The South Korean women's curling team is in a tight race for a chance to compete in the semi-finals of the women's curling event at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. As of now, the team is tied with Canada at fourth place with a record of 4 wins and 3 losses. The upcoming matches against Sweden and Canada will be crucial, as the outcomes will determine whether South Korea secures a spot in the semi-finals. For South Korea, winning both remaining games could put them in a favorable position, but if they end up tied with Canada, the result will depend on the 'draw shot challenge' due to earlier head-to-head results.

The current standings indicate that Sweden has already qualified for the semi-finals with a strong record, while Switzerland and the USA sit just above South Korea and Canada. The battle for the last spot between South Korea, Canada, and Denmark intensifies, especially given that Denmark, currently in sixth place, has been struggling. This creates a three-way competition for the 4th place, with South Korea needing to capitalize on their remaining matches to maintain their chances.

The 'draw shot challenge' rule becomes pertinent in the scenario where teams end up in a tie after the round robin stage, especially if their direct match results are all split. This rule was previously highlighted during the 2022 Beijing Olympics, where teams found themselves even in terms of wins and losses. If necessary, teams will perform draw shots to assess their precision, which ultimately could determine their ranking. This added layer of competition places significant emphasis on skill and performance, particularly in high-stakes situations like these tournaments.