Gim So-hui

Who Is Gim So-hui?

Gim So-hui (Korean: 김소희) is a professional alpine skier who has proudly represented South Korea on the Olympic stage across four consecutive Winter Games. She was born on August 19, 1996, in Cheorwon, Gangwon, South Korea.

Her career is one of the most enduring in Korean winter sports history. She competed for South Korea at the 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026 Winter Olympics in alpine skiing events. Furthermore, she claimed a silver medal in slalom at the 2025 Winter Asian Games and has earned multiple Far East Cup titles throughout her career.

Jung and Gim are seasoned Olympians, with Gim returning for her fourth Games at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. She remains active, determined, and deeply committed to the sport she has loved since childhood.

Early Life: Discovered on Skis at Age Seven

Born in Cheorwon, Raised for the Slopes

Gim So-hui was born on August 19, 1996, in Cheorwon, a county nestled in Gangwon Province in northeastern South Korea. Gangwon Province is the heartland of Korean winter sports, home to mountain resorts and a long tradition of skiing. Growing up here gave her an early and natural connection to snow.

Sohui has spent two-thirds of her life skiing, taking up the sport at age 7. From the very beginning, she showed a rare instinct for the slopes.

A Grandmother Who Changed Everything

The story of her discovery is one of the most charming in Korean sports. In first grade in elementary school, her talent was noticed by her maternal grandmother, who was a pastor and ski instructor in Pyeongchang.

Her grandmother saw something special in her granddaughter. So she nurtured it. Therefore, faith and family were intertwined with skiing from the very start of Gim So-hui’s journey.

The Power of Prayer Before Every Race

Faith has always been central to her athletic identity. She is a Christian. Every time before she straps on her skis, she prays. In an interview with the Kukmin Daily newspaper, Sohui said prayer is helpful in making her mind peaceful ahead of the games. “I was a 6th grader in elementary school when I first entered an international competition,” she told the newspaper. “For the 40 days before the competition, I went to early morning prayers. My mind became very peaceful, and I became brave. Since then, I always pray before games.”

This ritual has stayed with her through every race. It has stayed with her through every fall. Most importantly, it has stayed with her through every comeback.

Education: From Gangwon to Cheonan

Gim So-hui was a student at Doam Middle School. She went to Sangji Daegwallyeong High School. She went to the Cheonan campus of Dankook University.

Each school brought her closer to her sport. Sangji Daegwallyeong High School, in particular, is located near the ski slopes of the Daegwallyeong Plateau, an ideal environment for a developing alpine skier. Her academic journey reflects the discipline and focus that have defined her entire career.

Career Highlights: Four Olympics, One Unbreakable Spirit

The 2014 Winter Olympics, Sochi, Russia: A Difficult Debut

The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, marked Gim So-hui’s arrival on the global stage. However, it was not without heartbreak. She was a member of the South Korea team during the Winter Games held in Sochi, Russia in 2014, but she could not finish the slalom event because of a concussion.

A concussion on the slopes of Sochi could have ended a lesser athlete’s ambitions. Instead, it became the foundation of her comeback story.

The 2018 Winter Olympics, PyeongChang, South Korea: Racing on Home Snow

The 2018 Winter Olympics were held in PyeongChang, South Korea, the very province where her grandmother had first set her on a pair of skis. Racing on home soil, she competed in the Women’s Slalom and Women’s Giant Slalom events. She was also a key member of the Mixed Team Event, competing alongside teammates Jung Dong-hyun, Kim Dong-woo, and Kang Young-seo. The team earned a remarkable 9th-place finish in the Mixed Team Event.

Unfortunately, both she and Kang Young-seo were unable to complete their first run in the Ladies’ Slalom at Yongpyong Alpine Center, resulting in a DNF.

The 2022 Winter Olympics Beijing, China: Persistent and Proud

Gim So-hui continued her Olympic journey at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing. She competed and continued to demonstrate the resilience that has become her defining trait. Although results were challenging, her mere presence at a third consecutive Olympics reinforced her standing as one of Korea’s most committed alpine athletes.

