With one gold medal under her belt, Eileen Gu, the 18-year-old American-born Chinese skier, has become a superstar almost overnight in China, charming the country with her superior athletic skills, model looks and standout intellect.
In recent days, however, the outpouring of adulation for Gu on the Chinese internet has been tempered somewhat by a small current of discontent. Some social media users are criticizing her for being unaware of her privileged status after comments she made about internet freedom in China.
It began when a user commented on one of Gu’s Instagram posts before she won the gold medal in the women’s freeski big air event last week.