After losing 0-2 to Thailand in their opening match on Sept. 20, the pair came back to beat Malaysia 2-1 (21-23, 21-15, 18-16) in a 57-minute battle on Sept. 22. It was Shin's first career Asian Games victory.
Foreign media also highlighted the backstory behind the hard-earned first win and the round-of-16 berth. China's Sing Tao News, reporting the victory, said the pair "endured financial hardship, malicious comments and thoughts of retirement to write a moving comeback story."
Shin, who switched from indoor volleyball to beach volleyball, changed partners nine times in eight years amid poor infrastructure. To raise the 6 million to 7 million won needed for a single overseas tournament, she worked as a sports instructor and took part-time jobs at a hamburger shop.
She decided to retire after losing all four matches at the Hangzhou Asian Games, but returned to the court dramatically as public interest grew and sponsors came forward.
She also had to endure excessive, sexually harassing online comments about the bikini uniforms characteristic of beach volleyball. Sing Tao News noted that Shin had firmly stated her views on a broadcast, saying the bikini is "a long-standing tradition and a matter of style," and said she "responded to the criticism with a calm and positive attitude."
Meanwhile, Seo Ga-eun and Kim Hyun-joo, in Group C, finished third with two losses and failed to reach the round of 16. Shin and Kim are training intensively ahead of the round-of-16 match, which will be set after the preliminaries conclude on Sept. 27.
Team coach Kim Nam-sung told Yonhap News, "Middle Eastern teams have been notably strong in women's beach volleyball recently, but I will help our players perform at their best."
