 A victory for figure skater Kim Yu-Na Thursday night gave her gold on the ice, but she is already raking in her fair share outside of the rink. The 19-year-old is wildly popular in her native Korea, with nicknames like "The Queen" and "The Fairy of the Ice." That status has yielded her $10 million in sponsorships and endorsements deals, according to her representatives, IB Sports Management. Forbes magazine ranks Kim as the top earning Olympic athlete this year, tied with U.S. snowboarder Shaun White. Nike has created a Just Do It campaign around the young skater, showing her overcoming the pressure and challenges of Olympic-level competition. Though the campaign is only in Korea, Nike believes it will be seen around the world. "We are getting a lot of great response from our consumers and know that through our campaign, she is touching the lives of aspiring athletes, young people and fans throughout the world," Nike said in a statement. Samsung Electronics has created the Yuna Haptic, a cell phone branded around the skater. In the accompanying ad campaign, she goofs around like an average teenager, using her phone to take pictures and listen to music. Samsung says more than one million Yuna Haptics have already been sold. South Korea has never before won a medal in Olympic figure skating. Kimmy Kim, a reporter for SBS TV in Seoul, says many average Koreans believe Kim's victory would help reinvigorate the country. "The Korean economy is not as good as it used to be. They hope that she wins and gives strength and hope to everyone in Korea." IB Sports Management hopes a gold medal could lead to even more deals for the young skater. This is Kim's first Olympic games and a gold would go a long way towards extending her fame beyond her native country. |
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kim yu na!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i believe you. you can do it....no problem....
As the same Korean, I'm very proud of her achievement ^^
You Korean are good at skatting. Kim yu na, Congratulations!!!!!
There always one champion in the game, but there are still so many athletes not known by the viewer.
Champion get much more in moneny and spirit, but most of the athletes get nothing except the experience.
Congratulations Yuna. Congrats Korea.
Articles I've seen mention her celebrity only in South Korea and fail to realize that she has been widely known and popular all over Asia.
Winning a gold medal is important.
But I want her not to be too stressed out because of people's expectation
Wow! Amazing Yu Na
onceagain I agree with you, she is good but sheesh men stop drooling over her. She is like the asian anna kournikova.
concratulation. you got a great thing and very proud of you.
Yu-na Kim has made her whole nation proud!!!!! Her amazing performance brought tears to my eyes
Congratulations Yuna ~ ^^
Congratulations! Yuna!
While she was skating, a sunny smile spread over her face.
She knows how to enjoy her perfect performance.
-연아선수 수고 많았습니다^^
I'm Korean too!!! Yu-na, You were great!!!!!
yuna kim........amazing!!!! amazing!!!! amazing!!!!
Congratulations.
We are the Koreans!!! We can do everything in Jesus christ!!!
She so gracful and butiful, number 1!! we are very pride of her!!
Today is one of the best days ever for me~
so touching moment~
your performance was so amazing~~
enjoy your moment~~
you did perfect!!
Yuna you,re the proud of Korea. When I watch your marvellous performance I just hold my breath and in so tension of if something went wrong by you , but I am very happy that you,ve showed the entire world that what you can do. Forward Yuna for-ever forward without hesitation. I know impossible is nothing for you. You,ve shown all the entire world by your own hard effort. My best wishes for your success in your coming days.
"Aman Sherchan"
South Korea
Daegu city.
Yu-na eeh gyu tah!
I'm really proud of her..
I always believed that she'll win the golden medal..
It's really proud and good to be a Korean.
It's really a fact that we have nationalism(I cried....when she won the golden medal )It could be ridiculous but I have real patriotism in my heart.. and I'm really really really proud of her...
Congradulations Kim Yu Na~~~
Kim Yu na
I'm really proud of your achievement
I cried when your won your goldmedal..
It's really proud to be a Korean!!
Go Korea!!!
Kim Yu na I'm really proud of you
I want to see your smile when you go skating again.
I want your autograph
I agree dennice's opinion . She was so overwhelmed from her country at gold of Olympic.
