Korean skating news & updates

[all_empty]

The Korean ladies were VERY impressive at their Nationals.

It's too bad Haein Lee is 14 because she's ready for seniors. A podium finish at Junior Worlds isn't out of reach for her.

You Young is only going to get better. Really smart of her to do two 3-3 and the 2A-3T, so she can max out the jump content (eight triples and two 2A).

Yelim Kim has some lovely qualities and such long lines. I just wish she would work on her expression a bit (all of them need work in that area). She reminds me a bit of a young Shizuka, almost aloof but has a regal quality.

Bummed for Eunsoo but this is a growing year for her. Hopefully she will be able to work on the Lutz and flip, but good attack in the beginning of her program.

 

[Sylvia]

You Young, Lausanne 2020 favourite, wins Korean nationals

South Korean skater wins her third national title in a row and her fourth overall with the Winter Youth Olympics in sight.

www.olympicchannel.com

Opinion piece:

'Post-Kim Yuna' skaters

One of the things I do when I have free time these days is watch YouTube videos of female figure skaters competing in international championships.

www.koreatimes.co.kr

 

[Dobre]

I thought Yelim stayed in the performance all the way through the program. She's an introvert, not an extrovert on the ice. Definitely not the same kind of performer as Haein and Young; but her expression works with this style of program. She kept performing after the fall when I was thinking focus, focus, and she was just still all light & elegant and in the program. Her arm movement is lovely and always with the music.

Really a fiercely fought competition here, with Hanul and Ji and Seoyeong putting up clean free skates early on and pushing the ladies after them to deliver. Kudos to Young for going after that axel and staying solid regardless afterward. Ditto for Yelim for coming back from the one mistake and staying solid. I think that's such a good learning sign for her. Looking forward to seeing Young, Yelim, & Eunsoo all at 4CCs! And also think this is a solid Junior World team with a real shot at earning three berths for next season. Fingers crossed.

 

[all_empty]

Videos:

You Young: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBqUnKoTeJQ

Yelim Kim: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxO3R920unM

Haein Lee https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB5AZj_sd4A (age-ineligible for seniors)

Eunsoo Lim: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsRztbo__-I

 

[her grace]

That’s a strong world team for Korea. You can potentially contend and Kim has been steady this season and more reliable than Lim.

The junior world team looks like the two strongest juniors. They really need to finish in the top 3 nations because they have better depth than the USA and Japan and “need” the JGP spots more.

 

[Marco]

I wonder how the over-reacted Eunsoo agents and fans from Worlds feel now.

 

[babayaga]

I wonder how the over-reacted Eunsoo agents and fans from Worlds feel now.

She is represented by Yuna's agency, right? Hope she changes them and gets back on track with her career.

 

[Sylvia]

Congratulations to Young YOU, the 2020 Youth Olympic gold medalist!

Teen phenom becomes 1st S. Korean figure skater to win Winter Youth Olympics gold

Powered by a clean routine, teen sensation You Young has become the first South Korean figure skater to capture a gold medal at the Winter Youth Olympics.You earned 140.49 points in free skating in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Monday (local time), for a combined score of 214 to win the ladies'...

www.koreaherald.com

"I was honestly kind of nervous before my skate," she told the IOC at Lausanne Skating Arena. "But I tried to keep thinking that this is just a practice, not a competition, and I think that helped me." ...
In the second half of the program, You earned extra points as part of the "highlight distribution" for clean jumps, though she turned a planned double axel-triple toe loop combination into a double axel-double toe loop instead.
"I'm happy with my triple axel, but I didn't have a chance to put my triple toe in the second half," You said. "I'm a little disappointed in that, but I'll practice more and avoid that in future."

Her 7-triple FS, including opening 3A, can be watched here (Chris Howarth is the commentator for the Olympic Channel):

Olympic Channel on Twitter

“Gold for #YouYoung! 🥇 The South Korean lands a triple Axel on the way to victory at the #lausanne2020 @youtholympics. ⛸️ LIVE reaction now: https://t.co/LUP9nXLaX2 #figureskating @isu_figure @lausanne2020 https://t.co/BJbvYj0Uuv”

twitter.com

 

[Marco]

I believe the 2axel2toe is to become a 3flip2toe by 4CCs or Worlds?!

 

[seabm7]

I believe the 2axel2toe is to become a 3flip2toe by 4CCs or Worlds?!

I heard the original plan was 2A-3T.

