Hong Kong fencer Ryan Choi Chun-yin has shrugged off online jibes about his appearance and fame, saying he does not think he is ugly or handsome.
Choi, who was recently named one of Hong Kong’s Ten Outstanding Young Persons, was previously mocked by netizens over his looks, with some saying he would not have become well known without his close friend, MIRROR member Edan Lui Cheuk-on.
The comments came just a day before his competition at the Nagoya Asian Games, when Choi said he was already feeling anxious and nervous.
“I usually get the most anxious the day before a competition,” Choi said, adding that the comments made him upset for about five minutes and he spent the morning staying in his room.
However, he said the incident did not affect his performance and that he had learned to handle the pressure that comes with being a public figure.
Choi also responded to Edan’s joke that his medal prize money would only be enough for him to get a nose job.
Asked if he had considered plastic surgery, Choi said: “I really haven’t considered it. I don’t think I’m ugly, and I don’t think I’m handsome either.”
Choi won a silver medal in individual foil at the Nagoya Asian Games. He said he was disappointed at missing out on gold but had to quickly adjust as an athlete.
Asked how he thought Edan would react to his being named a Ten Outstanding Young Person, Choi joked that his friend might ask him to pay for another meal.
The pair have a close friendship and often tease each other, Choi said, adding that they have no need to worry about crossing any boundaries.
