Locals celebrate Chloe Kim's Olympic gold for USA but wonder if she would have made it as a South Korean

Chloe Kim won gold for the USA in the Snowboard Ladies' Halfpipe but would she have triumphed if she grew up in South Korea?
Chloe Kim won gold for the USA in the Snowboard Ladies' Halfpipe but would she have triumphed if she grew up in South Korea? Credit: Getty Images

With her laid-back Californian style and her stunning performances in the Olympic snowboarding heats, Korean-American teenager Chloe Kim has wowed fans in America and South Korea.

But her spectacular ride to a gold medal in the half-pipe competition sparked not only admiration and celebration in her parents’ homeland, but also debate about whether she could have achieved such heights if she had been born and raised there.

Born in Long Beach, California, Ms Kim says she identifies as an American, but is proud of her Korean heritage. Her father, Kim Jong-jin, emigrated to the States in 1982 with reportedly only $800 and a pack of cigarettes.

According to their now well-publicised family story, when he recognised his daughter’s sporting talent he gave up his job to help her achieve greatness. He now calls Ms Kim his “American dream".

Their inspiring tale has prompted some hand-wringing in South Korea, where children famously endure an ‘all work, no play’ culture of long school hours and alarming stress levels as they compete for limited places at the country’s top universities.

Kim warms up before her Olympic final
Kim warms up before her Olympic final Credit: Getty Images

Young Korean athletes have also spoken of being pushed to their limits.

As Ms Kim’s star rose during the early days of the Olympics, her name became one of the most searched items on local search engine Naver with many imagining what her life would have been like in South Korea, reported the BBC.

“If she grew up in South Korea, she would be stuck on the bus going to academies (hagwon) all day,” said one user, referring to the arduous after-school tutorials many pupils attend.

“If you were born in my country, you would be doing extra study at this hour. Envy you, American,” wrote another.

While another cynical user retorted: “Never become Korean. South Korea would bury your talent like a black-hole.”

Ms Kim, who charmed the public with her bubbly personality and unguarded tweets about craving ice-cream and becoming “hangry” between snowboarding runs has also spoken about being pulled in different directions by her family’s dual cultures.

She told the Washington Post that initially it was a little hard for her Korean relatives to support her goals, “because, you know, I feel like a Korean’s ideal thing is their kid being, like, a lawyer, a doctor.”

But she said she was starting to learn that she could represent both countries, telling ESPN, “I’m proud of my Korean heritage, but I want people to know I’m American. It’s not important to be the Korean Taylor Swift.”

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