The “Garlic Girls” returned Monday to their hometown of Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, where they received a warm welcome.

The members of the South Korean women’s curling team, which won silver at the PyeongChang Olympics, are nicknamed “Garlic Girls,” as all of the athletes, except for Kim Cho-hee, are from Uiseong county, whose specialty is garlic.

The North Gyeongsang Province government invited about 300 people, including members of the national curling team and the athletes’ families, for an official welcoming event.



The governor of North Gyeongsang Province, Kim Kwan-yong, placed flower necklaces around the athlete’s necks, while retailer Shinsegae gave a reward to the team’s members during the event.

After the event, the athletes went to the Uiseong County Office, where a large crowd greeted the Olympians. 



The 400-meter street in front of the office was filled with local residents who waved the national flag and shouted the athletes’ names, according to local media reports.

The curling team’s members signed autographs and took photos with the crowd.

When they arrived at the office, about 500 residents and students from Uiseong Girls’ High School welcomed the return of the athletes. Of the five-member team, Kim Eun-jung, Kim Yeong-mi, Kim Kyung-Ae and Kim Seon-yeong graduated from the same high school.









Photos by Yonhap
Written by Park Ju-young (jupark@herladcorp.com)