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Kwak Yeon-soo

Korea Times Digital Content Reporter

Kwak Yeon-soo is a digital editor at The Korea Times creating, editing and curating digital content for the newspaper’s website, mobile app and social media. She previously covered a diverse array of cultural, political and business topics.

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Sports

How much do Olympic medalists earn?

Archer An San holds up her three gold medals won at the Tokyo Olympics after arriving at Incheon International Airport, Aug. 1. YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooKorean medalists at the Tokyo Olympics will receive huge financial rewards for their accomplishments, in addition to a hero's welcome when they return home. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will reward 63 million won ($54,800) for each gold medal, 35 million won for silver and 25 million won for bronze. Medalists from team events will receive 75 percent of the individual payout. Archer An San, a triple gold medalist at the Tokyo Olympics, will reportedly receive a total of 157.5 million won from the culture ministry. In addition, she will be awarded 95 million won from the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation. Starting this month, the 20-year-old will receive a monthly pension of 1 million won for the rest of her life. The Korea Archery Association has yet to announce its cash reward plans, but it paid a total of 2.5 billion won to medalists from the 2016 Rio Olympics. It paid 200 million won to every gold medalist in individual

Aug 3, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
How much do Olympic medalists earn?
Sports

Inspiring high jumper Woo Sang-hyeok overcomes physical disadvantage, injury

High jumper Woo Sang-hyeok poses with the Korean national flag after the finals of the men's high jump at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Aug. 1. YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooHigh jumper Woo Sang-hyeok's record-setting performance and sportsmanship at the Tokyo Olympics have become a source of good vibes online. Woo, who finished fourth in the final, set a milestone for Korea's track and field by breaking his own and Korea's record. The 25-year-old made it to the Olympic final for the first time in 25 years since Lee Jin-taek in 1996. In the final, he effortlessly cleared 2.35 meters on his first attempt, breaking the 24-year Korean record of 2.34 set by Lee in 1997. Viewers praised Woo's cheerfulness in the competition, despite struggling with his 2.37 and 2.39 attempts. One Twitter user described him as a “serotonin boost” and complemented his smile and amazing performance. Woo's ambition, desire and relentless efforts have won him the accolade of achieving the highest―ever ranking for a Korean in an Olympic men's high jump event. Woo has risen above career threatening injuries

Aug 2, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Inspiring high jumper Woo Sang-hyeok overcomes physical disadvantage, injury
  • Athletes in less popular sports capture attention
  • No Olympics vibe, but conglomerates devotedly back Korean athletes
  • Korea wins bronze in badminton women's doubles
  • Korea romps past Israel to reach baseball semifinals
Sports

Anti-Asian racism haunts Tokyo Olympics

Table tennis player Jeoung Young-sik serves to China's Fan Zhendong during the men's singles quarterfinal table tennis match at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Tokyo, Wednesday. AFP-YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooTwo recent examples of racist remarks about Korea's Olympic athletes have triggered outrage on social media. While Olympic athletes have been using their sporting events to push for greater racial equality, Olympic commentators and watchers have been ruining the mood by using racial slurs. A Greek sports commentator was fired Tuesday for making a racist comment on the air about Korean table tennis player Jeoung Young-sik.When asked about the skill of Korean table tennis players during an Olympic broadcast, guest commentator Dimosthenis Karmiris said, “Their eyes are small so I can't understand how they can see the ball moving back and forth.”Through a statement on its website, Greece's ERT television announced that it immediately terminated its collaboration with Karmiris as a guest commentator, following inappropriate comments he made about Jeoung, after he beat Pana

Jul 31, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Anti-Asian racism haunts Tokyo Olympics
  • Women bracing to defend short-haired archer from anti-feminist criticisms
Sports

