Team '5G' keeps semifinal hopes alive in women's curling with comeback victory over China
Published: 17 Feb. 2026, 12:22
![Members of the South Korean women’s curling team celebrate their 10-9 victory over China in the round-robin match at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, held at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, on Feb. 16. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/02/17/50121030-8e4a-4b41-b623-316b810b509c.jpg)
Members of the South Korean women’s curling team celebrate their 10-9 victory over China in the round-robin match at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, held at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, on Feb. 16. [YONHAP]
MILAN — The Korean women's curling team defeated China 10–9 in Olympic round-robin play on Monday, keeping its semifinal hopes alive.
After scoring four points in the fifth end to take a commanding 7–2 lead, Korea struggled against China’s relentless comeback and even surrendered the lead at 8–9. But in the decisive 10th end, Korea secured two points to complete a dramatic comeback victory.
The win lifted Korea to 4-2 through six games in the 10-team round robin held at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. The team previously fell to the United States and Denmark but defeated Italy, Britain and Japan.
With the round robin unfolding in a tightly contested race, Korea now sits in shared second place with Switzerland and the United States. Korea will next face Switzerland, currently ranked world No. 1, Sweden, ranked No. 4 and Canada, ranked No. 2, in its remaining three round-robin matches. In most tournaments, five wins out of nine are often enough to reach the semifinals, but amid this intense competition, six wins appear necessary to secure a stable top-four position. The top four teams after nine games advance to the semifinals.
![Kim Min-ji delivers a stone during the women’s curling round-robin match against China at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, held at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, on Feb. 16. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/02/17/791831a6-67ca-41ea-b259-2d94db0ae891.jpg)
Kim Min-ji delivers a stone during the women’s curling round-robin match against China at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, held at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, on Feb. 16. [YONHAP]
Korean team's lineup consists of Gim Eun-ji (skip), Kim Min-ji (third), Kim Su-ji (second), Seol Ye-eun (lead) and Seol Ye-ji (alternate). The team’s nickname “5G” reflects the fact that four of the five players’ names end in the syllable “ ji.”
After a scoreless start, Korea, holding hammer in the third end, created a major scoring opportunity when Kim Su-ji cleared three Chinese stones in a single shot. China’s skip Wang Rui missed her final attempt, leaving two Korean stones closest to the button. Skip Gim calmly executed a draw to secure three points in a big end.
Although Korea gave up two points in the fourth end, it responded with another big end in the fifth. As China committed a series of errors, five Korean stones occupied the house. Wang’s final shot came up light, already guaranteeing Korea three points. Gim capped the end by placing her final stone perfectly to score four points and extend the lead to 7–2.
However, China mounted a fierce comeback in the middle ends. In the sixth end, Kim’s final shot lacked weight, allowing China to score three points. Korea limited the damage to one point in the seventh while retaining hammer. After adding a point in the eighth to go up 8–6, Korea faltered again in the ninth end, conceding three points as Kim struggled, and fell behind 8–9.
![Seol Ye-eun and Kim Min-ji of South Korea sweep the ice during the women’s curling round-robin match against China at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, held at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, on Feb. 16. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/02/17/c3fa5a68-13a3-4426-8ff1-2faf68a18fe8.jpg)
Seol Ye-eun and Kim Min-ji of South Korea sweep the ice during the women’s curling round-robin match against China at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, held at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, on Feb. 16. [YONHAP]
Kim Min-ji, nicknamed “Dopamin-ji” for her electrifying shots, delivered in the 10th end by knocking out a Chinese stone and moving a Korean red stone into the center. Skip Gim then set up a favorable situation with a composed shot. She sealed the match with a perfect hit-and-stay on her final stone, earning two points for a 10–9 comeback win. Broadcaster Sung Seung-heon described it, in the spirit of the Lunar New Year holiday, as “a bow-worthy shot.”
Korea is seeking its first Olympic medal in women’s curling in eight years, following the silver-medal performance by “Team Kim” at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, which sparked a surge of domestic interest in the sport.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY PARK LIN [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)