'Kim Dong-seong's Bad Luck': Anton Ohno Sues Ex-Girlfriend Over 600 Million Won Dispute: "I Barely Got My Medal → Give Back My Stuff!"

*This content was translated by AI.

Apollo Anton Ohno (44), the American short track "legend" who left deep wounds and anger among Korean fans during the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, has launched into a legal mudslinging battle by filing a lawsuit worth hundreds of millions of won against his former girlfriend.

According to a report by U.S. entertainment outlet TMZ on June 30 (Korean time), Ohno filed a lawsuit in court seeking damages, claiming that his ex-girlfriend, Anna Pham, has unauthorizedly possessed hundreds of items, including key Olympic-related tangible assets and high-cost training equipment. The amount Ohno is claiming is 385,000 dollars (approximately 600 million won).

The list of unrecovered items specified in the complaint is quite shocking. It includes media assets with exclusive value, such as original footage of Olympic competitions and training sessions documenting Ohno's career, documentary videos produced for future commercial sales, and unpublished book manuscripts. Ohno's side also alleged that professional studio audio equipment, photo and video shooting gear, expensive clothing, and even "firearms" have fallen into Pham's hands.

In particular, Ohno revealed that he has repeatedly requested the return of the items since the couple broke up in 2023 but was refused. In court documents, Ohno expressed his frustration, stating, "It wasn't until October 2025 that I was able to send an Instagram DM (direct message) and barely get my Olympic medals back," while noting that the remaining hundreds of key items are still being held hostage.

This stands in direct opposition to the stance of his ex-girlfriend, Anna Pham. Pham countered via TMZ, saying, "Ohno agreed to return the items when I was ready, according to my conditions and timing," and "He promised to directly pay the associated costs when handing over the items," arguing that this was a consensual procedure rather than unauthorized possession, and is now locked in a tense standoff.

Meanwhile, for Korean fans, the name Apollo Anton Ohno is etched as an unforgettable "bad luck" and a byword for foul play. During the men's 1500m short track final at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, Ohno provoked controversy by performing an exaggerated "Hollywood action" while overtaking Kim Dong-seong, who was leading the race. Ultimately, Kim Dong-seong was given a questionable disqualification ruling, and Ohno was seen cheering and celebrating, which swept the entire Republic of Korea in a wave of immense anger and left a long-standing grudge.

In the United States, Ohno is a sports hero who competed in three Winter Olympics, winning a total of eight medals: two gold, two silver, and four bronze. He was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 2019 and has remained active post-retirement as a commentator for NBC in the U.S. and as a best-selling author.

As the two former lovers, once intimate, have descended into a legal battle over firearms and items worth hundreds of millions of won, accompanied by shocking behind-the-scenes stories following their breakup, the attention of U.S. media and the public has focused on the case.

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*This content was translated by AI.