It was a rollercoaster 24 hours for the South Korean women’s curling team at the 2026 Milan–Cortina Winter Olympics, as they faced the world’s very best and kept their semifinal dreams alive in dramatic fashion. On February 18, inside Italy’s storied Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, South Korea endured both heartbreak and hope, first falling to Switzerland and then roaring back with a stunning victory over tournament leaders Sweden. The team now stands on the brink of playoff qualification, with everything hinging on their final round-robin clash against Canada.
The day began with disappointment for the Korean squad, ranked third in the world and led by skip Kim Eun-ji. Facing the top-ranked Swiss, South Korea put up a spirited fight but ultimately succumbed 5-7 in their seventh round-robin match. The defeat was a setback, dropping their record to 4 wins and 3 losses and pushing them from a tie for second down to a precarious four-way tie for fourth place with Canada. Sweden (6-1), Switzerland, and the USA (both 5-2) all stood ahead in the standings at that point, putting the pressure on the Koreans to bounce back quickly.
The match against Switzerland was a tactical chess game from the first stone. South Korea opened with a measured strategy, taking a single point in the first end and then watching Switzerland storm back with a three-point play in the second. The two teams traded scoring ends, with the Koreans clawing back to a 3-3 tie after four. By the seventh end, Switzerland had eked out a 5-3 lead, but South Korea responded with a point in the eighth, narrowing the gap to 5-4. The pivotal moment came in the ninth, when the Swiss executed a flawless double takeout to add two points, making it 7-4. South Korea’s last-ditch efforts in the tenth end, including a daring triple takeout, fell just short. Switzerland countered with another double, and the Koreans conceded after adding only one more point.
“We knew we had to stay focused and keep our energy up,” said skip Kim Eun-ji after the match, according to Yonhap News. “It’s not over until it’s over, and we have to give everything in our next games.” Her determination would soon prove prophetic.
With the loss, South Korea’s path to the semifinals became treacherous. The women’s curling competition at these Olympics features ten teams playing a single round-robin, with only the top four advancing to the knockout rounds. As the standings tightened, every stone and every end began to matter more than ever. The tiebreaker scenarios grew complicated, hinging on head-to-head records and, if necessary, the Draw Shot Challenge (DSC)—a precision measurement of how close teams can deliver stones to the button before each game. With losses to the USA, Switzerland, and Denmark already on their record, South Korea’s margin for error evaporated.
But the team’s resilience shone through in the evening session as they squared off against Sweden, the tournament’s top seed and the only squad to have clinched a semifinal berth at that stage. With the odds stacked against them, the Koreans delivered a masterclass in shot-making and strategy. Kim Eun-ji, joined by third Kim Min-ji, second Kim Su-ji, and lead Seol Ye-eun, came out firing, scoring three points in the opening end and piling on with consistent offense. By the end of the fourth, South Korea had built an imposing 8-1 lead, stunning the Swedish side.
Sweden managed to add single points in the fifth, sixth, and seventh ends, but the gap was too wide. With three ends still to play, Sweden extended a handshake in concession, sealing South Korea’s 8-3 victory—a result that sent shockwaves through the curling world and reignited Korean hopes for a medal run.
“Beating Sweden, especially when they’ve already secured a spot in the semifinals, gives us huge confidence,” said third Kim Min-ji, as reported by TopStarNews. “But we know the job isn’t done. We have to focus on Canada now.”
The win improved South Korea’s record to 5-3, moving them into a tie for third place with the USA. Canada, trailing just behind at 4-3, loomed as the final—and perhaps most crucial—opponent in the round-robin. The playoff picture remained murky, with several teams still in contention and only Sweden having locked up a semifinal slot. Switzerland, at 5-2, needed just one more win to join them, while the USA and South Korea eyed their own paths to qualification.
The stakes for South Korea’s final round-robin match against Canada, scheduled for February 19, could not be higher. A win would guarantee the Koreans a place in the semifinals with a 6-3 record. A loss, however, would drop them to 5-4 and hand Canada the head-to-head tiebreaker advantage. If a three-way tie developed among the USA, Canada, and South Korea at 5-4, the head-to-head results would come into play, with the USA holding the edge thanks to earlier victories over both rivals. Should those results remain inconclusive, the DSC would serve as the final arbiter—a nerve-wracking scenario for any curling team.
“We’re not thinking about the permutations,” said lead Seol Ye-eun before the Canada game. “We’re just thinking about our shots, our teamwork, and playing our best. That’s all we can control.”
South Korea’s journey to this point has been anything but straightforward. After opening the tournament with a tough 4-8 loss to the USA, the team rebounded with wins over Italy and the UK, stumbled against Denmark, and then notched impressive victories over Japan and China. The narrow loss to Switzerland tested their resolve, but their response against Sweden showed the heart of a contender.
The team’s composition has also been a story of chemistry and determination. Skip Kim Eun-ji has led with poise, while third Kim Min-ji’s shot-making under pressure has anchored the squad. Second Kim Su-ji and lead Seol Ye-eun have provided steady sweeping and tactical acumen, and alternate Kim Su-ji stands ready to contribute when called upon.
As the round-robin stage races toward its conclusion, the atmosphere in Cortina is electric. Fans and officials alike, including Korean Olympic Committee president Yoo Seung-min, have been spotted in the stands, urging the team on. The curling world is watching, knowing that every shot could tip the balance between heartbreak and history.
With one match left and everything to play for, South Korea’s women stand on the edge of Olympic glory—or elimination. Their fate will be decided on the ice against Canada, in a contest sure to test nerves and skill alike. Whatever the outcome, their resilience and fighting spirit have already made this a tournament to remember.