 

[Marco]

I heard the original plan was 2A-3T.

Right. That makes even more sense. Thanks.

 

[binbinwinwin]

New article with quotes from Young You, she says she has been working on the 4Lz for about a year and is also working on the 4S. Her aim is gold at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

 

[gotoschool]

Congratulations to Young You for winning Nationals and the Youth Olympics in women's figure skating! All her performances were great at these events. In the Youth Olympics, she delivered such a fabulous free skate with what is some of the greatest and most daring rink coverage I have ever seen, performing so many high difficulty elements with full force and power right next to the boards often at opposite positions in the rink like her tremendous triple axel and the triple lutz / triple toe. Such smooth, fluid speed seemingly done with ease and few strokes in between, which is also seen in the fine flexibility of her illusion, Biellmann and I spin. She also had excellent speed and centering in her pirouettes during her step sequences in both her SP and LP and the fluidity of movement and crispness of edges and turns in her LP step sequence have become really impressive along with the plasticity in her head and shoulder shakes. She also had wonderful quick whipsaw motion through her jumps with beautiful symmetrical air position full of power and minimal pre-rotation and expressive flowing arm motions even on exit to her jumps next toe the boards. Her facial expressions are also becoming more evident.

Also, I was really impressed with the beautifully graceful and expressive performances of Haein Lee at Nationals with such fine musicality and spirited delivery of her step sequence with crisp movement, commitment and fabulous consistency and quality in her jumps and spins. She has engaging facial expressions as well.

I thought this was kind of funny. Near the beginning of the video and just before the awards ceremony, Young You and Ha-ein Lee caught "red handed" on camera playing some clapping game, laughing and then stopping and both putting their hands on the boards when they seemed to notice the camera. They also apparently were given the wrong plaques at the award ceremony and made the switch while standing on the podium.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbCmn6Nk3ig

 

[Seerek]

Interesting. Don't think we'll see it at Worlds, but I remember Young You mentioning practicing quads for a good year now.

🥕젤리🍓🍗 on Twitter

“쿼드 럿츠 https://t.co/SNGYJHUULn”

twitter.com

 

[alj5]

Interesting. Don't think we'll see it at Worlds, but I remember Young You mentioning practicing quads for a good year now.

🥕젤리🍓🍗 on Twitter

“쿼드 럿츠 https://t.co/SNGYJHUULn”

twitter.com

Looks really good!

 

[seabm7]

MBC (not the usual SBS) will broadcast a portion of [Korean] National Winter Sports Festival:

February 21 Friday 10:30 - 14:30
Uijeongbu Sports Complex Ice Rink (2020 Korean National venue)

MBC Sports + live

Ladies Free
10:39 elementary school students
11:03 middle school students
12:41 high school students
14:02 college students

This competition is organized by KOC, not KSU. Still many elite skaters participate, as a representative of their school/town. Korean fans are hoping they can see Nahyun Kim and Dabin Choi again.

 

[seabm7]

Apparently, the junior ice dance team, Jeon & Choi is no more. They did not have the minimum for Junior Worlds.

아이스댄스 ♡ on Twitter

“오늘 상대 선수에게 더이상 아이스댄스팀에 남지 않겠다는 최종 통보를 받았습니다. 억울하고 섭섭한마음도 있고... 부족한 팀을 위해서 물심양면 으로 애써주신 모든 선생님들 께... 죄송하구 뵐 면목이 없지만.. 반드시...잘~~이겨내고 꼭! 다시 일어설수 있을꺼라.. 믿는다..”

twitter.com

 

[seabm7]

KSU postponed Class Championships to July. Athletes compete by age groups here. Usually elite skaters skipped this competition, but a few used it to test their new season programs.

 

[Dobre]

Three berths for the Korean ladies at next year's Junior Worlds! It's been a few years in coming but that ground has been broken. Kudos to Haein & Seoyeong!

 

[Marco]

Three berths for the Korean ladies at next year's Junior Worlds! It's been a few years in coming but that ground has been broken. Kudos to Haein & Seoyeong!

They were both so wonderful at Jr Worlds. Can't wait til they become age eligible for Sr comps. Between Young, Yelim, Eunsoo, Haein, Seoyeong - Korea's ladies field is deep!

 

[seabm7]

The Korean skaters had a fun a while ago: Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon came up as a couple of instagram clips.

