North Korean Ri Se Gwang won the Men’s Vault gold medal at the Rio Olympics on Monday. However, the world’s media and viewers were quick to notice that he didn’t look too happy when standing on the podium to receive his medal.
Britain’s The Daily Mail, Mirror and The Sun all said that Ri, who has been dubbed the saddest medal winner at the Games, was holding back tears – not tears of joy – at the ceremony.
His glum expression contrasted deeply against the smiles on the faces of silver and bronze medallists, Russia’s Denis Albyazin and Japan’s Kenzo Shirai respectively.
Ri, however, has told reporters that he was elated after his win. The Sun quoted him saying: “I was filled with joy because I thought I was able to bring a sense of victory to our leader.”
On the Internet, people were quick to speculate on the reason for Ri’s sadness. The winning theory seems to be that he wasn’t looking forward to going back to North Korea after getting a taste of the free world.
Ri-Se Gewang, has seen the free world but he knows that he must go back, for the sake of his family. For that, he is brave. #Rio2016
— Please Stay Joe Hart (@DylanYarborough) 16 August 2016
When you win a Gold medal but then you remember that you have to go back to North Korea #Olympics #PRK #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/oOmV6gTbmC
— Josh (@jbillinson) 16 August 2016
“Eagle-eyed viewers who spotted Ri think he was emotional after getting a taste of the free world – while knowing that he will soon be heading back to impoverished North Korea.
“He will swap the lavish athletes’ accommodation in Rio for the gloomy surrounds of Pyongyang, where citizens are brainwashed with sinister propaganda by dictator Kim Jong Un,” The Mirror wrote.
AsiaOne’s alternate theory
However, it should be noted that this isn’t the first time that Ri has had “a taste of the free world” – he had competed previously in Stuttgart in Germany (2007), Belgrade in Serbia (2009), and Glasgow in Scotland (2014).
So, what’s making him so sad then?
We’d like to hazard a guess that the reason is a lot more immediate – he didn’t get his free Samsung Galaxy S7 smartphone.
The Daily Mail reported that Samsung, one of the official sponsors of the Rio Games, handed out free Galaxy S7 smartphones to all participants in the games. However, the phones meant for the North Korean athletes were confiscated by a team official.
Anyone would be sad if he was denied a fantastic freebie that was given to every other athlete.
That, and the fact that the North Korean athletes were forbidden from visiting tourist sights in the host country – despite having flown half way across the world – would get anyone down.
See also: S Korean gymnast ‘awed’ by fame after North-South selfie
sinsh@sph.com.sg
AFP, Reuters, The Straits Times
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