Korean pistol shooter Kim Ye-ji speaks during a press conference at the Jeollanamdo International Shooting Range in Naju, South Jeolla Province, on Tuesday. Yonhap

Korean Olympic shooting medalist Kim Ye-ji said Tuesday she is open to participating in extracurricular activities as long as they help raise the profile of her sport.

Kim emerged as one of South Korea’s most popular athletes at the recent Paris Olympics – not because of her silver medal in the women’s 10-meter air pistol event, but thanks to a clip from a previous competition that went viral on social media during the Olympics.

Kim, 31, became an overnight sensation when X owner Elon Musk commented on a post on his social media platform: “She should be in an action movie. No acting required!”

On Monday, Kim finally signed with a Seoul-based casting agency called Plfil. The company said the athlete has a number of endorsement opportunities lined up and that the agency will also help him land roles in films or television series.

Kim, who had previously stated that she was not interested in any film role, changed her stance on Tuesday.

“I have received offers for commercials and TV show appearances. I heard that a U.S. company has also come forward. As long as they do not affect my competition and training schedule, I will accept them,” Kim said at a news conference during the Bonghwanggi National Shooting Competition in Naju, about 280 kilometers south of Seoul. She said she had a photo shoot planned for a global luxury brand on Friday, a day after the competition ended.

“I want the general public to be more interested in shooting. I signed with the agency because I didn’t think I could handle all these offers on my own,” Kim added.

Oh Ye-jin (left) and Kim Ye-ji of Korea hold up their gold and silver medals in the women’s 10-meter air pistol shooting at the Paris Olympics at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre in Chateauroux, France, on July 28. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

The viral video shows Kim breaking the 25-meter pistol world record at a World Cup event in Baku in May, all the while maintaining a cool, aloof look that, to many, conveys an action-star vibe.

Kim said she understands that even for Olympic medalists in a sport like shooting, popularity can be fleeting. But she will try to stay in people’s minds for as long as possible with her activities away from the shooting range.

“I felt that only by competing and setting records could I contribute to the sport,” Kim said. “Even with my Olympic medal, my name will soon be forgotten. But if I compete, people will remember me and be reminded of the shooting sport, I think.”

“Shooters of my generation have not enjoyed the same advantages as athletes in more popular sports,” Kim continued. “I hope younger shooters get the chance to compete in a better environment.”

When asked about possible criticism she might face for spending too much time on these other activities, Kim said, “I made this decision and I’m going to have to live with it. I’m not going to make any excuses. I’m just going to have to keep doing my best.”

Kim emphasized that she will continue to focus fully on her job.

“Next year we have the World Championships, two years later the Asian Games and four years later the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. My goal is to surpass myself every time,” said Kim. “That is my only goal.”

According to Kim, she can feel how much her life has changed in the past few weeks by the number of fans in the stands at competitions and the messages she receives on social media.

“Today I had fans from Seoul and other cities across the country,” Kim said. “And people sent me messages saying that I inspired them to start shooting and that they found new hope. That makes me proud. They inspire me too.”

While Kim has a chic charisma on the shooting range with a gun in her hand, she has also won over her fans with her down-to-earth interviews.

“I’ve always been like this. I never thought it was anything special,” Kim said with a smile. “But a lot of people have said they like that about me. I guess that makes me pretty cool.” (Yonhap)