"The yellow hair was from 8 years ago… Now, I'm a swan three weeks into retirement."
'Ice Queen' Kim Bo-reum shared her recent life after stepping away from speed skating and returning to a normal life. On the 23rd, KBS JOY's 'Ask Anything' featured former national speed skating representative Kim Bo-reum as a client, where she opened up about the realistic concerns she is facing after retirement.
On that day, Kim Bo-reum appeared with a calm style instead of her trademark yellow hair from her athlete days, capturing attention. Even MC Seo Jang-hoon and Lee Soo-geun barely recognized her due to the changed atmosphere. When Seo Jang-hoon asked about her recent situation, Kim Bo-reum revealed, "I'm currently in a 'swan' state where I'm not doing anything," and added, "It's only been three weeks since I retired," surprising those around her.
While the public had thought she had retired long ago due to her broadcasting activities, she had actually been active as a professional athlete until recently. Kim Bo-reum laughed, saying, "The yellow hair that many people remember is from 8 years ago."
Behind-the-scenes stories from her athlete days were also shared. Kim Bo-reum pointed to the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics as her peak, confessing, "My original dream was to win a gold medal and leave while being applauded." At that time, her plans for retirement were postponed after winning a silver medal, and she had been contemplating her retirement timing every year until she finally put a period on it by not participating in the national team selection this time.
Having lived her whole life as an athlete, Kim Bo-reum expressed, "I'm at a loss about how to start my second life as a regular person," voicing her psychological burdens. In response, the two mentors offered heartfelt advice as life seniors and supported her new beginning.
