‘Ice Princess’ Choi Min-jeong’s short track reign makes Korean history in Milan

Short track speed skater Choi Min-jeong greets the crowd draped in the Korean flag after securing the silver medal in the women’s 1,500-meter final at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics at the Milano Ice Skating Arena, Italy, on Feb. 20 (local time). [NEWS1]

 
Adding a silver to her already historic medal collection, Korea’s “Ice Princess” Choi Min-jeong has officially rewritten the nation’s Olympic history books.
 
At the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Friday, the short track speed skater finished second in the 1,500-meter event behind fellow Korean Kim Gil-li. The silver brought her career total to seven Olympic medals — four gold and three silver — making her the most decorated athlete in Korean Olympic history. She had previously captured gold in the 3,000-meter relay with Kim on Wednesday.
 

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“I wanted to finish with a smile, but thinking about everything I’ve been through brought a lot of emotions. I’m happy to have wrapped up this Olympics well,” the 27-year-old told reporters after her historic 1,500-meter race in Milan.
 
Choi’s historic journey began in 2004, when she first stepped onto the ice at the age of 6. Initially, it was just one of many hobbies she had at the time, but the sensation of speed fascinated her more than anything else. She grew up idolizing Jin Sun-yu, Choi recalled in an interview with Olympics.com, like many fans of the legendary skater who achieved a triple crown in the 1,000-meter, 1,500-meter and 3,000-meter relay at the 2006 Torino Games.
 

Short track speed skater Choi Min-jeong poses during an interview with the JoongAng Sunday on April 26, 2022. [CHOI YOUNG-JAE]

  
Inspired by Jin’s explosive skating, Choi honed her skills through the competitive youth circuits in Seongnam, Gyeonggi.
 
Unlike many who struggle with the transition to the senior circuit, Choi was a breakout star. Making her senior debut at just 16, she immediately joined the national team’s top tier and became the world champion at the 2015 World Championships in her first appearance. She successfully defended her title the following year, signaling the arrival of a new era with a poker face and coldly efficient racing style that earned her her nickname.
 
“Although my results were good, I still had a lot to learn,” Choi said in an interview in 2015. “Watching the older skaters try their best and push through injuries made me wonder if I could ever compete with that kind of spirit.”
 
Her early success was followed by misfortune in the 2017 season.
 

Short track speed skater Choi Min-jeong, center, poses with Canadian skater Kim Boutin, left, and Chinese skater Li Jinyu at the medal ceremony on Feb. 18, 2018, after she won gold in the 1,500-meter event at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. [WOO SANG-JO]

 
Her prospects of appearing on home ice at the PyeongChang Games the following year took a hit, with her signature 1,500-meter race ending prematurely after falling, only to rack up penalties in the 500- and 1,000-meter events. With the disappointing results, a ticket to the Olympics in Korea was anything but certain.
 
Redemption came in the national selection races, where she swept all eight events she entered.
 
At her first Olympics, Choi experienced both heartbreak and glory. In the 500-meter final, she crossed the line in second place but was disqualified for interference. Despite the setback, she tapped that same resilience that got her to the Games and responded with composure to capture the gold in the 1,500-meter before leading Korea to another gold in the 3,000-meter relay.
 

Short track speed skaters Shim Suk-hee and Choi Min-jeong pose with the Women’s Sports Award plaque presented by local broadcaster MBN on Nov. 15, 2017. [YONHAP]

 
The shimmer of that success dimmed in 2021, however, when she found herself at the core of a scandal involving teammate Shim Suk-hee.
 
Leaked messages from 2018 show Shim constantly criticizing her fellow skaters, using vulgar language and suggesting that she conspired to cause a collision with Choi in the 1,000-meter final at PyeongChang to eliminate her rival.
 
The controversy hit Choi hard, entangling her in a bitter conflict with someone she once described as “the older colleague I trust and rely on the most.” After the allegations surfaced, Choi’s side released a statement saying she was under extreme stress due to Shim’s repeated attempts to contact her and strongly demanded a thorough investigation.
 
The investigation concluded that there was insufficient evidence to confirm any intentional collision, noting it could have been an act of self-protection. However, Shim was found to have tarnished her teammate’s dignity through derogatory remarks and was handed a two-month suspension. As a result, Shim missed the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
 

Short track speed skater Choi Min-jeong holds her gold medal on the podium during the medal ceremony on Feb. 17, 2022. Choi won her signature 1,500-meter event at the Beijing Winter Olympics. [NEWS1]

 
With that episode seemingly behind her, nothing could stop Choi’s Olympic rise. Undeterred, she arrived at the 2022 Beijing Games determined to cement her status as the dominant force on the 1,500-meter circuit.
 
She successfully defended her title, setting an Olympic record of 2:16.831 in the semifinal before clinching gold in the 1,500-meter final, where she edged out one of her biggest rivals, Arianna Fontana of Italy. Choi also claimed silver in the 1,000-meter race after a photo finish with the Netherlands’ Suzanne Schulting and anchored the 3,000-meter relay team to earn silver.
 

Short track speed skater Choi Min-jeong holds the Korean flag after winning her signature 1,500-meter event at the Beijing Winter Olympics on Feb. 16, 2022. [YONHAP]

 
Reflecting on her second Olympic campaign, which she thought “was going to be easier,” Choi told Olympics.com, “It was harder than I expected, and overcoming everything that happened during preparations made it even more meaningful.”
 
Looking back on her success, she said, “If I had to choose the most special medal, it would be the Beijing 1,500-meter gold because I set the world record there and because it was my second consecutive Olympic victory.”
 
Following the remarkable 2022 season, Choi made the bold decision to skip the 2023-24 season to focus on recovery and equipment adjustments: a strategic retreat aimed squarely at the Milan-Cortina Games.
 

Short track speed skater Choi Min-jeong poses for photos with her gold medals at Incheon International Airport on Feb. 10, 2025, after returning from the Harbin Winter Asian Games. [YONHAP]

 
The move paid off. She returned to win three gold medals at the Harbin 2025 Asian Winter Games and reclaim the 1,500-meter title at the 2025 World Championships, proving her elite form was still alive and well.
 
Now, having cemented her place atop Korea’s Olympic pantheon in Milan, Choi said she is and grateful for having been able to perform at a high level for longer than she expected.
 
“Through this Olympics, I was able to set many records, and I’m grateful to myself for enduring for such a long time. Above all, I’m thankful to everyone who helped me,” Choi said after her final race in Italy.

BY YOON SEUNG-JIN [yoon.seungjin@joongang.co.kr]