'Gymnastics Triple Gold Medalist' with Clear Six Korean Characters on Shoulder... Why on the US Uniform?

'누구든, 모두가' Written in Hangul
"Hip and Pretty" Netizens Praise

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, "gymnastics queen" Simone Biles (USA), who achieved a triple crown by winning gold in the team event, all-around, and vault, was spotted wearing a uniform with Korean characters on it.

On the 5th (local time), Biles fell during her routine in the women's uneven bars final at the competition held at the Bercy Arena in Paris, France, finishing in 5th place. Afterwards, her expression was captured on camera as she watched other athletes' performances and awaited the final rankings. Among these, what caught netizens' attention was her uniform. Biles was wearing the team uniform featuring the letters USA and the Nike logo. On the inside collar, the Korean phrase "누구든, 모두가" (meaning "Anyone, everyone") was written. The reason why Biles wore a uniform with Korean characters is unknown.

The "Gymnastics Queen" Simone Biles (USA), who achieved a triple crown by winning gold in the team event, all-around, and vault at the 2024 Paris Olympics, was spotted wearing a uniform with Korean characters.
[Photo by Reuters·Yonhap News]

However, regarding the product, some have suggested, "Nike sells products with the linings featuring characters from various countries," implying that the inclusion of Korean might be for design purposes rather than a specific message. The scene was shared across multiple online communities in Korea, and netizens reacted with surprise that Korean characters appeared on the clothing worn by American athletes, commenting that it was "interesting" and speculating that "Korean characters are perceived as 'hip' from a design perspective." One netizen commented, "I always thought only English writing looked cool, but seeing it in Korean looks cool too, so I want it."

Biles Shows Graceful Ceremony Despite Missing Gold Medal

Meanwhile, on the 6th, Biles won the silver medal in the floor exercise final at the Bercy Arena with a score of 14.133. After the competition, when Brazil's Rebeca Andrade, who won the gold medal by a margin of 0.033 points, raised both arms in celebration on the podium, Biles and bronze medalist Jordan Chiles knelt toward the winner and extended their hands in a performance gesture.

When Brazil's Rebeca Andrade, who won the gold medal, raised both arms in the center of the podium to savor her victory, Biles knelt down with Jordan Chiles, who received the bronze medal, and performed a gesture reaching out toward the winner.
[Photo by AP·Yonhap News]

The New York Times reported that Chiles, a teammate of Biles on the U.S. team, proposed this performance first, and Biles agreed. Biles said of Andrade, "Rebeca is truly amazing and queen-like," adding, "Watching her was so exciting, and all the fans cheered for her." Andrade also responded to the gesture, saying, "It was very cute," and "It means a lot to me that the best athletes did this ceremony." Biles further added, "It was incredibly joyful that all the medalists on the podium were Black athletes." This is the first time in Olympic gymnastics history that Black athletes took all three podium positions.

Meanwhile, Biles gained worldwide recognition by sweeping four events?team, all-around, vault, and floor exercise?at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. However, at the Tokyo Olympics, she withdrew from several events consecutively, earning only a team silver and an uneven bars bronze. After focusing on recovery for two years following the Tokyo Olympics, Biles returned last year, showcasing her enduring skills and securing her ticket to Paris.