Korean skating news & updates

[Theatregirl1122]

Isnt that because the rest is not age eligible?

Oh, that would make sense! I didn't even think of that.

 

[gotoschool]

Congratulations to Jia Shin on winning Korean Nationals for the second year in a row with a wonderful performance in the freeksate. I also really liked Kim Chaeyeon's freeskate and Haein Lee also skated well too. Jia Shin skated fast, smooth and gracefully with beautiful positions and expression and fine rotation and flow through her jumps with erect posture and some lovely transitions. The triple lutz triple toe close to the boards was was beautiful with picturesque air position and the transition from the sit spin into the cross grab Biellmann and the final pose was fluid and beautiful too. Its the best performance I have ever seen her give.
I found these excellent 4k videos of Jia Shin's wonderful SP and LP
SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nE9dQVkoSkY&ab_channel=JewelskatersCross
LP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dO_GmCtirM&ab_channel=JewelskatersCross

And an HD version of the LP at ice level: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3phPvFG1Fg&ab_channel=jgl

I really like Kim Chaeyon's dramatic, expressive and graceful movements in the LP and how well they are attuned to the mood of the music and the way her costuming fits the theme as well. Such fluidity, artistic flair especially in her arm movements and wonderful connectivity between her elements. Here is a link to a wonderful 4k video of her performance.

ê¹ì±ì° Chaeyeon KIM (Chae-yeon)ã£ì¬ììëì´ ì±ê¸ Sr. Women - FS 14ã£2024-01-07 í¼ê²¨ ì¢í©ì ìê¶ 4ì¼ì°¨ã£ìë¦¬ê³ ë±íêµ 2íë

ê´ë ¨ì ë³´ | Information, Results, Protocol (Judges Scores) âì¬ê°ê³µ ê¸ì§ | Do Not Re-Upload & Secondary Processing |=4ì¼ì°¨ - Day 4. 주ëì´ & ìëì´ ìì´ì¤ëì¤ FD / ë¨ì ìëì´ FS / ì¬ì ìë...

www.youtube.com

Haein Lee skated beautifully as well. Here is a 4k video of her LP performance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9qkFUWjCdg&ab_channel=JewelskatersCross

 

[On My Own]

wHaT iF mInKYU anD rIo bEcOmE tHe nEw yUNa mAO rIvAlRy

 

[Sylvia]

Congrats to Minkyu SEO on becoming South Korea’s first Junior World men’s champion at the age of 15!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1763904635566539098

His 1st place SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZXmY1cW19c

Jaekeun LEE, 16, placed 6th overall (5th in FS) in his Junior World debut:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1763878327184699438

 

[Sylvia]

Jia SHIN won her 3rd consecutive Junior World silver medal and this photo she shared includes the small gold medal for her 1st place SP:

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

Jia set all new ISU personal best scores in Taipei this week - 212.43 total; 73.48 (SP) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zG4GkVLKQA and 138.95 (FS) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML3MLiVUHoM

 

[skatingguy]

Jia SHIN won her 3rd consecutive Junior World silver medal and this photo she shared includes the small gold medal for her 1st place SP:

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

Jia set all new ISU personal best scores in Taipei this week - 212.43 total; 73.48 (SP) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zG4GkVLKQA and 138.95 (FS) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML3MLiVUHoM

That's a bronze medal in the first picture, and a silver medal in the second one.

 

[airgelaal]

That's a bronze medal in the first picture, and a silver medal in the second one.

I think it’s the same silver medal, it’s just that the lighting in the photo is different.

 

[skatingguy]

I think it’s the same silver medal, it’s just that the lighting in the photo is different.

Perhaps, but it sure looks like it's the same colour as the one the Rena Uzeono is holding.

 

[Sylvia]

Copied from: https://x.com/kteam_subs/status/1764271712449736738

Yelim Kim has revealed through her blog that she will recycle her 23/24 programs. She says that she loves the programs, and hopes that there will be videos of satisfactory performances, which she thinks she wasn't able to show often this season.
David Wilson is in South Korea for the Play Winter Academy. Yelim Kim visited to make some changes in the choreography.

Korean link: https://m.blog.naver.com/PostView.naver?blogId=ylkim0123&logNo=223371654555&navType=by

ETA Yelim's 2023-24 programs as listed in her ISU bio:
SP: Ladies In Lavender by Nigel Hess (choreo. by Jeffrey Buttle)
FS Je Suis Malade performed by Genevieve Leclerc / Tormented Mad Love by Karl Hugo (choreo. by David Wilson)

 

[Sylvia]

Minkyu SEO article (Yonhap News, March 4):

World junior figure skating champion Seo Min-kyu trying to stay humble

South Korean teenager Seo Min-kyu shocked the figure skating world Saturday, winning the men's singles title at the World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Taipei in his first appearance. The 15-year-old became the first South Korean man to win a medal of any color at the world juniors, and...

www.koreaherald.com

Seo, who returned from Taipei City on Monday, insisted he won't let his accomplishment go to his head.
"I am not going to be complacent just because I've won this medal," Seo told reporters at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. "I believe that if I stick to my foundation and keep working hard, I will continue to have great results." [...]
"Before the competition, I figured I'd be happy to finish in the top three," Seo said. "But after winning the short program, I felt I could win the gold medal with a clean free skate."
Seo did not have a clean program, though, as he under-rotated a planned triple axel. He still hung on for the narrow win over Nakata.
"I was nervous while waiting for the score because I didn't have a perfect performance and I wasn't sure if it would be good enough for the gold," Seo said. "I will try to address my shortcomings for the next competition."

