South korea ki bo bae books

by Kristina Dolgilevica

Bow takes a closer look at South Korea’s greatest

In April, recurve archery fans were thrilled to see the return of “the recurve queen” to the Korean squad of 2023.

Multiple Olympic champion Ki Bo Bae last appeared on the international circuit in 2017, when she earned her final World Cup gold in Rome, the third of her career. Since then, she is said to have been thinking of retiring, at least as an athlete.

What will the veteran 35-year-old do now – and how is she perceived in her own country?

Rise to Fame

Like many Korean children, Ki Bo Bae started archery as an extracurricular activity in middle school, around the age of twelve, with little thought of becoming a professional athlete.

But her teacher brought her talent to her parents’ attention and suggested she should compete. By the end of middle school Ki had won three gold medals in one of country’s most important national youth sports festivals and was selected as a ju