Yuna Kim

Not to be confused with Kim Yoon-ah.

The native form of this personal name is Kim Yeon-a. This article uses Western name order when mentioning individuals.

In this Korean name, the family name is Kim.

Yuna Kim
Kim at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Native name	김연아
Other names	Kim Yeon-a
Born	(1990-09-05) September 5, 1990 Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea
Height	1.64 m (5 ft 4+1⁄2 in)
Figure skating career
Country	South Korea
Began skating	1996
Retired	February 20, 2014
Medal record Representing South Korea Ladies' Singles Figure skating Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 1 1 0 World Championships 2 2 2 Four Continents Championships 1 0 0 Grand Prix Final 3 1 0 World Junior Championships 1 1 0 Junior Grand Prix Final 1 1 0 Total 9 6 2 Olympic Games 2010 Vancouver Ladies' singles 2014 Sochi Ladies' singles World Championships 2009 Los Angeles Ladies' singles 2013 London Ladies' singles 2010 Turin Ladies' singles 2011 Moscow Ladies' singles 2007 Tokyo Ladies' singles 2008 Gothenburg Ladies' singles Four Continents Championships 2009 Vancouver Ladies' singles Grand Prix Final 2006–07 St. Petersburg Ladies' singles 2007–08 Turin Ladies' singles 2009–10 Tokyo Ladies' singles 2008–09 Goyang Ladies' singles World Junior Championships 2006 Ljubljana Ladies' singles 2005 Kitchener Ladies' singles Junior Grand Prix Final 2005–2006 Ostrava Ladies' singles 2004–2005 Helsinki Ladies' singles

Korean name
Hangul	김연아
Hanja	金姸兒
Revised Romanization	Gim Yeon-a
McCune–Reischauer	Kim Yŏna

Yuna Kim (Korean: 김연아; born September 5, 1990), also credited in eastern name order as Kim Yuna or Kim Yeon-a, is a retired South Korean competitive figure skater. She is the 2010 Olympic champion and 2014 Olympic silver medalist in ladies' singles, the 2009 & 2013 World champion, the 2009 Four Continents champion, a three-time (2006–2007, 2007–2008, 2009–2010) Grand Prix Final champion, the 2006 World Junior champion, the 2005 Junior Grand Prix Final champion, and a six-time (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2013, 2014) South Korean national champion.

Kim is the first South Korean figure skater to win a medal at an ISU Junior Grand Prix or ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating event, the ISU Figure Skating Championships, and the Olympic Games. She is the first female skater ever to win every major international competition, namely, the Olympic Games, the World Championships, the Four Continents Championships, and the Grand Prix Final. She is also the first figure skater ever to complete a Super Slam, having won every major senior and junior competition. She is one of the most highly recognized athletes and media figures in South Korea. As a result of her numerous accomplishments and popularity, she is frequently referred to as Queen Yuna by various media across the world.

She is the former record holder for ladies in the short program, free skate and combined total under the ISU Judging System. She has broken world record scores 11 times under the ISU Judging System since 2007, eight of which being records she herself set. She is also the first female skater to surpass the 140-point and 150-point free skating mark and the 200-point, 210-point and 220-point total mark, as well as the first and only figure skater to have never finished off the podium in her entire career under the current ISU Judging System. She has been beaten by only seven skaters throughout her career. Due to her strong artistry, musicality, skating skills, mental strength, solid and consistent competitive record, she is regarded as one of the greatest figure skaters of all time. She is also noted for her great rivalry with three-time World champion Mao Asada from Japan.

Kim was the highest paid athlete at the 2010 Winter Olympics, and the fifth, seventh, sixth and fourth top-earning sportswoman in the world in 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively according to Forbes. The business magazine has also listed her in their 30 under 30 and Philanthropy lists. She was included in Time magazine's annual Time 100 of World's Most Influential People in 2010. Kim was the first to top Forbes Korea Power Celebrity and was ranked in the top 10 from 2009 to 2015 and in 2018.

Early life and education

Kim was born on September 5, 1990, in Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do, and moved to Gunpo when she was six years old. In 2013, Kim graduated from Korea University with a degree in Sports Education.

Competitive career

Early career

Kim began skating at the age of six. Her coach at the time, Ryu Jong-hyun, strongly suggested to Kim's mother that Kim should continue to skate, predicting that she would become a world-class figure skater in the future. In a 2011 interview, she gave credit to her coaches for noticing her aptitude for skating, stating, "My coaches have told me my muscles and body structure are perfect for skating. I was born with a good instrument, maybe more so than the talent. I was lucky my coaches noticed early on and helped me develop that. A lot of people don't know they are born that way."

