S Korea wins another speedskating gold; Yoshii takes 5th

Good for Korea! Great that they put their naturally chunky thighs to good use. But they should try to be competitive in the other sports as well, ala Japan.

Korea is on fire with the skating!

competitive in the other sports as well, ala Japan

Give me some of what you are smoking. Japan has been competitive at crying and soccer. Ooops, only crying I guess.

competitive in the other sports as well, ala Japan.

Unless you win medals, the effort you put in to other sports won't be publicized.

Excellent job, South Korea, once again.

Japan's not raking in the medals, but they have had top ten finishes in a lot of the sports where there's not a whiff of a competitor from another Asian country - take ski jumping and the moguls. But yeah, I agree - no medal, no glory...unless you're really hot.

Winter olympics used to be the sports of European countires, and the medal count of a nation is closely associated with the wealth of that nation. Asian countries, especially Korea, are catching up the Europeans'in economy, which obviousely reflects their enlarging wealth in speed skating, the sports always dominated by Europeans until now.

Sk will probably win 10 medals or so. The same as they did 12 years ago....

Those Koreans are on fire! Congratulations to them. As for people commenting as to why Korea is dominating Japan, look I just think they have a "fighting spirit" that may be lacking here amongst the kids, and they train insanely, brutally hard - whereas for many of the Japanese athletes their sport is merely a "hobby" while at University. Not just competitive in Olympics - The Korean men's soccer team is always a team to look out for come world cup time.

Also, from what I understand, winning medals may exempt the Koreans from military service - an added reason to try harder!

The Koreans are on a roll ! First they knocked off their regional rival, Japan, in the East Asian Soccer Tournement 3-1, now they are leading the medals run for Asia also ! Throw in the succes of their Kia's and Hyundais in the states and it appears the tide has indeed shifted. Well done !

To tarento at 01:43 PM JST - 17th February

"Japan's not raking in the medals, but they have had top ten finishes in a lot of the sports where there's not a whiff of a competitor from another Asian country - take ski jumping and the moguls. But yeah, I agree - no medal, no glory...unless you're really hot"

I agree with you. Japan is definitely the top winter sports country in Asia. It is not the medal count that decides it. Actually, your success always inspires us, the Koreans, to do better and make a new challenge. I hope Korea's recent successes in the speed skating will also inspire young Japanese athletes.

The Japanese media is reporting on the accomplishments of South Koreans?!? WTF?! Ah, the article is the Associated Press. Never mind...

To Branded at 01:59 PM JST - 17th February

"The Koreans are on a roll ! First they knocked off their regional rival, Japan, in the East Asian Soccer Tournement 3-1, now they are leading the medals run for Asia also ! Throw in the succes of their Kia's and Hyundais in the states and it appears the tide has indeed shifted. Well done !"

No tide has shifted. Korea's lucky victory over Japan last Sunday actually only revealed that the Koreans are playing football with no tactics/brains again, unlike Japan, just as they used to before 2002. Most Koreans are happy but do not praise our coach or our team. Kia and Hyundai's success in North America, China, and India etc or Samsung's becoming number 1 electronics company in the world last year is a minor achievement compared to what Japan has already achieved.

I wonder if the Koreans will call these games a failure if Kim Yuna doesn't win Gold? regardless of how well they've done on the track.

Japan is definitely the top winter sports country in Asia. It is not the medal count that decides it

Why do they give medals out and how does a country with one silver and one bronze despite half the US population qualify as "the top winter sports country in Asia?"

You obviously have an agenda to accomplish and it is skewing your judgement.

leetoronto: "I agree with you. Japan is definitely the top winter sports country in Asia. It is not the medal count that decides it. Actually, your success always inspires us, the Koreans, to do better and make a new challenge. I hope Korea's recent successes in the speed skating will also inspire young Japanese athletes."

What a crock! China and Korea are doing MUCH better than Japan in a number of sports, and we're not ONLY talking medals. Japan IS doing better as well, which means Asia on a whole is doing better and the games are more fun as a result.

"No tide has shifted."

You're correct; the Koreans have always been better in a number of these sports (and soccer).

"Korea's lucky victory over Japan last Sunday actually only revealed that the Koreans are playing football with no tactics/brains again, unlike Japan, just as they used to before 2002."

So Japan not only used no brains and no tactics again, but no skill either, I guess, eh? Sorry bud, but Korea is by far the better soccer player.

"or Samsung's becoming number 1 electronics company in the world last year is a minor achievement ...."

Yeah... I'll just leave you to your bizarre envy of Japan while I continue to watch at least ONE of the countries we're mentioning here climb in medal count. China and Korea are doing amazingly well. Japan is also doing well -- something to celebrate, not turn into some bizarre nationalism (for one country or another).

"You're correct; the Koreans have always been better in a number of these sports (and soccer)."

Always, you say????? Now let's check the olympic speed skating rankings. Japan got about 5 times more medals that SKorea. Soccer? Did you check the FIFA rankings, my friend? Not only for this year, but also for the previous 8 years.

The Koreans have ALWAYS been better, says smithinjapan. Sure, smith.

Also, from what I understand, winning medals may exempt the Koreans from military service - an added reason to try harder!

Not so, that was Baseball in WBC or Olympics, don't remember well.

Always, you say????? Now let's check the olympic speed skating rankings. Japan got about 5 times more medals that SKorea. Soccer? Did you check the FIFA rankings, my friend? Not only for this year, but also for the previous 8 years.

Maybe because Korea is relatively new to speed skating, they' been dominating in short track only. And about the FIFA rankings it's been known for a long time it was always a source of joke among soccer fans. Korea has higher winning rates over Japan than Japan has over Korea. And it's very known that Korea is the strongest team in Asia.

And leetoronto, STFU.

(why my comments always keep being deleted?)

roomtemperature: "Always, you say?????"

In A NUMBER of sports, yes. Just because you choose not to read does not change the facts.

All comments from ahocchau are extremely negative and biased against Japan. Why? Congrats to all athletes for making it to the Olympics.

No offense to the Japanese, but why do their medal counts pale in comparison to the industrial might of their nation? Does the Japanese government not provide enough support to their athletes?

Added- the Japanese seem to do much better in other winter sports that don't traditionally attract other Asian countries.

Does the Japanese government not provide enough support to their athletes?

Whether it's enough or not is a matter of opinion I suppose, but on the telly this morning they had a chart showing how much different countries pour into training athletes. Can't remember what the units were, but Japan spent I think it was 70-something (sen man? oku? Can't remember). The UK spent 125 whatevers, I think, and the US somewhere up in the many hundreds. Can't remember what other countries were in the list - possibly S Korea and Australia, but I wasn't really paying attention - but nowhere else was in the double digits.

I think that's fine. If the country has enough money to throw at athletes, they can lower taxes instead.