Winter Olympics: short-track speedskating coaches Kim Sun-tae, Viktor An showered with love by Chinese netizens, but spark South Korean anger online
- Team China’s ‘gentle and adorable’ Coach Kim becomes a hit with Weibo users after Ren Ziwei and Li Welong take dramatic gold and silver at Beijing 2022
- His assistant An – the former South Korean skater who became a Russian citizen in 2011 – branded a ‘traitor and opportunist’ by former compatriots online
China short-track speedskating coach Kim Sun-tae sparked very different reactions from Chinese and South Korean fans, after his pupils triumphed in Monday evening’s men’s 1,000m final at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
This was not the South Korean’s first experience working with Chinese athletes, having nurtured hopefuls in the Northeastern city of Changchun between 2004 and 2006, and again from 2010 to 2014, including Vancouver gold-medallist Zhou Yang and Sochi silver-medallist Han Tianyu. Before returning to China, he also trained the Japanese and South Korean teams.
“I have much anticipation for China and I want [us] to do well,” Kim told state-run outlet Xinhua. “There have been some hard times, but as the head coach, I must overcome them.”
Kim was showered with love and attention on China’s Twitter-like social media platform Weibo for his visible excitement, after he screamed in delight.
“I like Coach Kim so much, he’s so gentle and adorable,” a Weibo user wrote, “I really hope he can train [our athletes] for longer.” The comment has now generated over 5,000 likes.
Assisting Kim and standing alongside him was 36-year-old Viktor An, born Ahn Hyun-soo – one of the most accomplished short-track speed skaters of all time with six gold medals and two bronze medals under his belt.