
Musk seemed pleased with the idea and quickly responded, “Would be a banger.” In one of the images in the thread, Kim could be seen wearing her distinctive glasses again. These glasses are equipped with lenses, blinkers, and mechanical iris designed to enhance focus and help athletes like her concentrate on their target.
Much of her fame, however, comes from a pre-Paris event in which she wore them. In May, during a competition in Azerbaijan, the South Korean shooter wielded the gun with a backward cap and her professional glasses. The shot in question earned her a world record. It’s precisely Kim’s icy and expressionless attitude when confirming her record that made her go viral.
Another icon: Yusuf Dikec. Kim’s not the only icon to come out of the Olympic shooting events in Paris. Equally fascinating was Yusuf Dikec, a 51-year-old Turkish shooter, considerably older than Kim. He managed to win the silver medal in the 10-meter air pistol mixed team event with his partner Sevval Ilayda Tarhan.
Similarities... and differences. Interestingly, Dikec has become famous for a style that both likens and clearly differs from the one shown by Kim. They’re similar in their concentrated expression and astonishing calm, considering that they’re in the finals of the Olympic Games. They’re both unflappable and cold, but they differ in everything else. While Kim’s been compared to a “cyberpunk star” in the press, Dikec is celebrated for his “homebody” style.
Why? The Turkish shooter competed without the equipment usually used by professionals. No fancy goggles or headgear. In an image of the competition that has gone viral, Dikec wields the gun with a scowl, serene and hieratic, with one hand tucked in his pocket.
“I know a hit man when I see one,” one user joked on X.
This article was written by Carlos Prego and originally published in Spanish on Xataka.
View 0 comments