Chloe Kim Wins Gold at the 2018 Winter Olympics, but Her Dad Wins the Internet
BRB, crying! Chloe Kim's dad pulled the ultimate dad move while cheering on his daughter at the 2018 Winter Olympics, and now he's being praised by millions around the world. Jong Jin Kim, who moved to the United States from South Korea in 1982, whipped out a homemade sign that read "Go Chloe!" while she outsoared her rivals to win gold in the snowboard halfpipe on Tuesday. After wowing the judges, Jong Jin reportedly pointed to himself and shouted "American dream!"
Born in 2000, Chloe was good enough, but too young to compete in the Sochi Olympics in Russia, so she waited to make her debut in Pyeongchang, South Korea — a city located a few hours east of Seoul, where her parents grew up and where much of her extended family still lives.
"My dad has definitely sacrificed a lot for me, and I don't know if I could do it, if I was in his shoes," Chloe told reporters. "Leaving your life behind and chasing your dream because your kid is passionate about this sport. I think today I did it for my family, and I am so grateful to them."
He and his wife, Boran, would drive Chloe from their home in Torrance, CA, to Mammoth Mountain, where she trained — a six-hour car ride. But he has reportedly shrugged off his sacrifices as "normal for all parents."
Chloe's extended Korean family — including her two sisters, sister's fiancé, three aunts, two cousins, and her 75-year-old grandmother, Moon Jung Ae — cheered her on when she landed back-to-back 1080-degree spins on her second and third jumps, a combination no other woman has done in competition. And Chloe wouldn't have wanted it any other way.
"A lot of my relatives over there have never really seen me compete before, so I think it’s going to be pretty cool for everyone," the teen previously told People. "It’s really exciting, my whole family is really excited about it, so that gets me even more stoked!" Congrats, Chlo!
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