"I Will Meet Ohno and Buy Him Bibimbob"

“I have to go to Jeonju. I’ll meet Ohno and buy him a Jeonju bibimbob.”

‘Korean short-track speed skating big draw’ Kim Dong-sung (23 years old, Dongducheon City Hall) came back to the ice rink, mentioning for the first time about Apolo Anton Ohno (21 years old, USA), who took away his gold medal at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics last year by his dramatic actions.

Ohno is expected to attend “The Third Tour of Short Track World Cup” held in Jeonju-si North Jeolla at the end of this month. Ohno’s visit to Korea is a hot issue that will evoke fierce arguments between netizens in Korea and the U.S.

Kim Dong-sung had given up the Taeguk mark, which is the trademark of the national player, and made his debut in showbiz but came back to the ice rink recently in a bid to participate in “2006 Torino Olympics.” Starting from the middle of October he practiced, as sweat ran down in beads, under the instruction of his old teacher, Jeon Myung-kyu, professor of Korea National University of Physical Education (former national team’s coach).

“I could not give up my dreams of the 2006 Olympics while I was in showbiz. Even though I failed this year, I want to join the national team again and appear on the Olympic stage again by all means possible.”

He cleared off most of his broadcasting schedule. Under Professor Jeon’s direction, he has to exert himself with resolution of mountaineering asceticism and has made up his mind to start again from scratch.

The news that Ohno is participating in the Jeonju Tour has stimulated him. Kim Dong-sung opened his heart saying, “At first, I worried that Ohno will be stoned,” at the ice rink at Korea National University of Physical Education on the November 18. What Kim thinks about Ohno, who has given him a scar that he can never forget, is curious to know.

“I really hated him at the Winter Olympics. After I was deprived of the gold medal, I laid in bed for several days with an oxygen mask because I was so angry at the loss. But time really does heal everything. I hope Ohno will play fairly at the Jeonju Tour.”

Kim said “Now I can meet Ohno and feel at ease.” The thought about making some time to go to Jeonju and have a bowl of bibimbob with him might agree with that statement.

The connection between Kim Dong-sung and Ohno goes back five years. At that time, Ohno was a high school student and he neither was a distinguished skater nor was treated well by the USA national team. That’s why he greeted the world’s greatest skating team (Korea) and learned from Kim Dong-sung and Jeon Coach about the international sport.

“Ohno became famous since he took first place and second place in the Canada World Cup in 2001. I also have been defeated several times. From that point on, he has never say hello to me.”

Now their position changed each other. Ohno is still a top class world player, but Kim Dong-sung is just like a beginner. The meeting in Jeonju may be a “proclamation of war.”

“I did what I wanted to do for the last year and a half. Showbiz was fun. I will try again for the Olympic gold medal. Right now, it is difficult but once I start practicing regularly, I am sure I can beat Ohno at the 2006 Winter Olympics.”

The relation between Kim Dong-sung and Ohno goes back a long time.

On the other hand Ohno said “To take participate in the Jeonju World Cup, my personal safety must be guaranteed,” in an interview with USA Today on November 18.

With this, the newspaper reported that the Korea Skating Union wanted Ohno’s participation and discussed security details.

jaeyuna@donga.com