1st clip: Cover version by Sihyeong LEE
2nd cilp: The original (2019-2020 SP) by Seoyeong WI

Login • Instagram

Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.

www.instagram.com

Most of the rinks are closed in Korea now, including the Taereung National Training Center featured here. It will be a long vacation for the athelets.

 

[seabm7]

Mokdong Indoor Ice Rink (the 4CC venue) will be closed again for two weeks from May 30 till June 14. The rink had been open since May 11 for elite skaters, skating lessons and ice surface rental. It was not open to general public anyway.

Currently it's not clear when they can reopen the ice surface at Taereung National Training Center. The dormitory at the center is being used to treate people who are asymptotic or having mild symptoms.

 

[seabm7]

Sunghoon PARK (2020 Korean National Men's 7th) will particpate in I-LAND, a new reality idol project at Mnet:

https://twitter.com/mnetiland/status/1267357880858013696

His figure skating activities will be on hold for the time being.

 

[AxelAnnie]

A beautiful FS today in Kaunas by Yelim Kim wins her the silver medal! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWgTV-8ojj0

She can certainly jump. But oh my goodness she needs to soften her arms and use them.

 

[seabm7]

The 2020-21 Korean competition schedule:

http://www.skating.or.kr/download/download.do?fileName=schedule_202006031002316950.pdf&dir=schedule

2020 Class Championships (usually during the spring. competition by age group.): TBD
2020 JGP selection competition: TBD
2020 Novice competition: October 15 - 18
2020 Ranking competition (aka, 1st part of national): December 18 - 20
2021 Korean Championships (aka, 2nd part of national): January 8 - 10
2021 Class Championships: April 8 - 11

2021 National Winter Sports Festival Final (organized by KOC, not by KSU): February 1 - 5

 

[seabm7]

I'm not sure how this happened, but Soyoun Park's All That Skate 2019 clip has collected more than 400k views now:

박소연 (Soyoun Park) '7 rings + Problem' 직캠 @All That Skate 2019 4K Fancam by -wA-

* 영상의 편집 / 재업로드를 금지합니다. DO NOT EDIT / RE-UPLOAD this video * Shot on Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with with Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports Lens ALL SHOTS FI...

www.youtube.com

 

[seabm7]

Currently it's not clear when they can reopen the ice surface at Taereung National Training Center. The dormitory at the center is being used to treat people who are asymptotic or having mild symptoms.

City of Seoul moved the treatment center from Taereung National Training Center to Seoul Municipal Youth Hostel at Namsan Mountain, as of June 3rd. The National Training Center was used as a short term rental by City of Seoul from KOC.

I hope KOC/KSU would reopen (or has reopened) the ice surface at the National Training Center soon.

서울시, 4일 남산생활치료센터 개소...태릉생활치료센터 3일로 운영 종료 | 서울특별시 미디어재단 TBS

서울시, 4일 남산생활치료센터 개소...태릉생활치료센터 3일로 운영 종료}

tbs.seoul.kr

 

[binbinwinwin]

Fun Off Season news but Cha Jun-Hwan was on King of Mask Singer (original The Masked Singer in South Korea which US TV bought the rights for).

First Round (Song: As I Say by Sagging Snail)
Second Round (Song: Every Day, Every Moment by Paul Kim)

Panelists guessed that he was an athlete based on marks around his ankle, they guessed martial artist at first but when his identity was revealed he said it was marks due to bruising from wearing skate boots.

 

[Sylvia]

^^^ Thanks @binbinwinwin - I saw the clips & video links on Twitter and started a thread in the TC (feel free to re-post your comments there ): https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/junhwan-cha-was-on-koreas-king-of-mask-singer-show.107334/

Here's a piece on Young You in the Style/Celebrity section of the South China Morning Post:

5 reasons why Korean skating star Young You is the next Yuna Kim

Young is only the 11th female skater to land a feared triple axel in competition – will she repeat the feat at Beijing 2020?

www.scmp.com

 

[Spun Silver]

^^^ Thanks @binbinwinwin - I saw the clips & video links on Twitter and started a thread in the TC (feel free to re-post your comments there ): https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/junhwan-cha-was-on-koreas-masked-singer-show.107334/

Here's a piece on Young You in the Style/Celebrity section of the South China Morning Post:

5 reasons why Korean skating star Young You is the next Yuna Kim

Young is only the 11th female skater to land a feared triple axel in competition – will she repeat the feat at Beijing 2020?

www.scmp.com

Good luck to her handling all that pressure.