Viral Olympic shooter Kim Ye-ji makes internet dreams a reality by landing acting gig as assassin

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Washington Bureau Chief

South Korean pistol shooter Kim Ye-ji, who won both a silver medal and the internet at the Paris Olympics, is soon going to be on screens in a role everyone wanted to see her: an assassin.

Kim, 32, took over the internet the second she stepped onto the shooting range at the Olympics in August. Social media couldn’t stop gushing about her all-black style, quiet confidence, calm demeanor, the casual hand-in-pocket stance, and her overall “main character” energy.

Now, she is bringing that energy into playing an assassin in a new film titled Crush, a short-form series of the global film project Asia, produced by Seoul-based entertainment firm Asia Lab.

Asia, directed by Lee Jung-sub, follows the stories of individuals confronting racial hatred and discrimination, and stars different actors from Asian countries. Thai actor Pakorn Chatborrirak, Indian actor Anushka Sen, Malaysian actor Sean Lee, Malaysian singer Daiyan Trisha and Korean actor Jang Yoon-young all star in the film, which is still in production.

“Kim expressed that she is both nervous and thrilled as she takes her first acting role as a captivating assassin alongside world-renowned actors in the spin-off of Asia, a major global project by Asia Lab,” said You Min-guk, the CEO of Kim’s agency Plfil, according to the Korea JoongAng Daily.

“That the series will be a huge gift to fans around the world when it is soon released."

Kim will be seen alongside Indian actor and influencer Sen, who is popular in South Korea. “The joint casting of Sen and Kim as assassins in the Asia spin-off series will mark a groundbreaking moment in paving the way for innovation and a new chapter in global short-form series,” said Asia Lab CEO and director Lee.

Kim won the silver medal in the women’s 10-metre air pistol competition at the Olympics and even caught the attention of Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

“She should be cast in an action movie. No acting required!” Musk posted on X at the time.

In August, Kim signed with South Korean talent agency Plfil to help her manage her newfound fame.

“Nearly 20 brands want to use her in advertisements and over 10 TV shows are interested in featuring her,” a Plfil spokesperson told the Korea Herald in August, adding that her athletic career remained her top priority.

Since going viral at the Olympics, Kim has been in a Louis Vuitton shoot for W Korea, a beauty campaign with Givenchy for Singles magazine, and appeared in a Vogue Korea magazine shoot as well.