Entertainment

Who Are Chloe Kim's Parents? Here's Why The Internet Is So Obsessed With Them

by Gillian Walters

In case you missed it, Olympic snowboarder Chloe Kim snagged a gold medal while competing at the 2018 Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, on Monday. Obviously, winning a gold medal is a *big* deal, and Kim's loyal supporters are in total awe of her athletic prowess. But when it comes to Kim's biggest fans, that honor definitely goes to her loving parents. In fact, the Olympian's mom and dad have been so supportive throughout the Winter Games that countless people are wondering, who are Chloe Kim's parents? Not only are Kim's parents dedicated to her success, but their life stories are both incredibly compelling.

Personally, I'm not too big on watching sports competitions because of my anxiety. As a generally anxious person, I get incredibly nervous watching people compete in events that will ultimately shape the rest of their lives. Plus, I don't want to witness anyone potentially getting injured. A few days ago, I witnessed for the first time Shaun White's infamous fall at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, and I'm still replaying it over and over in my head. The whole Olympics thing is a lot for me, to say the least.

I am a fan, however, of watching the crowds at the Olympics. I genuinely enjoy watching other people enjoy themselves and it's heartwarming to see everyone so excited about the same thing. And when I saw Kim's dad, Jong Jin Kim, at the Olympics holding a handmade sign in support of his daughter, it cemented my love for crowd watching.

Feast your eyes on the cuteness below:

Many other people were also blown away by Jong's adorable sign:

In 1982, Jong and Boran emigrated from South Korea to the United States, according to Teen Vogue. When Jong arrived in Southern California, he had $800 in his pocket, and he quickly got a job as a dishwasher and then later as a cashier at a liquor store, according to Newsweek. Eventually, Jong obtained an engineering degree, according to the The San Diego Tribune.

Jong, however, ultimately gave up the career he worked so hard to obtain. The reason? Jong wanted to support Kim's burgeoning career as a snowboarder full-time. Jong, according to NBC, would drive Kim "six hours each way on weekends to Mammoth Mountain in California" just so she could practice the sport.

Of course, Jong is obviously thrilled that all of Kim's hard work eventually paid off.

Following Kim's win, Jong said, according to The Independent:

When I came to the United States, this was my American hope. Now, this is my American dream.

Not to mention, Jong is thrilled to play a role in American history. "As an immigrant, I could put my proud Korean last name in the American history books," Jong added, according to the Daily Mail.

Boran, Kim's mom, is equally as supportive of Kim. Shortly before Kim's performance on Monday, she took to Instagram to share a sweet photo of herself rooting for her daughter's success. "Ready to watch Chloe NAIL it," Boran captioned a shot of her nails painted with the American flag, according to Instagram.

As one might expect, Boran's Instagram feed is filled to the brim with cute pictures and messages to Kim. Boran's admiration of her daughter is really touching.

Kim is openly appreciative of her parents love and support. In fact, Kim can't help but get "teary-eyed" whenever she talks about Jong. Kim shared, according to The Washington Post.

I can't express how much I love my dad. I always get teary-eyed when I talk about him because he's so great.

Yep, it's not hard to see why so many people are moved by Kim's relationship with her parents. It's clear these three have incredible bonds to one another, and it's wonderful that Kim gets to share her parents' story with the world.

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