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Kim Chae-yeon
Kim Chae-yeon performing her short program at 2022 CS Finlandia Trophy
Native name	김채연
Other names	Chaeyeon Kim
Born	(2006-12-08) December 8, 2006 (age 18) Seoul, South Korea
Hometown	Namyangju, South Korea
Height	1.51 m (4 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Figure skating career
Country	South Korea
Coach	Choi Hyung-kyung Kim Na-hyun
Medal record
World Championships 2024 Montreal Singles Four Continents Championships 2024 Shanghai Singles South Korean Championships 2024 Uijeongbu Singles Junior Grand Prix Final 2022–23 Turin Singles

Kim Chae-yeon (Korean: 김채연; born 8 December 2006) is a South Korean figure skater. She is the 2024 World bronze medalist, the 2024 Four Continents silver medalist, the 2023 Skate Canada International silver medalist, the 2024 Cup of China bronze medalist, a four-time ISU Challenger Series medalist (including two gold), the 2024 Shanghai Trophy champion and 2024 South Korean national bronze medalist.

At the junior level, she is the 2022–23 Junior Grand Prix Final bronze medalist and a three-time ISU Junior Grand Prix medalist.

Kim Chae-yeon medaled at the World Championships after practicing figure skating for only 7 years, a rare feat in the history of the sport.

Personal life

Kim was born on December 8, 2006, in Seoul, South Korea. She is a devout Buddhist.

Kim's mother, Lee Jung-ah, is an interior designer and is responsible for designing all of her daughter's figure skating costumes.

Career

Early years

Kim began skating in 2017 when she was in the fifth grade. She placed fourth in the junior category at the 2020 South Korean Championships.

In February 2021, Kim placed ninth, competing as a senior at the 2021 South Korean Championships. Due to this result, she became a member of the Korean national team.

2021–2022 season: International junior debut

Kim made her international junior debut at the 2021 JGP France II, the second of two Junior Grand Prix events held in Courchevel in August. She placed second in both the short program and the free skate to finish second overall between American skater Isabeau Levito and Canadian Kaiya Ruiter. At her second JGP assignment of the season, the 2021 JGP Slovakia, Kim finished off the podium in fifth place.

In January 2022, Kim placed tenth in the senior women's category at the 2022 South Korean Figure Skating Championships.

Following the season, Kim made a coaching change from longtime coach, Han Sung-mi, to Chi Hyun-jung.

2022–2023 season: JGP Final bronze, breakout senior season

Kim opened her season back on the Junior Grand Prix circuit at the 2022 JGP Poland I, the first of two JGP events held in Gdańsk. She placed third in both segments of competition to win the bronze medal overall behind Japanese competitors Mao Shimada and Mone Chiba. The following week, Kim made her international senior debut at the 2022 CS Finlandia Trophy in Espoo. She placed third in the short program and second in the free skate, setting new personal bests in both segments of competition, as well as overall, to win the silver medal between compatriot Kim Ye-lim and Georgian skater Anastasiia Gubanova. The week after that, she competed at her second Junior Grand Prix assignment, the 2022 JGP Italy. After winning the short program in Egna, she took the silver medal behind Japan's Hana Yoshida, in the process qualifying for the 2022–23 Junior Grand Prix Final.

At the Junior Grand Prix Final in Turin, Kim placed third in the short program despite one of her triple jumps being deemed a quarter short of rotation. She was narrowly third as well in the free skate, winning the bronze medal. Kim and silver medalist Shin Ji-a were the first Korean women to medal at the event since Yuna Kim in 2005. She noted that Yuna Kim had inspired her to begin skating, saying "I tried to learn her choreography and her jumping technique, she is my role model."

Kim finished fourth at the 2023 South Korean Championships. However, with national champion Shin ineligible for international senior competition, South Korea's third berths at senior ISU championships were assigned to Kim. Competing at the 2023 Four Continents Championships in Colorado Springs, Kim placed third in the short program with a new personal best score of 71.39, winning a bronze small medal. She had the highest technical score in the segment. Fifth in the free skate with errors on both her triple flip attempts, she dropped to fourth place overall, 2.59 points behind bronze medalist Chiba.

