South Korea's "new figure skating queen" Kim Chae-yeon (18), who won consecutive gold medals in women's singles skating at the 2025 Harbin Asian Winter Games and the 2025 International Skating Union (ISU) Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, has postponed her university enrollment by a year. This is to dedicate the year to the preparation of the Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo 2026 Winter Olympics.

On the 25th, Kim Chae-yeon, who won the 2025 Asian Winter Games and the Four Continents Championships, was smiling when she was interviewed at the Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, Seoul.

On the 25th, Kim Chae-yeon said in an interview with Korean media at the Olympic Park Hotel in Songpa-gu, Seoul, "It was decided to postpone going to university for the time being. Although it is important to study at university, I want to concentrate on preparing for the Olympics this year. "I made my own decision, and my parents supported my wishes," she stressed. I won't regret my decision. Kim Chae-yeon, who recently graduated from Repair High School, is no longer a student, but is competing as a "Gyeonggi ordinary player".

There are few examples of figure skaters who, like Kim Chae-yeon, have won most awards at major international competitions and postponed college for the sake of sports. Most of Korea's top athletes are sports specialists who have entered major universities to continue their careers. An official from the Korean ice world said, "This is the first time that a domestic figure skater who has won a prize at a world championship has postponed his university attendance. Many people around me commented, "I made a decision like Kim Chae-yeon." An ice related person said: "Kim Chae-yeon is a player with a very clear sense of purpose. It's even scary. ”

Figure skater Kim Chae-yeon smiles after receiving the Encouragement Award at the 71st Korea Athletic Association Sports Awards Ceremony on February 25.

The same is true for the women's single free skating competition at the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships held at the Mokdong Ice Rink in Seoul on the 23rd. Kim Chae-yeon suffered from muscle spasms in her left calf at the end of the performance. The muscles began to twist and the pain intensified. But Kim Chae-yeon endured the pain and handled the final acting task without mistakes - the combination rotation of the speed shifter. Although his face was distorted in pain, he persevered to the end and got his personal highest score and won the gold medal. Kim Chae-yeon recalled, "I occasionally had muscle cramps during training, but it was the first time I competed. Because I want to get good grades, (legs) seem to be working hard. ”

She continued, "Thankfully, after dealing with all the jumping issues, the pain started, and I wanted to stay the course and continue performing." Thankfully, it turned out well. ”

On the 25th, Kim Chae-yeon, an emerging powerhouse in women's figure skating, was answering reporters' questions.

Kim Chae-yeon, who won the first and second Korean national representative trials, the Asian Winter Games and the Four Continents Championships, is determined to continue her momentum at the World Figure Skating Championships in Boston, USA, next month. Kim Chae-yeon, who won a bronze medal at the World Championships last year, will be aiming for the second year in a row. Kim Yuna is currently the only domestic athlete who has won more than two awards at the Figure Skating World Championships. Kim Chae-yeon said, "This competition is about the quota quota of each country at the Winter Olympics, so I want to do my best to put on a perfect performance. The goal is to surpass the personal high set at the Four Continents Championship (222.38 points). ”

If it's the current trend, it looks like it's possible. Kim scored 219.44 points at the 2025 Harbin Asian Winter Games in the middle of this month, more than 10 points higher than her own highest score of 208.47 at the International Skating Union (ISU) at the time. And, in just one week, he played in the Four Continents Championship, which was recognized as the highest score. It is predicted that it is not impossible to set a new Korean record if the perfect acting is carried out.

Kim Chae-yeon performs in the women's single short program at the 2025 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships at the Mokdong Ice Skating Complex in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul on the 21st.

South Korea's highest score in the women's singles skater ISU is recognized as 228.56 by Kim Yuna at Vancouver 2010. Kim Chae-yeon's challenge is meaningful because she was brought up with Kim Yuna's sweat. Kim Yuna personally came to the training site before the season to help Kim Chae-yeon correct her dance moves and left a lot of advice. Kim Chae-yeon said, "Sister Kim Yuna instructed me in my acting. In particular, I was shown the highlights of the dance moves and added feelings, which helped me a lot in my artistic expression. ”

Korean media believe that Kim Yuna played a decisive role in Kim Chae-yeon's best results. Kim Chae-yeon scored around 60 points (PCS) in the 2023-2024 ISU Recognized Championships free skate. However, he scored 68.49 points and 70.09 points at the Harbin Asian Winter Games and the Four Continents Championships, respectively, which became the basis for setting a new personal high score. Kim Chae-yeon made up her mind, "In the future, we will pay attention not only to technical factors, but also to artistic factors." I want to show my fans perfect acting skills. ”

Kim Chae-yeon won the gold medal in the women's figure skating single skating competition at the 2025 Harbin Asian Winter Games on the 13th and greeted her fans.

Of course, there is also the desire to stock up on difficult techniques. "Before this season, I trained for three and a half axels and a quadruple and a half jump," she said. It's not perfect yet, and I'm going to train a little bit more after the World Championships. "The 2026 Winter Olympics season ideas will be sorted out after the World Championships. The idea of standing on the stage of the Winter Olympics in a costume made by "Mom" has not changed. Kim Chae-yeon's recent Asian Winter Games and Four Continents Tournament competitions were all dressed in costumes made by her mother, Lee Jung-ah. Kim Chae-yeon made up her mind and said, "If I skate in the clothes my mother made for me, I will be very sure." I want to step on the stage of my dreams in my mother's clothes. ”