"Eternal Friends" "Finally Met, So Happy" Lee Sang-hwa and Kodaira Reunite After 4 Years

A photo of Lee Sang-hwa and Kodaira Nao, representatives of Korean and Japanese speed skating who showed deep friendship beyond the border, was released.
[Photo by Lee Sang-hwa, Instagram capture]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] Lee Sang-hwa and Kodaira Nao, the South Korean and Japanese speed skating representatives who showed deep friendship beyond borders, have met again.

On the 19th, Kodaira posted on social networking service (SNS), "Today I finally had the chance to talk with Sang-hwa, and although it was a short time, we met," along with a photo of them face to face.

She wrote, "Because we have experienced similar difficulties, I think we can understand each other's feelings. When we can travel freely again someday, I want to have a lot of fun without being bound by time in Japan or Korea." She also added in Korean, "To Korean fans. Thank you for the warm message. I love you all."

On the same day, Lee Sang-hwa also posted a photo with Kodaira on SNS, writing, "Reunion after 4 years. I missed you! My eternal rival and colleague, the driving force and support that kept me going until the Pyeongchang Olympics, my forever friend." Kodaira left a comment in Korean on this post, saying, "We finally met. I was happy."

Lee Sang-hwa and Kodaira have built their friendship as rivals and friends since their teenage years. At the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Lee Sang-hwa won gold medals consecutively in the women's 500m speed skating event, while at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, Kodaira won the gold medal and Lee Sang-hwa took silver.

Especially at the Pyeongchang Olympics, Kodaira, who finished first, approached Lee Sang-hwa, who crossed the finish line second, and comforted her with a hug, which was regarded as one of the best scenes at the time.

At the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, where Lee Sang-hwa served as a KBS commentator, she broadcasted the women's 500m speed skating race in which Kodaira participated on the 13th. As Kodaira's speed began to falter, Lee Sang-hwa tearfully said, "Don't give up. You have to go until the end."

In this race, Kodaira recorded 38.09 seconds and placed 17th, and Lee Sang-hwa expressed regret, saying, "I thought she could overcome the heavy weight of the crown, but the psychological pressure seemed really great."

After the race, Kodaira stopped at the mixed zone for interviews with Korean reporters and first looked for Lee Sang-hwa. She spoke to Lee Sang-hwa in Korean, saying, "Have you been well? I missed you," which deeply moved many.

Japan also paid attention to the friendship between the two. The Japanese Yomiuri Shimbun reported in an article titled "Moved by Lee Sang-hwa's tears... Friendship knows no borders," stating, "When the image of commentator Lee Sang-hwa tearing up while broadcasting Kodaira's race at the Olympic venue was revealed, SNS was filled with posts showing the friendship between the two beyond borders."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.