On the morning of 1/10, Lee Gun-hyeok won the team gold medal alongside Yoon Seo-yeong and Song Jong-ho with 1,749 points, 9 points ahead of China. Later that afternoon, the 27-year-old shooter maintained steady form to secure the individual gold medal with 32 points, tying with China's Su Lianbofan before winning 4-4 and then 5-2 in two shoot-off rounds.

Lee's performance helped South Korean shooting conclude ASIAD 2026 with three gold, five silver, and four bronze medals, placing them third in the overall standings. India ranked second with three more silver medals, while China demonstrated its strength with 16 gold, 8 silver, and 4 bronze medals.

Korean shooter Lee Gun-hyeok (left) and his wife Kim Ye-ji being interviewed at Incheon International Airport, South Korea on 2/10/2026. Photo: News1

Lee Gun-hyeok returned to South Korea on 2/10. At Incheon airport, Lee was happy to receive flowers and a hug from his wife, Kim Ye-ji, a shooter who won a silver medal in the 10m air pistol event at the 2024 Olympics. He also mentioned receiving a "stern motivational message" from his wife.

"She said she would change the home password if I didn't win a gold medal. I would be very disappointed if the door was locked", Lee told Korean media. "During the tense shoot-off, I thought of my wife and 16-month-old son. When I won, I just wanted to quickly go home and put the medal around my wife and son's necks."

Kim Ye-ji commented on her husband's match on TV Chosun. She said she was incredibly nervous until her husband won. "I honestly thought I was going to die at that moment", Kim stated.

However, Lee Gun-hyeok forgot his gold medal at the hotel in Japan. "Shouldn't he be punished a little?", Kim Ye-ji asked. Lee responded with a wry smile, stating, "I'm sorry I couldn't provide a perfect ending after such an excellent performance."

Kim Ye-ji created a stir with her demeanor at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Despite forgetting the medal, Lee still had another gift for his wife: traditional Japanese sake. He also confirmed that the two gold medals were not lost and had been carefully kept by hotel staff in Japan.

Kim Ye-ji is seven years older than Lee Gun-hyeok. The couple married in 2025, one year after Kim won her Olympic silver medal. Beyond her achievements, the shooter, born in 1993, created a stir with her cool, stylish, and mysterious demeanor, likened to someone stepping out of a science fiction movie. Billionaire Elon Musk even advised her to switch to acting in action films. GQ magazine honored Kim as the first unconventional fashion star of the Olympic Games in France.

After marrying, Kim Ye-ji took a break from shooting to have a child. Her and her husband's goal is to compete together at the 2028 Olympics in the US. "We will become the best shooting couple in the world, not just in Asia", Kim declared.

Trung Thu (according to News1)