Revealing Text Message Contents Exchanged with Coach C
[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] Short track national team member Shim Seok-hee (24, Seoul City Hall) has been revealed to have sent text messages containing abusive language and derogatory remarks toward fellow athletes Choi Min-jung (23, Seongnam City Hall) and Kim A-rang (26, Goyang City Hall).
On the 8th, entertainment media Dispatch disclosed text messages exchanged between Shim Seok-hee and Coach C during the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. According to the report, Shim used abusive and derogatory language such as "damn XX, your character showed," "makes me want to vomit," and "you’re a sick X" when referring to teammates like Choi Min-jung and Kim A-rang.
Earlier, on February 10, 2018, during the women's short track 500m preliminary heats at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, Shim Seok-hee was eliminated in the preliminaries, while Choi Min-jung set an Olympic record and advanced as the top qualifier to the quarterfinals.
Regarding this, Shim told Coach C, "I saw Choi Chun-wei (a Chinese athlete who competed in the preliminaries with Choi Min-jung) at lunch today. I shouted loudly, 'Choi Chun-wei, fighting!'" and added, "Choi Chun-wei is good, huh? She’s doing well. Did she take drugs?"
Later, Choi Min-jung was disqualified after overtaking another athlete in the final, and she tearfully apologized, saying, "Many people cheered for me, but I couldn’t repay them." In response, Shim criticized her in conversation with Coach C, saying, "damn XX, your character showed," and "the interview was trash."
They also mocked Coach Park Se-woo comforting Choi Min-jung. Coach C said, "F***ing comforting, so annoying," and "comforter," while Shim laughed, "ㅋㅋㅋㅋ."
On February 20, 2018, Choi Min-jung, Shim Seok-hee, Kim A-rang, Kim Ye-jin, and Lee Yu-bin, who won the women's short track 3000m relay at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, are cheering. Photo by Yonhap News
Shim Seok-hee’s mockery of her teammates did not stop there. On February 20, 2018, during the women’s short track 3000m relay final, Shim Seok-hee, Choi Min-jung, Kim A-rang, and Kim Ye-jin struggled while running third in the early and middle stages but won the gold medal with a last-minute comeback.
That night, Coach C told Shim, "Director Kim Sun-tae seems to be having an affair with Arang and Min-jung. Isn’t that sexual harassment?" and "They’re hugging. He’s hugging both of them and congratulating them on both sides."
Shim replied, "ㅋㅋㅋ I saw it. Meanwhile, Kim A-rang and Choi Min-jung’s acting was amazing. Choi Min-jung and Kim A-rang’s acting makes me want to vomit. Choi Min-jung is crazy. It gave me goosebumps."
Additionally, Shim and Coach C frequently said, "Let’s make a Bradbury." Bradbury refers to Steven Bradbury, an Australian short track skater who won gold at the 2002 Olympics despite being last due to a chain collision involving Ahn Hyun-soo, Ono, Li Jiajun, and Thurkott.
Shim appeared to push Choi Min-jung, who was trying to break away in the women’s final, and they both fell together, leading to suspicions of match-fixing in some quarters.
Meanwhile, Dispatch claims that Shim and Coach C had an "inappropriate relationship," stating, "They secretly met at the athletes’ village accommodations before and after major events such as the 500m preliminaries, 1500m semifinals, and 3000m relay." Currently, Shim Seok-hee and Coach C have not made any statements.
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