Far East Cup Titles: Consistent Excellence at the Asian Level

Throughout her career, Gim So-hui has been a dominant force in the Far East Cup, a prestigious FIS circuit competed primarily across Asian ski venues. She has claimed multiple titles in both slalom and giant slalom disciplines at this level.

Her most recent Far East Cup result includes a first-place finish in Giant Slalom at Wanlong Ski Resorts, China, on December 12, 2025, earning 100 FIS points. This win, just weeks before the 2026 Olympics, demonstrated that she arrived in Italy in excellent competitive form.

2025 Winter Asian Games Harbin, China: A Historic Silver Medal

One of the proudest moments of her career arrived at the 2025 Winter Asian Games, officially known as the 9th Asian Winter Games, held in Harbin, Heilongjiang, China, from February 7 to 14, 2025. Gim So-hui claimed the Silver Medal in the Women’s Slalom event, one of the most prestigious achievements of her career and a landmark result for Korean alpine skiing.

A total of 34 NOCs competed at the event, surpassing the previous record high of 30 competing at one edition. Winning a podium finish in this expanded field made her silver medal all the more meaningful.

The 2026 Winter Olympics Milan-Cortina, Italy: A Historic Fourth Games

Korea fielded a trio of alpine skiers in Milan-Cortina: Jung Dong-hyun, Gim So-hui and Park Seo-yun. For Gim, this was her fourth Olympic Games, a testament to over a decade of elite competition.

She competed in the alpine skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics women’s slalom event on February 18, 2026. The women’s slalom final at Cortina d’Ampezzo was won by American legend Mikaela Shiffrin, who claimed her third Olympic gold medal in the discipline.

Competing at a fourth consecutive Olympics placed Gim So-hui among a very select group of Korean alpine skiers who have sustained Olympic-level performance across multiple decades. It was a moment of immense personal and national pride.

FIS World Cup and International Competitions

Gim So-hui has consistently pushed herself against the world’s best on the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup circuit. Her recent World Cup appearances include:

• Slalom at Semmering, Austria (December 28, 2025) Did not finish (Run 1)
• Giant Slalom at Semmering, Austria (December 27, 2025) Did not finish (Run 1)
• Giant Slalom at Kranjska Gora, Slovenia (January 3, 2026) Did not finish (Run 1)

These results reflect the extraordinary competitiveness of the World Cup circuit. The world’s best alpine skiers compete at these venues. Her continued participation demonstrates that she belongs at this level.

Olympic Career Summary

Year	Host City	Event	Result
2014	Sochi, Russia	Women’s Slalom	DNF (Concussion)
2018	Pyeongchang, South Korea	Women’s Giant Slalom	Competed
2018	Pyeongchang, South Korea	Women’s Slalom	DNF
2018	Pyeongchang, South Korea	Mixed Team Event	9th Place
2022	Beijing, China	Alpine Skiing Events	Competed
2026	Milan-Cortina, Italy	Women’s Slalom	DNF

Career Medals and Achievements

Year	Competition	Event	Medal/Result
2025	Asian Winter Games, Harbin, China	Women’s Slalom	🥈 Silver
2025	Far East Cup Wanlong, China	Giant Slalom	🥇 1st Place
2018	Winter Olympics Pyeongchang	Mixed Team Event	9th Place
Multiple Years	Far East Cup Circuit	Slalom / Giant Slalom	Multiple Titles

Personal Life: Faith, Family, and Quiet Dedication

A Christian Athlete Who Leads With Belief

Faith is not separate from Gim So-hui’s athletic life. It is woven into every moment of it. She is a Christian who prays before every race, a practice that began in elementary school and has never left her.

Her mental preparation is deeply spiritual. She believes that a peaceful mind produces a brave heart. Therefore, her pre-race rituals are not just routine. They are acts of devotion.

Fitness and Lifestyle

As a professional alpine skier, Gim So-hui maintains a rigorous physical training regimen year-round. Alpine skiing demands explosive strength, balance, agility, and mental focus. She trains both on and off the snow to maintain her competitive edge at the international level.

Her Instagram handle is @ggimsoski, where she occasionally shares moments from her training and competition life.