"I'll pay the 70 million won surgery bill myself"... Behind Choi Ga-on's gold was Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin [2026 Milan]

According to Financial News, "When I saw her fall on her first run, I just hoped she would finish without getting hurt. Watching her refuse to give up and take off again moved me deeply."
On the 13th, when Choi Ga-on of Sehwa Girls' High School became the first Korean athlete ever to win an Olympic gold medal in a snow event, Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin sent her a congratulatory letter filled with emotion.
Behind the glitter of that gold medal was the quiet support of Chairman Shin, the "guardian angel" who reached out when the athlete was going through the hardest time of her career.
Choi Ga-on also faced a crisis that threatened to end her career. During a World Cup event in Switzerland in 2024, she suffered a serious back injury that required emergency surgery. It was a devastating situation: a major injury in a foreign country and surgery and treatment costs alone reaching about 70 million won.
When Shin heard the news, he did not hesitate. He covered the entire cost of the surgery and treatment, telling her, "Don't worry about the money. Just focus on getting better."
In a handwritten letter to Shin at the time, Choi wrote, "Having surgery in Switzerland put me under a bit of financial pressure, but thanks to your help I am receiving treatment and recovering with peace of mind," adding, "I will work hard on my rehabilitation and come back soon in good form." Two years later, Choi kept that promise in spectacular fashion, repaying him with an Olympic gold medal.


In his congratulatory message, Shin said, "I am proud and deeply impressed that Choi endured such a long rehabilitation, proved her own worth, and wrote a new chapter in Korea's snow sports history." His words reflected his special affection for her.
Shin's love of skiing is well known in business circles. A former school ski racer himself, he has led the Korea Ski & Snowboard Association through Lotte since 2014. Over the past decade, he has poured more than 30 billion won into supporting ski and snowboard events.
In 2022, he went a step further by launching the Lotte Ski & Snowboard Team so promising athletes like Choi Ga-on could focus solely on training. The fact that an Olympic gold medal emerged from a non-mainstream snow sport that had long struggled for attention was no coincidence.
Choi Ga-on's indomitable fighting spirit and Chairman Shin Dong-bin's unwavering support together created a remarkable journey that ultimately blossomed into the miracle of Korea's first Olympic gold medal in a snow event.
jsi@fnnews.com Jeon Sang-il Reporter