But she overcame with pressure and got the gold.
She sets the Thames on fire indeed.
i'm very proud of her
although i'm not good at english couglatulation Yu na!!
when you cried I'm can expect your feeling.
김연아 당신이 있기에 우리들이 살 맛이 나요.
앞으로도 최선을 다해 우리나라를 널리 빛내주세요!!
김연아 화이팅!!!
-당신이 대한민국에서 태어났기에 무척 자랑스럽습니다-
That was INCREDIBLE!!!
From all the stuff I've seen Yuna do, I feel like this was the best performance EVER
I wish her luck in the future, and I hope the pressure doesn't get to her.
:)
you are the truely and only shinning star makes me proud to being korean. god bless you.
When I watched her performing, it was flawless. It was the best performance I ever saw!!! Yuna is the pride of South Korea. (from elementry school grade 5 student)
Our Thai people conratulate you. One day you shoild come to visit Thailand. Congratulate you again and again.
I was not interested in figure skating at all. But, after I watched Yuna Kim's performance on Youtube, I became a big fan of figure skating.
She is a goddess on Ice.
Congratulations!!!
Little Princess, Yu na Kim, not only you won the Gold, but also the whole world. A lttle Skater, A gift of God.
Kim Yu Na,
Congratulations on such a wonderful, exciting performance! You are truly a Golden Star! I have never seen such perfection on ice before! You should always be proud of your accomplishements, and I am positive there will be many more in your bright future! Keep shining bright, KIM YU NA!!!
Kim Yu-Na, you made us so proud! All Koreans around the world are behind you. We love you!
Yuna!! You were absolutely terrific today... You really reached your full potential out there... I was amazed just as the rest of world was :)
Congratulations! I went speechless by looking at your performance. There is no ice skating the country I'm from. But, I started following the game after much talked YU-NA in the media. You are the true legend on the ice! I want to see you break your own record! good luck!!!
It is so wonderful to see someone triumph when they are supposed to.My heart was in my mouth with every jump,every spin.It's amazing when the great ones show us all just why they are great. Yu-na is like a goddess on the ice.No Sports Illustrated,NBC attempts to create a Winter Games blonde goddess,aka Lindsey Vonn. Fortunately for the world greatness,ability,and exquisite beauty won out.Bravo Yu-na
congratulations to Kim Yu Na, a real queen on ice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
She was performing the art of skating while everybody was competing for the Olympics medals.
Congratulations, Yu-Na! Koreans everywhere are proud of you, I was so proud and happy to be a Korean as I watched you skate. Keep that beauty within!
-from a Korean-American
kim is a champion skater – a gem – but for south korea to even begin to think that her winning the gold medal will make any significant change in the economy of their country is, i think, quite unrealistic – and to put such pressure on her to win (good thing she did or she would probably have had to leave the country) is selfish, unkind, and no way to treat another human being – her country had no right to do that to her – if that is how they comport themselves, no wonder they have a struggling economy
Go Yuna! Great victory, and an amazing performance considering the immense pressure she had from Korea to succeed on such a huge platform as the olympics. I know this will be a tremendous jolt in inspiring future Korean figure skaters. I'm also impressed with her coach, and his ability to instill calm in her while navigating the olympic experience. Go Korea!
Im so happy she won....I LOVE KOREA
Yu Na. Great performance! You are wonderful!
She skated the most beautiful performance with so much calm and patience. She seemed to just float. It was amazing and she is a very beautiful young girl. I hope her country treats her well. They should be very proud of her. Congratuations, you are so derserving. Good fortune in your future. You are a definite role model, regardless of how you may feel. You must be sincere to yourself and always think twice what is best decision in how you lead your life.
Kum Yu na, you skated with true inspiration, Thank-You.
Of all the skating events at the 2010 Winter Olympics, there was only One in my opinion where there was only One skater that entirely elevated herself and that sport to a level of incredible performance which was entirely and solely her own, that skater is you, Thank-You Kim Yu na.