During her junior years, South Korea had limited facilities for figure skaters. Describing training conditions for competitive figure skaters, Kim said in an October 2010 interview with CNN, "During my early skating years, there were not many ice rinks in Korea and even the few rinks that existed, most of them were public. Even now, when athletes want to practice, they have to use the rink very early [in the] morning or late at night. Also, as there aren't enough ice rinks to facilitate all the figure skating teams, skaters often have to train in different rinks from day to day. Furthermore, as most rinks are too cold, there is always high possibility of injury." Kim trained in the USA for her distinguishing jumps. "I could learn it in Korea as well," she said, "but considering general practice circumstances, abroad training is much better", describing how her coach used a harness to teach her how to jump a triple toe loop. As proper skate shops were also lacking, Kim frequently had to wear ill-fitting skates in her teenage years, making it hard for her to balance and resulting in many injuries.

In 2002, Kim competed internationally for the first time at the Triglav Trophy in Slovenia, where she won the gold medal in the novice competition. A year later, at age 12, she won the senior title at the South Korean Championships, becoming the youngest skater ever to win that title. She won her second international competition at the Golden Bear of Zagreb, a novice competition. She continued her reign as the South Korean champion between 2003 and 2006.

Junior career

2004–2005 season: Junior debut

In the 2004–2005 season, Kim competed as a junior at the ISU Junior Grand Prix. She won a gold medal at her first competition in Hungary and became the first Korean skater to win a Junior Grand Prix event. At her second competition in China, Kim was in fourth place after an error-laden short program, but rebounded in the free skate to take second place overall. This qualified her for a spot in the 2004–2005 Junior Grand Prix Final, where she won the silver medal with an overall score of 137.75 points.

She retained her national title for the third year in a row on her way to the 2005 World Junior Championships. At that competition, she won the silver medal with 158.93 points, and landed her first triple-triple combination jump in the free skate.

2005–2006 season: Junior World champion

For the 2005–2006 season, Kim was not old enough to compete at the 2006 Olympics. Instead, she competed in the 2005–2006 Junior Grand Prix and won both of her competitions in Bulgaria and Slovakia. At the 2005–2006 Junior Grand Prix Final, she won the competition 28.34 points ahead of silver medalist Aki Sawada. During her free skate, she landed seven triple jumps, including a triple flip-triple toe loop combination and a double Axel-triple toe loop combination.

Kim won her fourth senior national title. At the 2006 World Junior Championships, she won the gold medal scoring 177.54 points overall, with a 24.19-point margin of victory over silver medalist Mao Asada.

Senior career

2006–2007 season: Senior debut and World medal

Kim performing her free skate to The Lark Ascending at the 2006 Skate Canada.

To prepare for her senior debut in the 2006–2007 season, Kim trained extensively with Brian Orser at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club in Canada during the summer of 2006.

Kim made her senior international debut at 2006 Skate Canada where she won a bronze medal after placing first at the short program and fourth in the free skate, with a total overall score of 168.48 points. At the 2006 Trophée Eric Bompard, Kim received a score of 65.22 in the short program and 119.32 in the free skate, placing first in both. She won the event with a total of 184.54 points, 10.10 points ahead of silver medalist Miki Ando.

Her Grand Prix performances qualified Kim for her first Grand Prix Final, the 2006 Grand Prix Final in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Kim placed third in the short program with 65.06 points and first in the free skating with 119.14. She won the Grand Prix Final earning 184.20 points, with a margin of 11.68 over silver medalist Mao Asada. Following this, Kim was forced to withdraw due to an injury from the 2007 South Korean Championships and was unable to defend her national title. In January 2007, she was diagnosed as being in the early stages of lumbar disc herniation (L₄~L₅).

Kim was selected to compete at the 2007 World Championships in Tokyo based on her performance during the season. During the event, Kim won the short program with 71.95 points, setting the highest short program score ever under the ISU Judging System. She fell on both her triple Lutzes during the long program, finishing fourth in the segment, and third overall, behind Miki Ando and Mao Asada. Kim's placement qualified South Korea two ladies entries for the 2008 World Figure Skating Championships.

In March 2007, satisfied with the training environment in Toronto, Kim made it her training home, and Orser became her new full-time coach. She was Orser's first real student.

2007–2008 season

Kim was assigned to the 2007 Cup of China and the 2007 Cup of Russia for the 2007–2008 Grand Prix season. She started the season by winning the 2007 Cup of China with a total score of 180.68 points, 24.34 points ahead of silver medalist Caroline Zhang. She landed a triple flip-single toe loop combination, a triple Lutz, and a double Axel and placed third in the short program. In the Long Program, she hit a triple flip-triple toe loop combination, a triple loop, triple Lutz-double toe loop combination, double Axel-triple toe loop combination, a single Lutz, a triple salchow, a double Axel and three level-four spins to score 122.36 points.