At the 2023 World Championships in Saitama, Kim finished twelfth in the short program after stepping out of her opening triple Lutz, missing the intended triple-triple combination. Although she was able to tack on a triple toe loop to the back end of her triple flip later in the program, the second jump was deemed underrotated by the technical panel. Following her performance, Kim stated that she was "very, very nervous" heading into the short program, although "happy about the great support from fans." In the free skate held two days later, Kim set a new personal best of 139.45 points after landing seven clean triple jumps including a triple Lutz-triple toe combination and earning Level 4s on all of her spins and footwork. For her performance, she received a small bronze medal for the free skate, vaulting herself up to sixth place overall.

2023–2024 season: World bronze and Four Continents silver

Beginning the season on the Challenger circuit, Kim won the bronze medal at the 2023 CS Lombardia Trophy before taking gold at the 2023 CS Nepela Memorial. She was invited to make her senior Grand Prix debut, appearing first at the 2023 Skate Canada International, where she was the youngest of the twelve women competing. She finished second in the short program and fourth in the free skate, coming second overall and taking the silver medal. After the free skate, she remarked "I didn't skate clean, but I am very happy with the result."

Kim came third in the short program at the 2023 Grand Prix of Espoo but dropped to fourth place after a difficult free skate.

Kim reached the podium at the 2024 South Korean Championships, claiming the bronze medal. Assigned next to the 2024 Four Continents Championships in Shanghai, she finished second in the short program. Third in the free skate, she remained second overall, winning the silver medal, her first at an ISU championship. She reflected that after some disappointing results in the first half of the season, this result had "boosted my confidence."

Finishing the season at the 2024 World Championships, held in Montreal, Kim was sixth in the short program after receiving an incorrect edge call on a triple flip and an underrotation on the back end of her jump combination. Both of her triple flips in the free skate similarly were judged to have an incorrect edge, and her triple Salchow was called a quarter underrotated, but she placed third in the segment and moved up to third place overall, winning the bronze medal. This made her the third Korean woman to win a World medal, after Kim Yu-na and Lee Hae-in.

2024–2025 season

Kim started the season in early October by taking gold at the 2024 Shanghai Trophy. One week later, she competed at the 2024 Korean Universiade and Asian Games Qualifiers, winning the event. With this result, Kim was selected to represent South Korea at the 2025 Asian Winter Games. Going on to compete on the 2024–25 ISU Challenger Series, Kim took the gold medal at the 2024 CS Trophée Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur.

At her first event on the 2024–25 Grand Prix circuit, the Grand Prix de France, Kim placed second in the short program but fifth in the free skate after having a hard fall on the second part of her triple lutz-triple toe combination and landing on her hip. She would drop to fourth place overall. Three weeks later, at the 2024 Cup of China, Kim placed fourth in the short program but third in the free skate, where she skated cleanly and scored close to her personal best, moving up to the bronze medal position overall. Following the event, she said, "I want to show a more mature side of myself by using the experiences I have gained as a stepping stone." She was ultimately named as the second alternate for the 2024–25 Grand Prix Final.

In late November, Kim would compete at the annual South Korean Ranking Competition, where she won the gold medal. Because of this result, she was selected to compete at the 2025 Four Continents Championships.

Programs

Competitive highlights

CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

Detailed Results

Senior level

Small medals for short and free programs awarded only at ISU Championships. Personal bests highlighted in bold.

Junior level

Small medals for short and free programs awarded only at ISU Championships. Personal bests highlighted in bold.