Badminton players become breakout stars at Tokyo Olympics

Badminton player Heo Kwang-hee celebrates his victory over Japan's Kento Momota in their men's singles badminton group stage match during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Musashino Forest Sports Plaza in Tokyo, Wednesday. AFP-YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooPreviously overlooked in this year's games, Korea's badminton players have jumped into the spotlight, as they are showing strong performances at the Tokyo Olympics.Once a powerhouse at badminton, Korea seemed to have lost the crown to Japan after high-profile badminton players, including the world No. 1 pair in the men's doubles, Lee Yong-dae and Yoo Yeon-seong, retired after the 2016 Rio Olympics. However, a new generation of stars is emerging.Heo Kwang-hee, ranked No. 38 in the world, beat No. 1 Kento Momota of Japan, 2-0, in the men's singles Wednesday, stepping closer to gold in his Olympic debut. Having won two consecutive matches, against Timothy Lam of the U.S. and Momota in the group stage, he advanced straight to the quarterfinals, scheduled for Saturday. “I played the game feeling like a challenger. I told myself, 'What have

Jul 30, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Badminton players become breakout stars at Tokyo Olympics
  • Teen swimmer Hwang Sun-woo calls Olympic debut 'turning point'
Sports

Despite battling mental health issues, Olympic athletes inspire viewers

Fencer Gu Bon-gil celebrates a point against Italy during the final of the men's team sabre fencing event at the Tokyo Olympics at Makuhari Messe Hall B in Chiba, Wednesday. YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooTo compete in the Olympics, the world's biggest sporting event, athletes must be mentally strong. But many have started to speak candidly about their own battles with mental health issues, sparking open discussions and even inspiring viewers. On Wednesday, U.S. gymnast Simone Biles, a four-time Olympic gold medalist, withdrew from the women's team event and individual all-around final to focus on her mental health. High-profile tennis player Naomi Osaka, who was unexpectedly eliminated in the third-round, confessed that the huge expectations she had to shoulder were hard to handle. “I definitely feel like there was a lot of pressure for this,” she said.Korean athletes too have recently acknowledged how mounting pressure and criticism affect their mental health and well-being.Local broadcaster KBS's commentator, Ki Bo-bae, a four-time Olympic medalist, stressed that participating

Jul 30, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Despite battling mental health issues, Olympic athletes inspire viewers
Sports

Jin Jong-oh criticizes IOC over Iranian gold medalist

Iranian marksman Javad Foroughi celebrates after winning the gold medal in the men's 10-meter air pistol competition at Asaka Shooting Range in Tokyo, Saturday. AP-YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooIranian marksman Javad Foroughi, who won Iran's first gold medal in the men's 10-meter air pistol at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, has come under fire for his membership in a militia of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which is designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. in 2019.Korean shooter Jin Jong-oh, a six-time Olympic medalist, expressed his objection to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for awarding Foroughi, calling it “pure nonsense.” He also slammed the organizers for failing to abide by proper quarantine measures.“How can a terrorist win first place (at the Olympics)? That's the most absurd and ridiculous thing,” he told reporters after arriving at Incheon International Airport, Wednesday.His remark came after the Iranian human rights athletic organization, United for Navid, issued a statement following Foroughi's victory. “We consi

Jul 29, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Jin Jong-oh criticizes IOC over Iranian gold medalist
  • Hwang Sun-woo heralds new era for Korea's swimming
Sports

Naturalized athletes aiming to fulfill Olympic dream in Tokyo

Marathon runner Oh Joo-han crosses the finish line during the 2019 Gyeongju International Marathon in this file photo. YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooAs the Tokyo Olympics' motto “unity in diversity” says, there are five naturalized athletes across four sports who are competing for Korea in the 2020 Games. Out of 233 athletes representing Team Korea, only two percent are naturalized. Of the five naturalized athletes, two are part of the women's table tennis team and one each are competing in the men's marathon event, men's rugby sevens and women's basketball tournament.The “special naturalization” program was introduced in 2010, which allows qualified athletes to hold dual citizenship. Marathon runner Oh Joo-han (Wilson Loyanae Erupe), whose Korean name translates into “I run for Korea,” is a strong medal contender in the Tokyo Olympics. Born in Kenya, Oh acquired Korean citizenship in August 2018. Hopes are high for Oh to win a medal at the running event, scheduled for Aug. 8, and provide a much-needed boost for Korea's marathon, which has stagnated in rec

