Viral Olympic Shooter Kim Ye Ji Hands In Her Resignation—Reason For Quitting Revealed
South Korean medal-winning shooter Kim Ye Ji, who became an overnight sensation with her viral moment at the 2024 Paris Olympics, has since resigned from her contracted team and is putting her athletic career on hold.
Korean Silver-Medalist Shooter Goes Viral For Her Total “Bad*ss” Vibes
On November 6, 2024 (KST), Korean news outlets reported on the statement from Kim’s management, PLFIL, announcing that “Kim Ye Ji has terminated her contract with her team at Imsil County Hall.”
With the National Sports Festival wrapping up last month, there are no more scheduled competitions for the rest of 2024, and considering that the next season will start in April 2025, Kim Ye Ji’s contract was terminated early.
— PLFIL
According to Imsil County Hall, Kim Ye Ji handed in her resignation letter on October 16, 2024, expressing her desire to focus on parenting and other personal matters that she had neglected.
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I’m putting a pin in my journey as an Olympic medalist. I’m going to focus on spending time with my child, fully embracing my role as a mother. I hope this break will be seen as a process for my growth and as fuel for further development as a shooter.
— Kim Ye Ji
Chosun Ilbo revealed, however, that Kim Ye Ji’s desire to focus on parenting might not have been the leading reason for her resignation and hiatus from shooting. According to a representative from Kim Ye Ji’s management, who spoke to No Cut News, “Kim Ye Ji has been struggling a lot due to malicious comments.”
The decision for Kim Ye Ji to take a leave from her athletic career was not solely for parenting. Kim Ye Ji has been struggling a lot due to malicious comments. It seems that, for this reason, she felt the need for a break. Despite how she acts, Kim Ye Ji is actually very sensitive. Although she has many supporters, there have been people causing her distress, asking her for money and harassing her via social media DMs.
— PLFIL Representative
Amid concerns, PLFIL clarified that Kim Ye Ji’s non-shooting activities—for promoting the sport of shooting—will continue. As of November 1, 2024, Kim Ye Ji became the first-ever ambassador for Tesla Korea.
