The 2024 Paris Olympics created overnight celebrities out of several athletes. However, few became as popular as the Olympic air pistol shooter Kim Ye-ji. The internet dubbed the 10 mm air pistol silver medalist from South Korea as the ‘coolest’ athlete alongside fellow shooter Yusuf Dikeç, from Turkey. Even Elon Musk couldn’t help but praise the athlete on X.

“Should be cast in an action movie. No acting required!” Musk commented on a post featuring Kim Ye-ji on X. However, it seems the Tesla owner was far more impressed with the Olympian than the comment led on. Yesterday, Tesla and Kim Ye-ji made a historic announcement, as the brand hired the Olympic medalist as their brand ambassador.

Automakers often partner with celebrities or athletes to promote their brands. However, what made this announcement historic was the fact that Tesla had never done it before. “Kim Ye-ji has been selected as the first Tesla Korea ambassador.” read the press release. The move may signify a shift in how Elon Musk has approached marketing since its formation.

Brands such as BWM have collaborated with the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger for their electric car advertisement campaigns. However, unlike traditional car manufacturers, Elon Musk’s brand steered clear of celebrity or influencer advertising in the past. “At Tesla, we’ve never spent any money on advertising. We put all the money into R&D, manufacturing, and design,” Musk once said.

However, Kim Ye-ji’s involvement with the brand has changed the status quo. The Olympian also expressed her jubilation at becoming the Tesla brand ambassador. Besides posting a still of herself beside the Tesla logo, the World Cup gold medal winner has also expressed her excitement to the press.

“I am truly happy to be recognized by Tesla and to work together… I want to convey a positive message with Tesla.” said Kim Ye-ji as per Business Korea. However, getting the opportunity to collaborate with Tesla isn’t the first time the shooter has been thankful for the SpaceX founder’s role in her success.

Kim Ye-ji credited Elon Musk for her newfound fame

Yusuf Dikeç’s images went viral because of the lack of shooting gear that he used, in stark contrast to the rest of the field. However, Kim Ye-ji became internet famous for sporting the gear during the pistol events with exceptional poise. However, the South Korean athlete didn’t take credit for her viral success. Instead, she credited the billionaire entrepreneur for her fame.

“I received a lot of unexpected attention and I believe it’s thanks to Elon Musk rather than myself. So, thank you,” the 32-year-old told South Korean reporters, according to Reuters reported. While’s almost impossible to pinpoint if Elon Musk’s words on X became the reason behind her fame, it’s safe to say the billionaire’s words turned out to be prophetic.

Just a month after the Olympics, the silver medalist announced that she had landed her first film role as an assassin in Crush. The film’s director Lee JungSub explained why he cast the Olympic medalist in the role. “Ye-ji’s casing as a global Korean assassin was a natural choice given her precision and performance at the Olympics,” said the director.

When the 32-year-old started the niche sport, she only hoped to earn enough money to do it professionally. However, never in her wildest dreams would the South Korean athlete have dreamed that the same road would lead to becoming the brand ambassador of Elon Musk’s Tesla.