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[스포츠뉴스]Korean women's curling team '5G' prepares for Milan Cortina Olympic Games

온카뱅크관리자

2026-01-30 07:01:00

<div class="ab_photo photo_center ab_zoom"> <div class="image"> <img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2026/01/30/0000083792_001_20260130070122124.jpg" alt="" />The Korean women's national curling team poses for photos. From left: Seol Ye-eun, Gim Eun-ji, Kim Su-ji, Kim Min-ji and Seol Ye-ji with coach Guy Hemmings. [KOREA CURLING FEDERATION] </div> </div> Eight years ago at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, the Korean women’s national curling team, known as “Team Kim,” captured national attention when players repeatedly shouted “Yeong-mi” during matches. With the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics set to open on Feb. 6, a new national team nicknamed “5G” says it is ready to carry that momentum forward. The phrase, shouted by skip Kim Eun-jung to direct teammate Kim Yeong-mi, drew attention, as the team won a silver medal. The team is known as “Team Kim” because all five players on the roster had the surname Kim. The new squad competes officially as "Team Gim," using the surname of skip Gim Eun-ji, but fans and rivals alike more commonly refer to the team by its nickname, “5G.” The nickname comes from the fact that all five players’ given names or nicknames end with the Korean syllable “ji.” The roster includes Gim, the skip, Kim Su-ji, the second, Kim Min-ji, the third, Seol Ye-ji, the alternate and Seol Ye-eun, the lead and twin sister of Seol Ye-ji. Seol Ye-eun carries the nicknames “Yeh-ppu-ji,” a play on the Korean word for “pretty,” and “Mukbang Dwae-ji,” which literally means “eating-show pig,” with both nicknames ending in the Korean syllable “ji." The meanings behind the players’ names also carry significance. <div class="ab_photo photo_center "> <div class="image"> <img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2026/01/30/0000083792_002_20260130070122288.jpg" alt="" />The Korean women's national curling team trains at the Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, North Chungcheong, on Jan. 27. From left: Seol Ye-eun, Gim Eun-ji and Kim Su-ji. [YONHAP] </div> </div> Gim Eun-ji, Kim Su-ji and Kim Min-ji all use the Chinese character meaning “wisdom” in their given names, while Seol Ye-ji’s given name means “pretty and wise.” “Our team color is ‘pretty, wise and cheerful,’” the players said during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo on Monday. “We read the ice more calmly than anyone else and add a spoonful of our own playful energy.” The team’s performance already places it among the world’s elite. Ranked third globally, the squad swept all 10 matches at last year’s Winter Asian Games to win a gold medal. The squad followed that run with a fourth-place finish at the World Championships and third place at the Pan Continental Curling Championships. “This is an Olympic opportunity that came back to me after 12 years, so I want it badly,” Gim said. “I even told my family not to buy lottery tickets, so all our luck goes toward the Olympics.” Known as the team’s “mom,” Gim reassures her younger teammates by telling them not to worry because she stands behind them. Kim Min-ji’s return to curling also carries a dramatic story. Once dubbed a curling prodigy while playing for Chuncheon City Hall, she quit the sport after struggling with pressure and prepared for Korea’s national police officer examination. She returned to the rink in 2022 after joining the Gyeonggi Provincial Government team as a third. All five players graduated from Songhyeon High School in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi, and built longstanding relationships that translate to solid cohesion on the rink. The players live together for more than 300 days a year and describe themselves as "closer than family." Curling may look simple, but matches often last nearly three hours and place heavy strain on the lower back and wrists. Even so, the players say they read each other’s intentions at a glance and often talk for hours without noticing time pass. <div class="ab_photo photo_center "> <div class="image"> <img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2026/01/30/0000083792_003_20260130070122395.jpg" alt="" />The Korean women's national curling team trains at the Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, North Chungcheong, on Jan. 27. [YONHAP] </div> </div> Two years ago, the team visited the Cortina Olympic venue in advance and left a message on the arena wall promising to return. They later completed adaptation training using virtual reality equipment. The squad faces tough competitors at the Olympics. Canada, ranked first in the world, Switzerland, which has won four consecutive World Championships, and Sweden, known for bold tactics, stand as major rivals. "We have beaten all of them in major tournaments before and now have confidence against any opponent," Gim said. After the Olympics, the players said they want to meet actors Byeon Woo-seok and Jung Hae-in, K-pop group Seventeen and chef Choi Kang-rok, and appear in advertisements ranging from smartphones to massage chairs. The team departs for Switzerland on Feb. 2 for final preparations and made a promise to the nation. “We will play bold, refreshing matches that make your hearts race like 5G communication,” the players said. “We will deliver a celebration on top of the podium that surprises the world.” This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

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