1. Early Life and Education
Jeong Da-rae was born on December 2, 1991, in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, South Korea. She began her swimming career at a young age and received her education through a progression of institutions. She attended Yeosu Gubong Elementary School, Yeosu Munsu Middle School, and Buyeong Girls' High School. For her higher education, she pursued studies in sports-related fields, enrolling in the Leisure Sports program within the Sports Department at Dongseoul University, followed by the Social Physical Education Department at Daelim University. She furthered her academic pursuits by attending the Culture Industry Graduate School at Hanyang University ERICA Campus.
2. Swimming Career
Jeong Da-rae's swimming career spanned several years, during which she represented South Korea in numerous international and national competitions, specializing in breaststroke.
2.1. Specialization
Jeong Da-rae's primary swimming stroke was the breaststroke. She focused on this discipline throughout her competitive career, achieving her most significant results in breaststroke events.
2.2. Major Competition Results
Jeong Da-rae competed in various major international and national swimming competitions, achieving notable results, particularly in the 200 meter breaststroke event.
2.2.1. Olympic Games
Jeong Da-rae participated in two Olympic Games during her career.
At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, Jeong made her official Olympic debut at the age of 16. She qualified for the women's 200 meter breaststroke event by clearing a FINA B-cut time of 2:27.78 at the Good Luck Beijing China Open. In the preliminary heats, she secured the final spot for the semifinals with a lifetime best time of 2:27.28, which was half a second faster than her entry time. However, in the semifinals, Jeong placed fourteenth overall with a time of 2:28.28, failing to qualify for the final.
Four years later, at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom, Jeong, then 20 years old, qualified for her second Olympic appearance. She attained a FINA A-standard entry time of 2:26.07 at the Dong-A Swimming Tournament in Ulsan, South Korea. In the morning preliminary heats, she recorded a time of 2:26.83, sharing the fourteenth-fastest qualifying time with Russia's Yuliya Efimova, which secured her a spot in the semifinals. In the evening semifinal session, Jeong finished with a time of 2:28.74, which was the slowest in her heat, and she did not advance to the final.
2.2.2. World Aquatics Championships
Jeong Da-rae competed at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships held in Rome, Italy. In the women's 200 meter breaststroke event, she matched her preliminary heat time of 2:25.00 in the semifinals but ultimately finished in twelfth place overall.
2.2.3. Asian Games
A significant highlight of Jeong Da-rae's career was her performance at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China. She won the gold medal in the women's 200 meter breaststroke with a time of 2:25.02, successfully outpacing two Chinese swimmers who took the silver and bronze medals. This victory was particularly significant for South Korean women's swimming, as it marked the first gold medal in the sport for the country's female swimmers in 12 years, since Cho Hee-yeon's gold in the women's 200 meter butterfly at the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand. Her performance at the Asian Games elevated her to fifteenth in the world rankings for the event.
2.2.4. East Asian Games
At the 2009 East Asian Games in Hong Kong, China, Jeong Da-rae secured a silver medal in the women's 200 meter breaststroke. She finished with a time of 2:24.90, which was a personal best record for her at the time, narrowly edging out her teammate Jung Seul-ki by a margin of 0.20 seconds.
2.2.5. National Championships
Jeong Da-rae achieved consistent success in domestic South Korean swimming championships and national sports festivals throughout her career.
