Narrating Multiculturalism: Lydia Ko, Model Minorities, and the Mediated Kiwi Sporting Nation.

This article examines the New Zealand media’s narrativization of Lydia Ko, a Korean-born New Zealand golfer, over an 11-year period (2011–2022), focusing on how her representation intersects with themes of nationhood and ethnicity. Early media coverage framed Ko as an immigrant outsider with questioned national allegiance, but over time she was increasingly embraced as a "Kiwi," embodying both traditional national archetypes and new narratives of an inclusive, multicultural New Zealand. Ko’s success was often attributed to a "Korean" work ethic, reflecting a "model minority" stereotype that simultaneously celebrated and othered her, while her dual "Kowi" identity (Korean Kiwi) was recognized as emblematic of New Zealand’s evolving demographic and cultural landscape. The article situates Ko’s media portrayal within broader debates on multiculturalist nationalism, ethnic representation in sport, and the complexities of belonging in a settler society negotiating superdiversity.