'Bikini + exhibitionism' hate comments overcome by Shin Ji-eun: Her firm statement on 'stylish outfits' stirs Japan... Portal sites dominated all day with "It's not about exposure, it's about style"

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

South Korean beach volleyball national team member Shin Ji-eun (25) shared her struggles in an unpopular sport and the hate comments she faced, drawing attention from Japan as well.

Japan's 'Tokyo Sports' reported on the 23rd that "South Korean beach volleyball national team member Shin Ji-eun revealed the excessive slander directed at her bikini competition uniform and the hardships of competing in an unpopular sport."

Interest from local Japanese fans toward Shin Ji-eun is also intense. The article ranked at the very top of Yahoo Japan's sports news 'Most Viewed Articles' list that morning and remained in the upper ranks throughout the afternoon, generating major buzz all day long.

The outlet detailed Shin Ji-eun's recent reflections shared during her appearance on the Korean variety program 'Ask Me Anything'.

Shin Ji-eun stated, "There is no regulation requiring beach volleyball players to wear bikinis; it is a choice made by the athletes themselves," and expressed her conviction that "bikinis are a tradition of the sport and stylish outfits." However, she also revealed that "some netizens post insulting hate comments such as 'Are you suffering from exhibitionism?' or 'You look like a bar girl.'"

She also mentioned the poor training environment she had to endure due to the nature of an unpopular sport. Shin Ji-eun explained, "Each time we compete in overseas tournaments, it costs about 6 million to 7 million won, but finding sponsors is difficult, so I raised funds directly by working part-time jobs such as a sports instructor." She then recalled the painful past where she even considered retirement due to frequent partner changes.

During her school days, Shin Ji-eun played as an outside hitter in indoor volleyball. She submitted an application for the professional V-League women's rookie draft but switched to beach volleyball just before the draft took place. Since then, starting with the 2019 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Daegu tournament and continuing through the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, she has become known to the public. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, she even served as a beach volleyball commentator.

The outlet added that "Shin Ji-eun continues her athletic career steadfastly despite numerous difficulties" and noted that "she recently became a topic of discussion on social media (SNS) and has even secured sponsors." It further highlighted that "she is quietly preparing for upcoming tournaments without yielding to hate comments or harsh conditions."

Shin Ji-eun is currently competing at the 2026 Nagoya-Aichi Asian Games. The Shin Ji-eun-Kim Jeong-a pair defeated Malaysia (Ko Yu-hep-Rachel Yuzie) in the second group stage match of Group D at the Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court in Japan on the 20th, with a set score of 2-1 (21-23, 21-15, 18-16).

It was a thrilling comeback victory achieved after a close match. They lost the first set 21-23 after a tough defensive battle, but in the second set, their spikes and receives came alive, turning the game around to win 21-15. In the final third set, they maintained their focus until the end and finished the match 18-16. After losing their first match against Thailand, Shin Ji-eun-Kim Jeong-a secured a valuable victory and currently hold a group stage record of one win and one loss.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original