"Was She a 'Rich Kid in a 10 Billion Won Apartment'?" Why the Banner for Choi Gaon Disappeared in Just One Day...

Taken down for violating the Enforcement Decree of the Outdoor Advertising Act
"Showing off" vs. "Just a congratulatory message"
Prices of one of Gangnam's most expensive apartments back in the spotlight

It was revealed that a banner congratulating 18-year-old Choi Gaon, who won South Korea's first-ever gold medal in a snow sport in the women's snowboard halfpipe at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, was hung and then taken down at an apartment complex in Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul.

On the 19th, posts and photos spread across an online community stating that residents had put up a banner at the entrance of the Raemian One Pentas complex in Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, to celebrate the gold medal. The banner, in the name of all residents, read, "The pride of Raemian One Pentas, athlete Choi Gaon! Congratulations on South Korea's first gold medal in a snow sport."

It was revealed that a banner congratulating 18-year-old Choi Gaon, who won South Korea's first Olympic gold medal in a snow sport, was hung at an apartment complex in Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul and later taken down. Online community

However, the banner was removed shortly after it was put up. According to the local government with jurisdiction, the removal was carried out because it did not comply with the Enforcement Decree of the Outdoor Advertising Act, which requires that banners installed at the edge of an intersection be hung at least 2.5 meters above the ground. It was reported that this was not directly related to malicious civil complaints raised by some users online.

Previously, some internet users claimed that they had filed a complaint with the district office, posting messages to the effect that "a rich kid living in a 10 billion won apartment is bragging about winning a gold medal." In contrast, others countered with comments such as "Why is it a problem to celebrate a national achievement?" and "It is inappropriate to link the athlete's effort with where she lives," leading to a split in online opinion.

Raemian One Pentas is considered one of the high-priced apartment complexes even within the Gangnam area. Recently, a unit with an exclusive area of 79 square meters (about 24 pyeong) was traded for 3.4 billion won based on actual transaction prices. Units with an exclusive area of 200 square meters (about 60 pyeong) are on the market for 9 billion to 11 billion won, and those with an exclusive area of 245 square meters (about 74 pyeong) are listed in the 12 billion to 15 billion won range. However, it has not been confirmed whether Choi Gaon is actually a resident of the complex.

Choi Gaon, who won the gold medal in the women's snowboard halfpipe at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, returned to Korea via Incheon International Airport Terminal 2 on the 16th and greeted reporters. Yonhap News

Born in 2008, Choi Gaon graduated from nearby Sehwa Girls' Middle School and is currently attending Sehwa Girls' High School. On the 13th, she won the event with a score of 90.25 points in the final held at the Livigno Snowpark in Italy. Although she fell consecutively in her first and second runs, she delivered a highly polished performance in her third run to stage a come-from-behind victory. At 17 years and 3 months of age, she also set the record as the youngest winner in the event.

With this gold medal, Choi Gaon will receive a 300 million won reward from the Korea Ski and Snowboard Association. Attention continues to grow as the historic achievement of winning South Korea's first Olympic gold medal in a snow sport has now been accompanied by controversy over the removal of the congratulatory banner.

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