"It's not just because she's pretty": Foreign media praise Korean beach volleyball goddess... "Survived on 7 million won in travel expenses and part-time jobs" Shin Ji-eun endures 8 years in an unpopular sport to secure first victory [Aichi Nagoya AG]

*This content was translated by AI.

'Beach volleyball goddess' Shin Ji-eun first drew attention for her outstanding looks. However, that is not the only reason she has captured attention. Foreign media also focused on her story of enduring a harsh environment in an unpopular sport for as long as eight years and competing on the international stage.

Taiwanese outlet Nownews reported on the 24th (Korea time) that "Shin Ji-eun, 'Korea's beach volleyball goddess,' finally secured her first Asian Games victory at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games."

It further emphasized, "The reason Shin Ji-eun's story has attracted attention from the Korean sports community and fans is not simply because of her excellent looks, but because of the long process she endured to survive as a competitor in an unpopular sport."

Earlier, the team of Shin Ji-eun and Kim Jeong-a defeated Malaysia's Ko Yuh-hee and Rachel Yuji in the second match of Group D women's beach volleyball at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games held on the 20th at Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court in Japan, with a set score of 2-1 (21-23, 21-15, 18-16).

After losing to Thailand in the first match, Shin Ji-eun and Kim Jeong-a secured their first victory of this tournament with a dramatic comeback, bringing their group stage record to one win and one loss.

Especially in the final third set, the contest was fierce. Both teams fought until 14-14 in deuce, but South Korea ultimately closed out the match 18-16.

This victory also held special significance for Shin Ji-eun. It was the moment when eight years of perseverance to survive as a beach volleyball player bore fruit.

Although Shin Ji-eun has been in the spotlight for her gorgeous looks and the title 'beach volleyball goddess,' the reality she faced as an athlete was not easy.

One of the biggest issues was cost. Each time she participated in an overseas international tournament, it required approximately 6 million to 7 million won, including airfare and accommodation expenses.

During times when stable sponsorship was difficult to secure, she had to raise her own tournament participation costs. Shin Ji-eun worked as a sports instructor while also taking on part-time jobs at hamburger fast-food restaurants and cafes.

Training conditions were also poor. There were even periods when she sweated profusely at Han River Park because it was difficult to secure a proper dedicated training facility. Faced with the reality that stable income and training environments were not guaranteed, she even considered retirement.

Due to the nature of beach volleyball being played in pairs, partner issues were also a major difficulty. Shin Ji-eun revealed that she changed partners no fewer than nine times during the eight years since she started playing beach volleyball.

She also had to endure vicious comments pouring in online.

Recently, Shin Ji-eun appeared on a variety show and revealed that she suffered emotionally due to misunderstandings surrounding her competition uniform.

Shin Ji-eun said, "There is a misunderstanding about beach volleyball; in fact, there is no regulation requiring bikinis. It is not a rule but something chosen to wear." She added, "I think it is tradition and style."

However, some netizens left vicious comments directed at Shin Ji-eun, such as "Are you suffering from exhibitionism?" or "You look like a woman from a bar."

Nevertheless, Shin Ji-eun did not give up on her athletic career. And finally, she secured her first Asian Games victory in this tournament.

Nownews highlighted that "while it may appear to be an ordinary group stage win, behind it lies the time of Shin Ji-eun, who endured for eight years, worked part-time jobs to raise funds for overseas tournament participation, changed partners multiple times, and even faced attacks calling her a 'show-off' online, leading her to consider retirement at one point."

It further added, "Shin Ji-eun hopes that people will pay attention not only to the gaze on her looks or gender, but also to the sweat shed by beach volleyball players and the difficulties they face in living as athletes in Korea."

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*This content was translated by AI.