[Son Yeon-jae's Instagram]
South Korea's famous rhythmic gymnast Son Yeon-jae has become what appeared to be the innocent target of a witch-hunt with sports fans posting hundreds of angry comment on her Instagram.
The 22-year-old nicknamed "Fairy" has been one of the country's most popular sports celebrities since former figure staking queen Kim Yuna, the gold medalist at Vancouver in 2010, retired in 2014 after winning silver in Sochi.
As South Korea's first rhythmic gymnast to win a medal at the sport's world championships, Son has been a big name on social network services, along with sponsorship deals capitalizing on her cute image. In February, she was decorated with South Korea's top national sports award.
No more eulogy or adoration as her image got tarnished by a corruption scandal that has rattled South Korea for weeks and sparked a wave of candle-lit protests calling for the resignation of President Park Geun-hye.
Son's Instagram is now flooded with angry comment and criticism of her presence in the trial performance of a national physical exercise supported by Park and her longtime friend, Choi Soon-sil, who was indicted for collecting corporate donations for personal gains.
"Aren't you ashamed of yourself?" asked an Instagram user named gjdtra08. Another user called Sehunkai94z wrote: "Many were curious how an athlete like you, who are not even good enough to receive any Olympic medals, came under such spotlight."
Son, who made her world championships debut in 2010, was the 2014 Asian Games all-around champion and finished fourth in the final of the individual all-around event at this year's Olympics in Brazil.
Meanwhile, Kim Yuna received a flurry of public sympathy and consolation over allegations that she had received unfavorable treatment from government officials for refusing to attend the controversial event.
The Korean Olympic Committee selected Kim as this year's "sports hero" who will enter South Korea's sports Hall of Fame. She now serves as an honorary ambassador for the 2018 Winter Olympics in the eastern ski resort of Pyeongchang.
Aju News Lim Chang-won and Park Sae-jin
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
