All eyes are on Rio de Janeiro as the 2016 Olympics close today, Aug 22. Some of the top athletes of the summer games have achieved superstar status because of the number of medals they won, such as American gymnast Simone Biles.
Athletic prowess is one way of achieving fame and celebrity status, being an actor or singer is another one. In a list compiled by Soompi, the entertainment listed seven Hallyu stars who could have been Rio athletes but were instead called by show business.
Included in the list are “Descendants of the Sun” actor Song Joong-ki and Song Hye Kyo.
Song Joong-ki, who gave viewers a sample of his skating skills in the drama “Triple,” trained as a short-track speed skater when he was in elementary and middle school. Like him, Song Hye Kyo also trained in skating during her elementary and middle school years, although she specialized in figure skating.
Jota became popular on “Cool Kiz on the Block” after he showed his judo skills. Until his last year of high school, Jota was a judo athlete.
Jeon Hye Bin could have competed with Simone Biles in gymnastic because she was a rhythmic gymnast from Grade 3 to 6. Her being athletic is still seen in Jeon Hye Bin’s enviable abs.
Uee was able to put to good use her years of competition in national swimming meets in TV shows such as “Law of the Jungle” and “Barefoot Friends.” Also a swimmer is So Ji Sub who has a bronze medal he got during high school competition as proof.
Finally, Jackson of GOT7 was an ex-national saber fencer for the Hong Kong fencing team, ranking 11th in the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics. In 2011, he was first placer at the Asian Junior and Cadet Fencing Championship.
Meanwhile, the real athletes just concluded the Rio 2016 Olympics with 306 gold medals awarded to the Dream Team. The U.S. emerged with the most medals, followed by Great Britain, China, Russian Federation and Germany.