| Date | Event | Competition | Venue | Rank | Record | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 9, 2007 | 328 ft (100 m) Breaststroke (Women's High School) | 88th National Sports Festival | Gwangju | 1st | 1:10.96 | |
| October 12, 2007 | 656 ft (200 m) Breaststroke (Women's High School) | 2:28.40 | ||||
| August 14, 2008 | Women's 656 ft (200 m) Breaststroke | 29th Beijing Olympics | Beijing | 14th | 2:28.28 | |
| October 11, 2008 | 328 ft (100 m) Breaststroke (Women's High School) | 89th National Sports Festival | Mokpo | 1st | 1:10.45 | |
| October 13, 2008 | 656 ft (200 m) Breaststroke (Women's High School) | 2:26.83 | ||||
| July 31, 2009 | Women's 656 ft (200 m) Breaststroke | 13th World Aquatics Championships | Rome | 12th | 2:25.00 | |
| October 21, 2009 | 328 ft (100 m) Breaststroke (Women's High School) | 90th National Sports Festival | Daejeon | 1st | 1:09.59 | |
| October 23, 2009 | 656 ft (200 m) Breaststroke (Women's High School) | 2:25.74 | ||||
| December 9, 2009 | Women's 656 ft (200 m) Breaststroke | 5th East Asian Games | Hong Kong | 2nd | 2:24.90 | Personal best record |
| October 7, 2010 | 328 ft (100 m) Breaststroke (Women's General) | 91st National Sports Festival | Changwon | 1st | 1:09.19 | Personal best record |
| October 9, 2010 | 656 ft (200 m) Breaststroke (Women's General) | 2:26.97 | ||||
| November 17, 2010 | Women's 656 ft (200 m) Breaststroke | 16th Asian Games | Guangzhou | 2:25.02 |
2.3. National Team Representation
Jeong Da-rae proudly represented South Korea as a national team member in several major international competitions:
- 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing
- 2009 World Aquatics Championships in Rome
- 2009 East Asian Games in Hong Kong
- 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou
3. Retirement and Post-Retirement
After a successful career, Jeong Da-rae made the decision to retire from competitive swimming and has since embarked on new ventures.
3.1. Retirement
Jeong Da-rae officially announced her retirement from competitive swimming in January 2015. The primary reasons cited for her retirement were the intense and demanding training regimen, coupled with chronic injuries that had persisted since her middle school years.
3.2. Post-Retirement Activities
Following her retirement from professional swimming, Jeong Da-rae has remained active in the public eye and the swimming community. Initially, she had plans to open her own swimming school, "Jeong Da-rae Swimming School," in Ahyeon-dong, Seoul, with the aim of nurturing younger talent.
In addition to her involvement in swimming education, Jeong has diversified her activities into media and online content creation. She is currently active in internet broadcasting and has established herself as a YouTuber. Her public appearances also include various television programs, demonstrating her transition into a broader entertainment and media role. These include:
- The Racer* (2015)
- My Little Television* (2017, episodes 94 and 95)
- Law of the Jungle in Fiji* (2017)
- One Night Food Trip* (2017, episode 40, aired November 15)
- Fishing Village Camp* (2018)
- Good Friends* (2019-2020)
- Eye Contact* (2020)
Jeong Da-rae maintains several online profiles, including her [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQEEhDzFyRcjkgJWBfDLCWw YouTube channel], [https://www.instagram.com/jeong.darae Instagram profile], and [http://www.cyworld.com/50479069 Cyworld profile]. Her athletic career can also be explored through her [https://archive.today/20130411111055/http://www.2012.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=jeong-darae-1099676/index.html NBC Olympics profile], [https://www.worldaquatics.com/athletes/1010602/darae-jeong World Aquatics profile], [https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/116778 Olympedia profile], and [https://web.archive.org/web/20121104074038/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/je/jeong-da-rae-1.html Sports-Reference profile].
4. Personal Life
On August 10, 2022, Jeong Da-rae announced via her Instagram account that she would be marrying her non-celebrity boyfriend in September 2022. The wedding took place on September 18, 2022. She is 5.7 ft (1.73 m) tall and weighs 141 lb (64 kg).
5. Legacy and Impact
Jeong Da-rae's career significantly contributed to South Korean swimming, particularly her gold medal victory in the 200 meter breaststroke at the 2010 Asian Games. This achievement was a historic moment, breaking a 12-year gold medal drought for Korean women's swimming at the Asian Games, thereby inspiring a new generation of athletes. Her success brought increased public attention to the sport and highlighted the potential of South Korean female swimmers on the international stage.
Beyond her athletic achievements, Jeong Da-rae's post-retirement activities have further cemented her public profile. By venturing into television appearances and online content creation as a YouTuber, she has maintained a connection with the public, potentially popularizing swimming and sports in general to a wider audience. Her transition from a competitive athlete to a public figure engaged in various endeavors reflects a modern approach to athlete development and post-career transitions, demonstrating adaptability and continued influence within the social context of sports and media.