"Scenarios? We Don't Care About That"... Women's Curling Team Kim Aims to Clinch Semifinal Spot on Their Own Tonight [2026 Milan]

[Financial News] The momentum of the Korean women’s curling team, which dominates the chessboard on ice, has finally swallowed up even the top-seeded team of the Olympic preliminaries.
But the real battle starts now. There is no need for complicated calculations. Tonight, the winner takes everything.
Led by skip Kim Eun-ji, the Korean women’s national curling team, ranked third in the world, crushed Sweden, ranked fourth and sitting first in the preliminary standings, 8–3 in their eighth round-robin game of the 2026 Milan–Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics at the Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo on the 18th (Korea time). It was more than just a win. Korea forced the world’s best to concede after only seven ends, an overwhelming show of strength.
With this victory, Korea improved to 5 wins and 3 losses, climbing into a tie for third place with the United States and seizing a strong position in the race for the semifinals.
The win over Sweden was merely a preview, proving that the Korean players’ shot-making is peaking. Now all eyes at home are fixed on the decisive game against Canada at 10:05 p.m. on the 19th.

The weight of this game is extraordinary. It is effectively a quarterfinal knockout, a true win-or-go-home match.
If Korea beats Canada, they will clinch a semifinal ticket on their own, regardless of any other results. It is the cleanest and most perfect scenario.
If they lose, however, everything changes. Korea will have to sit and watch the results of rivals like the United States and Switzerland, calculating every possible scenario. They will be forced to rely on head-to-head records and multi-team tiebreakers, essentially hoping for others to stumble. And because Canada and the United States are direct rivals for fourth place, Korea’s chances of elimination become much higher.
In other words, tonight is their only chance to decide their own fate.
The atmosphere around the team is fully charged. Their performance the previous day reminded the world why Korea is considered a curling powerhouse.
Even Sweden’s veteran skip Anna Hasselborg had no answer to Kim Eun-ji’s precise draw shots and Kim Min-ji’s flawless takeouts. Korea seized control with a big three-point first end, then repeatedly induced mistakes at every turning point. Their concentration was almost chilling. If they can sustain the same relentless form they showed against the world No. 1, many believe Canada will not be able to match them either.

Canada is a traditional curling powerhouse, but given Korea’s current form, this is a very winnable matchup. Above all, the players’ confidence is sky-high.
Their belief that "we can beat anyone" is being proven with every shot on the ice.
Will four years of sweat finally bear fruit, or will they be left watching others decide their fate in frustration? The answer will be decided on the ice in Cortina d’Ampezzo at 10:05 p.m. tonight.
There are only a few events left in these Games. Korean fans want to enjoy the Winter Olympics with their hearts still pounding a little longer. The stone carrying the hopes of Korea’s supporters is ready to glide toward Canada’s house.
jsi@fnnews.com Jeon Sang-il Reporter