At the 2007 Cup of Russia, Kim won the short program scoring 63.50 points and the free skate with 133.70 points, finishing first overall with 197.20 points, 24.43 ahead of silver medalist Yukari Nakano, and set a world record for the free skate score under the ISU Judging System. She executed a triple flip-triple toe loop, a triple loop, a triple Lutz-double toe loop, a double Axel-triple toe loop, a triple Lutz, a triple salchow, and a double Axel.

Kim qualified for the 2007–2008 Grand Prix Final in Turin, Italy. She won the short program with 64.62 points and placed second in the free skate with 132.21 points. With a total score of 196.83 points, Kim won her second Grand Prix Final. She was not required to participate in the 2008 South Korean Championships due to her previous results. A hip injury prevented her from competing at the 2008 Four Continents Championships.

Despite a persistent hip injury and back pain, Kim competed at the 2008 World Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden. She was placed fifth in the short program with 59.85 points, but rebounded in the free skate to win the program with 123.38. She scored 183.23 points overall, and won her second consecutive bronze medal at the World Championships. Despite being injured and not near her best, some believed she was unfairly scored in the free skate.

2008–2009 season: First World title

Kim performing her short program to Danse Macabre at the 2009 World Championships.

Kim was assigned to the 2008 Skate America and the 2008 Cup of China for the 2008–2009 Grand Prix season. At the 2008 Skate America, Kim placed first in the short program with a score of 69.50, standing out by the margin of 11.70 points despite a trouble in her double Axel. She captured the ladies title by winning the free skate with a score of 123.95. She won the event and earned 193.45 points overall, more than 20 points ahead of silver medalist Yukari Nakano. She won the 2008 Cup of China, where she received a score of 63.64 in the short program and 128.11 in the free skate, placing first in both. The combined total of 191.75 was nearly 21 points ahead of silver medalist Miki Ando.

Her performances qualified her for a third trip to the Grand Prix Final, which was held in Goyang, South Korea. She was placed first in the short program with 65.94 points and second in the free skate where she earned 120.41 points. She won the silver medal with a total score of 186.35 points, 2.20 behind Mao Asada. Kim then competed in the 2009 Four Continents in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She set a new world record of 72.24 points in the short program with a clean performance. She scored 116.83 in the free skating program, keeping the lead with 189.07 points overall and winning the gold medal.

During the 2009 World Championships, held in Los Angeles, United States, she set another new world record of 76.12 points in the short program, surpassing her previous record by almost four points. She won the free skate, and set a new world record total score of 207.71, winning her first World Championship title, as well as becoming the first female skater to surpass 200 points under the ISU Judging System. Her margin of victory was 16.42 points ahead of silver medalist Joannie Rochette. She was the only competitor who earned eights in program components marks in both the short program and the free skate at the competition.

2009–2010 season: Super Slam

Kim performing her short program to the 007 James Bond Medley at the 2009 Trophée Eric Bompard.

Kim was assigned to the 2009 Trophée Eric Bompard and the 2009 Skate America in the 2009–2010 ISU Grand Prix season. At the Trophée Eric Bompard, she placed first in the short program with the score of 76.08 points, 16.44 points ahead of Yukari Nakano. She successfully executed a triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination, followed by a triple flip and a double Axel. Her spiral sequence and all three spins received level fours. Opening with a triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination and showing great artistic skills, she won the free skate with 133.95 points. She also executed a double Axel-double toe loop-double loop, a double Axel-triple toe loop, a triple salchow, a triple Lutz and a double Axel. She won the event with 210.03 points, 36.04 ahead of silver medalist Mao Asada. Kim set world records for the free skate and the overall score under the ISU Judging System at a competition.

At the 2009 Skate America, Kim placed first again after the short program with the score of 76.28, 17.48 points ahead of her closest competitor Rachael Flatt. She received +2.20 grade of execution for her triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination, the highest ever given for jumps by the ISU in ladies' figure skating, under the historical +3 GOE system. She placed second in the free skate with the score of 111.70 points, due to mistakes in her jumps. She won the event with 187.98 points, beating silver medalist Rachael Flatt with a lead of 13.07. She also set a new world record again for the short program under the ISU Judging System.

Her victories in both Grand Prix events qualified her for the 2009–2010 Grand Prix Final in Tokyo, Japan, in December 2009. She placed second in the short program with 65.64 points, 0.56 behind Miki Ando. The next day, she won the free skate with 123.22 points. As a result, Kim won her third Grand Prix Final title with a total of 188.86 points.