Jul 29, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Naturalized athletes aiming to fulfill Olympic dream in Tokyo
  • High jumper Woo Sang-hyeok qualifies for final, first South Korean athlete in 25 years
Sports

MBC once again in hot water for belittling Olympic medalist

An Chang-rim celebrates his bronze medal after defeating Rustam Orujov of Azerbaijan in the men's under-73-kilogram event at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Monday. YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooLocal broadcaster MBC, which apologized recently over its inappropriate use of images and captions during its broadcast of the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony, has been accused of belittling Korean judoka An Chang-rim, saying that his hard-won bronze medal was “not what we wanted.” Right after An secured the bronze medal after beating Rustam Orujov of Azerbaijan in the men's under-73-kilogram event on Monday, MBC's sportscaster Jeong Byung-moon said, “It was not the color (of medal) we wanted, but the player will be satisfied with his result given the sweat and tears he has shed over the past five years.”MBC commentator Cho Jun-ho, who won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics, corrected him by saying, “Bronze is a precious color.”Jeong's disparaging remark came only hours after MBC President Park Sung-jae made a public apology for undermining the “Olympic

Jul 27, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
MBC once again in hot water for belittling Olympic medalist
  • Lee helps Korea stroll past Romania but still work to do
  • Taiwanese netizens thank Korea for using 'Taiwan,' not 'Chinese Taipei'
  • Korea wins silver in women's team epee fencing
Sports

Taiwanese netizens thank Korea for using 'Taiwan,' not 'Chinese Taipei'

The flag of 'Chinese Taipei' (Taiwan), left, is seen during the medal ceremony for the men's archery event at the Yumenoshima Park Archery Field in Tokyo, Monday. The flag features a small white sun superimposed on a blue circle ― a symbol pulled from Taiwan's national flag ― and the five Olympic rings, encircled by a blue Asian plum blossom, on a white background. YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooTaiwan's official name at the Olympics has sparked heated discussions online after Koreans referred to the self-ruled island as “Taiwan,” not “Chinese Taipei,” when talking about the final of the men's archery event.After Korea beat Taiwan 6-0, Monday, Korean netizens congratulated the self-governing island for winning the silver medal. Korea's broadcasters also introduced the opposing team as being from “Taiwan” instead of “Chinese Taipei.”The term, “Taiwanese players,” trended on Twitter, with many people raising questions about why Taiwan's official flag was not displayed, nor its anthem played during the medal ceremony.One individual twee

Jul 27, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Taiwanese netizens thank Korea for using 'Taiwan,' not 'Chinese Taipei'
  • Lee helps Korea stroll past Romania but still work to do
  • MBC once again in hot water for belittling Olympic medalist
  • Korea wins silver in women's team epee fencing
Sports

Korea stuns the world after winning third gold in archery

From left, Korean archers Kim Je-deok, Kim Woo-jin and Oh Jin-hyek celebrate their gold medal after beating Taiwan in the final of the men's archery team event at Yumenoshima Park Archery Field in Tokyo, Monday. YonhapJudoka An Chang-rin adds bronze medalBy Kwak Yeon-sooThere have been highlights as well as letdowns on the third day of competition at the Tokyo Olympics, but two of the highlights were the men's archery team event and medal event in men's judo. The men's archery team earned the sport's third gold medal Monday, following one from the mixed team event and the women's team, respectively. In addition, Team Korea claimed a bronze medal in judo. However, the fencing squad's woes continued after Kim Ji-yeon, the 2012 Olympic women's sabre gold medalist, crashed out in the round of 16. As of 9 p.m., Monday, Korea ranked fifth with three gold and four bronze medals, with the U.S. leading the pack with seven gold medals, three silver and four bronze.The men's archery squad, comprised of Oh Jin-hyek, Kim Woo-jin and Kim Je-deok, defended their Olympic title they won in Rio de Jan

Jul 26, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Korea stuns the world after winning third gold in archery
  • Korean athletes lauded for overcoming obstacles
  • Why is Korea so good at archery?
  • Japanese-born judoka has 'no regrets' about decision to represent S. Korea
  • Hyundai's archery support shines again in Tokyo
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