The South Korean women's curling team ended their fairy tale campaign at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics with a silver medal, falling to heavyweight Sweden 8-3 in Sunday's final.
Riding a wave of popularity that swelled as the games progressed, the "Garlic Girls," as they are known for the garlic grown in their hometown, defied odds to defeat other curling giants Canada and Switzerland on their way to giving South Korea its first podium finish in the sport.
But despite the deafening cheers of "Dae Han Min Guk! (Republic of Korea!)" at Gangneung Curling Centre, skip Kim Eun-jung, whose horn-rimmed glasses and steely gaze have captured the home fans' hearts, and her crew were outclassed by Sweden from the outset and conceded after the ninth end.