⛸️ Empty-handed for the First Time in 24 Years... Homework from Milano and Kim Bo-reum's New Start - 2026.02.24 | Speed Skating

Hello, Speed Skating fans! It's Speed Skating Mania. ❄️

The 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics have officially come to a close. Our athletes raced fiercely on the ice in Italy. Today, I'll share the wrap-up news of the Olympics along with updates on a familiar face.

🇰🇷 'No Medals' for the First Time in 24 Years, Tasks Left Behind Regret

Unfortunately, Korean speed skating failed to win any medals at this Olympics. This is reportedly the first time in 24 years since the 2002 Salt Lake City Games ^[2].

In the Mass Start, which was our last hope, Chung Jae-won finished 5th and Park Ji-woo finished 14th in the finals, concluding the event ^[1]. This contrasted sharply with Short Track, which swept 7 medals, leaving speed skating fans heartbroken ^[2].

'Iron Man' Lee Seung-hoon, who worked as a commentator on-site, expressed his regret, saying, "I expected at least one medal in the Mass Start, but it didn't work out" ^[4]. Experts are pointing to the difficulties of generational shifts and poor training environments, such as the aging Taereung Training Center and delays in selecting a replacement site, as reasons for the slump ^[6].

🗣️ Chung Jae-won: "Sorry I Couldn't Greet You with a Smile"

Chung Jae-won, who aimed for a medal in three consecutive Olympics following PyeongChang and Beijing, sent a message to fans via social media after the race. He said, "Although I couldn't achieve the goal of winning a medal for the third time in a row, I thank everyone who supported me," and pledged, "I will overcome this pain and move forward" ^[3]. Although there was no medal, let's give a big round of applause to Chung Jae-won for running until the end! 👏

👋 'Speed Skating Empress' Kim Bo-reum's Honest Retirement Life

Meanwhile, updates on Kim Bo-reum, who announced her retirement at the end of last year, have been revealed. She recently appeared on the variety show 'Ask Anything' and shared her cheerful status, saying, "I'm living as an unemployed person after retirement" ^[5].

Kim Bo-reum touched fans' hearts by recalling the difficult memories of the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, stating, "I became stronger because of that experience" . Seo Jang-hoon reportedly recommended a stable path as a coach to her ^[5]. Let's cheer for Kim Bo-reum's future as she starts her second life! ✨

🍱 Strong Supporter CJ

Regardless of the results, news of warm support for our athletes also arrived. CJ Group reportedly supported the athletes with Korean food (Bibigo) during the tournament to keep their energy up ^[7]. It is praiseworthy that they have silently continued their support as a reliable sponsor for the national team, including Kim Min-sun .

Although we returned empty-handed this time, they say failure is the mother of success, right? I hope we use this opportunity to reorganize the training system and soar again at the next Olympics! Fighting, Korean Speed Skating! 🔥