Seo said his mistake wasn't due to any nerves.
"It was so late in the season that I was so exhausted. I just wanted to get this over with and go home as soon as I could," Seo said with a smile.
He said he will need to sharpen his triple axel. He didn't initially put the jump in his short program earlier in the season but decided to include it for the world juniors, so that he would give himself a higher base score.
Next up for Seo will be to complete a quadruple jump.
"I will try to improve my strength during the offseason," he said. "I will also try to find a quadruple jump that I can execute and make sure I can land it successfully."

"I still can't believe I am the first Korean man to win the world junior title," Seo said. "I am proud of having made history."
Seo has been following a unique development path. Whereas most figure skaters train in Seoul or spend months at a time working out in a foreign country, Seo has chosen to stay home in Daegu, some 240 kilometers southeast of Seoul.
"Just because you train in Seoul, it doesn't mean you're going to perform well," Seo said. "I think it's really up to how hard you work."

 

[Sylvia]

Belatedly, Team Korea's 2024 ISU Championships and Youth Olympic Games figure skating results (ISU SB total scores are bolded below)....

2024 World Championships
BRONZE Chaeyeon KIM 203.59 6 3
6 Haein LEE 195.48 3 12
12 Young YOU 183.35 5 14

10 Junhwan CHA 249.65 9 11
18 Hyungyeom KIM 222.79 21 18 [230.46 ISU SB at CS Nepela Mem.]
24 Sihyeong LEE 207.59 24 24 [209.13 ISU SB at GP CoC]

14 Hannah LIM / Ye QUAN 186.51 14 12 [187.10 ISU SB at CS Warsaw Cup]

2024 Four Continents Championships
SILVER Chaeyeon KIM 204.68 2 3
5 Seoyeong WI 193.57 6 5
11 Haein LEE 169.38 11 9

BRONZE Junhwan CHA 272.95 3 2
13 Juheon LIM 211.40 13 12 [234.86 ISU SB at CS Denis Ten Mem.]
14 Younghyun CHA 204.14 12 15 [211.15 ISU SB at CS Finlandia]

7 Hannah LIM / Ye QUAN 182.78 9 7

Note: Others on the 2023-24 ISU SB Total scores list not listed above:
#46 on men's list - Hangil KIM 217.31 at the CS Denis Ten Mem.
#34 on women's list - Minchae KIM 184.03 at CS Nebelhorn Trophy
#37 Minsol KWON 183.51 at JGP POL

2024 World Junior Championships
GOLD Minkyu SEO 230.75 1 2 [231.30 ISU SB at JGP TUR]
6 Jaekeun LEE 212.22 12 5

SILVER Jia SHIN 212.43 1 2
15 Yuseong KIM 170.80 9 15 [190.48 ISU SB at JGP Final]
16 Yujae KIM 167.84 18 13 [183.65 ISU SB at JGP TUR]

16 Jinny KIM / Namu LEE 134.43 15 15

2024 Youth Olympic Games
GOLD KIM Hyungyeom 216.73 3 1
SILVER SHIN Jia 191.83 3 2
4 KIM Yuseong 181.53 4 4
4 KIM Jinny / LEE Namu 139.40 3 5
Team GOLD: Hyungyeom & Jia both placed 1st in FS; Kim/Lee 3rd in FD

Jinny Kim and Namu Lee split after Junior Worlds - both are listed now on IcePartnerSearch.com.

Jan. 7, 2024:

Combined Scores

Men
Top 5 skaters with highest combined scores make the Korean national team
1. Junhwan CHA* 260.53+275.94=536.47 [guaranteed]
2. Minkyu SEO 240.05+232.62=472.67
3. Jaekeun LEE 238.50+226.64=465.14
4. Hyungyeom KIM 230.70+229.50=460.20
5. Sihyeong LEE 205.98+241.05=447.03

The remaining Top 3 skaters under the age of 19 with the next highest combined scores make the reserve team
6. Juheon LIM 227.79+214.56=442.35
7. Habin CHOI 213.02+215.43=428.45
10. Donghan YU 156.08+160.06=316.14

The remaining Top 2 skaters under the age of 19 with the next-highest combined scores make the youth team
11. Hyunseo PARK 144.37+149.00=293.37
12. Jaewook CHUNG 142.69+142.00=284.69

Women
Top 9 skaters with highest combined scores make the Korean national team
3. Haein Lee* 186.78+205.84=392.62 [guaranteed]
1. Jia Shin 216.35+218.36=434.71
2. Chaeyeon KIM 203.64+205.33=408.97
4. Yuseong KIM 191.66+200.73=392.39
5. Minsol KWON 191.61+197.03=388.64
6. Yujae KIM 188.48+198.47=386.95
7. Young YOU 185.29+195.96=381.25
8. Seojin YOUN 183.30+185.57=368.87
9. Seoyeong WI 193.51+175.29=368.80