References

1. ^ "Chaeyeon KIM: Competition Results". International Skating Union. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
2. "OP: Chaeyeon, are you a christian? I will pray for you Chaeyeon: ☺️ No, I'm a buddhist. OP: Oops". X. X. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
3. ^ "Mother and daughter: Chaeyeon Kim and her mother, her costume designer". YouTube. 18 September 2023.
4. ^ "Figure skater Kim Chae-yeon wins silver at ISU Junior Grand Prix". KBS World. 28 August 2021.
5. ^ "Chaeyeon KIM: 2021/2022". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022.
6. ^ "Chaeyeon KIM: 2022/2023". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 31 March 2023.
7. ^ Bergman, Scott (4 October 2022). "Shimada Mao wins women's title at ISU Junior Grand Prix in Gdansk". Olympic Channel.
8. ^ "Shimada (JPN) scores second Junior Grand Prix victory". International Skating Union. October 3, 2022.
9. ^ "Skaters grab last seven tickets for ISU Junior Grand Prix Final at JGP Egna-Neumarkt". International Skating Union. October 17, 2022.
10. ^ "Shimada (JPN) edges Shin (KOR) in Junior Women's Short Program at JGP Final". International Skating Union. December 8, 2022.
11. ^ McCarvel, Nick (December 9, 2022). "Junior Grand Prix Final - Shimada Mao captures title, becoming first Japanese woman to do so in 13 years". Olympic Channel.
12. ^ "Mao Shimada (JPN) risks it all to claim Junior Women's Grand Prix Final crown". International Skating Union. December 9, 2022.
13. ^ Lim, Bo-mi (January 9, 2023). "15세 '은반 요정' 신지아 환상 점프에… 대학생 언니도 '끄덕'" [15-year-old 'Silver fairy' Jia Shin in a fantasy jump...]. The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean).
14. ^ "Yelim Kim (KOR) leads after Short Program at ISU Four Continents Championships". International Skating Union. February 9, 2023.
15. ^ Dombrowski, Judith (February 10, 2023). "Yelim Kim edges out Levito for narrow lead". Golden Skate.
16. ^ Slater, Paula (February 11, 2023). "Haein Lee catapults to gold at Four Continents". Golden Skate.
17. ^ "Haein Lee (KOR) surges from sixth to take Four Continents gold". International Skating Union. February 10, 2023.
18. ^ Golden Skate (22 March 2023). "Chaeyeon Kim 🇰🇷 64.06" (Tweet). Archived from the original on April 2, 2023 – via Twitter.
19. ^ Slater, Paula (March 24, 2023). "Kaori Sakamoto defends World title". Golden Skate.
20. ^ "World Champion Sakamoto (JPN) soars to gold at Skate Canada International". International Skating Union. October 28, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
21. ^ Slater, Paula (October 29, 2023). "Japan's Kaori Sakamoto seizes Skate Canada gold". Golden Skate. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
22. ^ Slater, Paula (November 18, 2023). "Kaori Sakamoto reigns at Grand Prix Espoo". Golden Skate. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
23. ^ McCarvel, Nick (February 5, 2024). "'More mature' Kim Chae-yeon makes quiet progression on world stage". Olympic Channel. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
24. ^ Slater, Paula (February 2, 2024). "Mone Chiba commands Women at 2024 Four Continents". Golden Skate. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
25. ^ Slater, Paula (March 23, 2024). "Kaori Sakamoto takes third consecutive World title". Golden Skate. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
26. ^ "Chaeyeon Kim". Skating Scores. Skating Scores. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
27. "피겨스케이팅: 차준환·김채연 등 포함한 2025 동계아시안게임 피겨 대표팀 선발". Olympics.com. Olympics.com. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
28. "Distribution of assignments based on the results of the Winter University Games and Asian Winter Games Qualifiers 2024:". X. Skating Korea. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
29. "피겨 김채연, 시니어 GP 3차 대회 최종 4위 '아쉬운 엉덩방아'". YNA. YNA. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
30. 이, 한주. "아쉽게 파이널행 무산됐지만…개인 최고 기록 쓴 피겨 김채연 "경험한 것들 발판 삼아 한층 성장한 모습 보여드리고파"". MK. MK. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
31. "ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating 2024-2025 - Women". International Skating Union. International Skating Union. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
32. "2025 Four Continents Championships team 🇰🇷". X. Skating Korea. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
33. ^ "Chaeyeon KIM: 2024/2025". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 1 September 2024.
34. ^ 이, 민정. "피겨 김채연-김예림, 새 시즌 프로그램곡 발표로 기대감 UP". MFocus. MFocus. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
35. ^ "Chaeyeon KIM: 2023/2024". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 10 September 2023.

External links

• Chaeyeon KIM at the International Skating Union
• Chaeyeon Kim at SkatingScores.com
• Kim Chae-yeon on Instagram

• 2006 births
• Living people
• South Korean female single skaters
• Figure skaters from Seoul
• People from Namyangju
• World Figure Skating Championships medalists
• Four Continents Figure Skating Championships medalists
• 21st-century South Korean sportswomen