Beijing, China, February 17, 2022: Korean short track hero Kwak Yoon-gy has revealed the inspiration behind his podium performance at the Capital Indoor Stadium on Wednesday night – K-pop sensations BTS.
Kwak and his short track speed skating teammates won the silver medal in the men’s 5,000 metres relay and returned to the ice a few minutes later for the mascot ceremony.
After the Koreans were announced as silver medal-winners, Kwak moved forward ahead of his teammates, jumped on the podium and performed a celebratory dance – to the amusement of the spectators and fellow athletes alike.
With his bright pink hair, Kwak already stood out from the crowd – but this move endeared him even more.
"It’s my last dance,” he said, referring to the fact that, at 32, this is in all likelihood his final Olympic Games.
“It's BTS’s dance. We were able to stay to the last moment of the competition. I just wanted to say thank you with this dance."
Kwak was also part of the Korean team that won a silver medal in the men’s 5,000 metres relay at the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010. Twelve years on, he has a second silver.
Not surprisingly, his hobbies are fashion and dancing, while he has started his own YouTube channel to keep short track speed skating in the news for the four years in between Winter Olympics.
On the ice, though, he is deadly serious.
"I feel so sorry for not taking gold,” he added.
“I thank my little brothers on our team for not giving up until the last minute. I raced feeling like 50 million people from our country were racing together with us. Thank you so much for your support."
Regarding his future in short track, Kwak said: "It’s probably going to be my last Olympics. I must say that I have no regrets. I want to thank my teammates for sticking to the end. Now the junior skaters have become experienced senior skaters. I trust them in leading Team Korea to a higher level."
Photo: Korean Sport and Olympic Committee-KSOC (@KoreaOlympic)