Kim Min-ji — the viral ‘Track Karina’ from Netflix’s dating show Single's Inferno 5 — got candid about her explosive growth spurt and the unexpected changes that followed.
On the 6th, webtoon-artist-turned-TV-personality Kian84 uploaded a new video on his YouTube channel featuring Kim Min-ji. Sitting down with Kian84, Kim opened up about her life from childhood to now. She even pulled out an old photo album that had gotten water-damaged, and after seeing the throwback photos, Kian84 reacted with surprise, saying it felt “old-school” rather than a trendy look.
Kim also talked about the drastic changes she experienced while growing up. “In 6th grade I was 156 cm, but once I entered middle school I grew to 173 cm,” she revealed — a jump of roughly 17 cm in a short period.
But that growth spurt came with side effects she didn’t expect. “As my height suddenly shot up, my eyesight worsened,” she explained. “Right now my vision is 0.6 in the left eye and 0.3 in the right. I used to go without wearing lenses.” She continued, “Because I couldn’t clearly see people from far away, some seniors thought I was being rude for not greeting them.” She added with a laugh, “And since I could only recognize faces up close, I once greeted someone again after I had already greeted them — and got scolded for saying hello twice.”
While continuing her athletic career, Kim is also pursuing a range of activities. Currently training with the Jindo County Office team in Jeollanam-do (South Jeolla Province), she said that her boosted popularity after appearing on variety shows has her considering new challenges. Still, she was frank about her future as an athlete: “If things go long, maybe two years. If not, I’m thinking of retiring this year or next year.”
Meanwhile, Kim Min-ji, who went viral under the nickname ‘Track Karina,’ dramatically raised her public profile with Single's Inferno 5. Her main event is the 400-meter sprint.