We are so proud of you Kim Yu Na!
You made us happy and your score made Korean proud.
I always have believed you..
Thank you for winning the gold medal and congratulations for
winning Mao Asada..
I hope you to make the best score next contest.
from..South Korean
Great! Two thumbs up Yu-na!
^^Savor your victory....
You deserve it. =)
To Kim Yu-na,
First is congratulations for the best performance i've ever seen in Ice-Skating. Once in a while I check videos thru youtube regarding skaters (variety of skates e.g. snow board. ice skate, downhill etc...) and all other sports....
I applaud your graceful execution all the way thru. I agree with the other comments that there is no such of your move that did not earn points.
Since i don't know how figure skaters really learn to become one like you...I'll take that those smooth moves must have some part of vallet dancing otherwise you're just a natural.
Yu-Na Yr Cool !!!
darel
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21057976@N06/
Go연아Go연아GO!!!
kim yu-na, korea's proud and amazing sensation has beaten her japanese rival, Mao Asada!!!!!
I watched the programme and Mao made so much mistakes!!
it's a wonder the referees gave Mao such a high score...
Very graceful!
People in Korea, sometimes, say even though the best sports men and women do well done in normal season, whenever they participate in the Olimpic they failed to get medals. However this time deffers from the past. So she is great. She overcame the weight of the pressure. I was really really surprised to see her flawless performance. There was no doubt for her to be absorbed in her dancing without thinking nothing. That's what is a pure art. Congratulation for Yuna's medal. Lastly I am very happy and pleased as a Korean.
wow...
your performance is so excellent and elegant so much!!
fighting
Congratulations to the all time "Queen on Ice" who has more than derserved to win the Olympics! I was quite surprised about the great performance of Korea and they should really win to host Winter Olympics in future.
yuna is the best!
This is no more then gold medal. Why u Korean regard her as a god?
Ur reactions make other Asians annoying, There r so many jokes from South Korea every year. Just a gold medal can even have impact on ur economy. haha. The girl is quite great but not so amazing as the media says. Anyway, congratulations to her.
Yu-na, you made me spend hours on youtube, watching your past and olympic performances, ha ha ha.
you bring tears to my eyes, every time.
congratulations. you've achieved greatness. please try not to worry about impressing anyone else any more.
Congratulations not only on your performances on the night, but also on your hidden painful prepareness for the night such as your endless planning, practice, and more practice. Good luck on your next move whatever you decide.
Hard work can make all of you to be great at anything you want.
She was just working hard and demonstrated it perfectly. Congrats!
We watched the entire Olympics especially all of the figure skaters and Yu-na Kim was truly magnificent. She belongs to the WORLD! It would be great to see her performance again. Spectacular!
what`s a ludicrous fact. this all-time skater really a pro
Korea is an amazing and beautiful place with amazing and beautiful people. It seems only natural that such a heavenly performance should come from such a heavenly place.
Thanks for thrilling the world with your inspiring artistry on ice.
I can't understand the people who leave bad comments here.
Normally you should be celebrating her,(well sort of for South Koreans) and congradulating her, but some say nothing but critical comments. South Koreans are known for racists, but I think that other countries are not that positive either. Also Koreans are famous for their nationalism, so they're better than other countries. They think that Kim Yoona is their pride, but us don't pay attention to the skaters and don't think much for them. I think we should respect Koreans. They're intelligent too. My Korean friend was really nice. Also Koreans are fantastic people, who think not only for them but other people.
Let's not criticize them. Let's be respectful.
Anna Kournikova is one of the sexiest russian tennis players i have ever seen. Russian tennis players are really pretty eh.;**
i love to Figure Skate, and this has been my favorite sport ever since i was a kid.-`'
i love to see women doing some figure skating routines:..
BE PROUD YU NA !
my girlfriend got a bad sprain during her figure skating routine but she is fine now:.-
i would love to do figure skating every week, this has been my hobby and a mild form of exercise for my body `*:
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What nice message
hpixel