The remaining Top 9 skaters under the age of 19 with the next highest combined scores make the reserve team
10. Jeongyul HWANG 181.23+182.09=363.32
11. Nayeon KO 183.39+177.26=360.65
12. Hyorin LEE 176.49+178.20=354.69
13. Heesue HAN 171.38+173.28=344.66
15. Seoyoung KIM 166.34+166.67=333.01
16. Eunbi PARK 161.99+157.84=319.83
17. Harin JANG 159.93+156.75=316.68
18. Jiyu KIM 161.73+154.20=315.93
19. Jueun JIN 155.28+155.45=310.73

The remaining Top 8 skaters under the age of 19 with the next highest combined scores make the youth team
20. Siwoo SONG 153.25+144.35=297.60
21. Gunhee KIM 142.71+153.65=296.36
22. Jiyoon LEE 138.53+155.48=294.01
23. Eun LEE 147.53+143.65=291.18
24. Daon SON 147.08+137.68=284.76
25. Inkyong PARK 143.44+135.35=278.79
26. Hyewon JOO 135.88+140.23=276.11
27. Hayoung PARK 131.47+130.21=261.68

*Guaranteed a place in the National Team due to

• Placing Top 3 in an ISU World Championship or Olympic Winter Games the previous year, AND
• Partipation at both Korean National Team qualifying events

Ice Dance
Top 1 Ice Dance team with the highest combined score makes the Korean national team
1. Hannah LIM / Ye QUAN 177.21+186.29=363.50

April 7, 2023:

This is so called "class" championships for spring. They give out medals to each age category in addition to the usual novice/junior/senior divisions.

The competition is not mandatory for elite skaters. Skaters use the opportunity to test next season's programs. Please note that South Korea does not hold club competitions for elite skaters during summer.

I believe this is the competition that happened this weekend? Younghyun Cha debuted his SP to Reel Around the Sun (Emerald Tiger) as tweeted by In the Loop: https://twitter.com/InTheLoPodcast/status/1781510377643130915
His video in the replay stream (still up) starts at 3:27:50: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJ7rUobGrm4&t=12470s
ETA that his total score was 200.20 (72.67 SP, 127.53 FS to his Dune OST from this season) - he was the only competitor; Hangil Kim WD. More National Classified Championships results (Sunday):
A Women High FS & final results:
Seojin YOUN 178.84 4 1
Seoyoung KIM 170.85 1 2
Siwoo SONG 164.91 2 3
Ahsun YUN 158.83 3 4
Hyorin LEE 141.88 5 5
Eunbi PARK 132.60 6 6
WD: Heesue HAN

A Women Middle (3 competed):
Nayeon KO 180.45 1 1 (62.43 SP, 118.02 FS to Firebird starts here in the replay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKL43ieZEbI&t=16027s)
Eun LEE 159.33 3 2
Jeongyul HAN 156.54 2 3

B Women Middle top 3:
Minsong KIM 164.52 3 1
Harin JANG 163.39 1 2
Hyowon LEE 158.18 2 3

2024 Nationals results on wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_South_Korean_Figure_Skating_Championships#Senior_results

 

[Sylvia]

This Young You interview was published today (April 21, 2024):

Young You: Injury-free and ready for 2024-25

Young You Injury-free, Young You (유영) of the Republic of Korea is eager for a fresh comeback for the 2024-25 figure skating season. The 2020 Four

www.goldenskate.com

Direct link to watch (18 mins.): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdCkq8SNvVA

 

[Marco]

Oh I hadn't realized that Chaeyeon was the top Korean woman this season at both 4CCs and Worlds and medalled in both. Congrats on the achievement in such a tough field, both in Korea and around the world! I believe Jia will be eligible for senior comps next season though in which case she may become a strong contender for the top Korean woman post too. Haein and You are recovering and may post uncertainties to the world team along with Yelim (what happened to her?!) - what exciting times for Korean women skating! 15 years after Yuna's world title - oh the seeds she had planted.

 

[Karen-W]

Oh I hadn't realized that Chaeyeon was the top Korean woman this season at both 4CCs and Worlds and medalled in both. Congrats on the achievement in such a tough field, both in Korea and around the world! I believe Jia will be eligible for senior comps next season though in which case she may become a strong contender for the top Korean woman post too. Haein and You are recovering and may post uncertainties to the world team along with Yelim (what happened to her?!) - what exciting times for Korean women skating! 15 years after Yuna's world title - oh the seeds she had planted.

Jia Shin is not eligible for senior competitions until 2025-26.

 

[EdgyIceMarks]

Per KSU the national team has a 2-week training session scheduled at the Acinque Ice Arena at Varese, Lombardia in May.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1783367866219401655

Reminds me a bit of how Kagiyama trained with Kostner there for a while, I wonder if she'll be a part of it.