In February 2010, Kim competed in the ladies event at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, where she won Olympic gold, thereby completing her Super Slam.

In March 2010, Kim competed at the 2010 World Championships in Turin, Italy. Kim said she had struggled with finding the motivation to compete at the World Championships after winning the gold medal at the Olympic Games. Kim placed seventh in the short program with 60.30 points. She opened with a triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination, but had problems with her layback spin and spiral sequence. She rebounded in the free skate to win the program with 130.49 points, and won the silver medal with a total of 190.79 points.

2010 Winter Olympics: Gold medal

See also: Figure skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics

In February 2010, Kim competed in the ladies event at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She entered the Games as a strong favorite to win the gold. In the short program on February 23, she executed a triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination, a triple flip and a double Axel. Her spirals and her spins were graded a level four. Her technical score of 44.70 points was the highest ever. She also earned 33.80 points in the program components. As a result, Kim scored 78.50 points, taking the lead by 4.72 over Mao Asada of Japan and achieving her best score in the short program. She set a new world record.

On February 25, Kim won the free skate with a new record of 150.06 points, setting a new world record for the free skate.She landed a triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination, a triple flip, a double Axel-double toe loop-double loop combination, a double Axel-triple toe loop combination, a triple salchow, a triple Lutz and a double Axel as well as receiving level fours for her spins and her spiral sequence. Her technical score of 78.30 and her presentation score of 71.76 were both the highest of the segment. She was the only competitor to earn nines in her program components scores. Overall, Kim totaled 228.56 points, shattering her personal best and own old world record by a margin of 18 points, which became the longest standing record performance in the historical +3 GOE system, from February 2010 to January 2017. She won the gold medal, becoming the first South Korean skater to medal in any discipline of figure skating at the Olympic Games. She also set a new Olympic record. Kim's gold medal was South Korea's first medal at the Winter Olympics in a sport other than speed skating or short track.

Kim's short program, free program and combined total scores in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver were the highest scores ever since the ISU Judging System was created, and were automatically registered in the Guinness World Records. Sonia Bianchetti called her Olympic routines some of the greatest in figure skating history. After the 2010 Winter Olympics, personalities such as Jacques Rogge and Hillary Clinton praised Kim's Olympic performance.

2010–2011 and 2011–2012 seasons: Coaching change and hiatus

Kim performing her free skate to "Homage to Korea" at the 2011 World Championships.

In August 2010, Kim and her coach of four years, Brian Orser, parted ways. Their split was first made known to the public by Orser's press release. Orser's dismissal was reported as "sudden and unexpected" and no explanation was given for the split. Orser made the separation public, saying he did not want it to become a distraction for his other skaters, including Americans Adam Rippon and Christina Gao. Rippon said in an interview that they had known about the situation longer than the general public, and had had time to deal with it, noting that "it hasn't affected Brian's coaching, and it certainly hasn't affected my training". Kim posted an online message accusing Orser of lying. She stated on her official website that they had been maintaining an awkward and ambiguous relationship for months and that she was perplexed by Orser's announcement. She also said that the dismissal had been her decision and that the reason behind it did not need to be made public. After the split, Orser gave several interviews regarding the end of their collaboration. On August 25, 2010, Orser caused controversy by revealing Kim's 2010–2011 competitive program information to the press without Kim and her choreographer's consent. Soon after, Kim left the rink where she had trained with Orser to train at the East West Ice Palace in Los Angeles owned by Michelle Kwan and Kwan's family. On October 5, 2010, Peter Oppegard was announced as Kim's coach.

Kim was assigned to the 2010 Cup of China and to the 2010 Cup of Russia for the 2010–2011 ISU Grand Prix season. However, she chose not to compete in the Grand Prix series to focus on the 2011 World Championships. She won the silver medal at the event after being placed first in the short program and second in the free skate with a total score of 194.50 points, 1.29 points behind Miki Ando.

Kim said she might miss the next Grand Prix series due to her work promoting South Korea's successful bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics. In May 2011, Kim told Around the Rings that bringing the Winter Olympics to Pyeongchang would be an inspiration to young athletes in Korea. She officially announced she would be sitting out the entire 2011–2012 season on October 18, 2011.

2012–2013 season: Second World title

Kim performing her free skate to Les Misérables at the 2013 World Championships.

On July 2, 2012, Kim announced her intention to skate competitively in the 2012–13 season, with the ultimate goal of skating in the 2014 Winter Olympics. However, Kim was not invited to skate on the 2012–13 Grand Prix circuit, so she decided to participate in minor events to score enough technical points to qualify for the 2013 World Championships.

Kim left Oppegard and started training with her childhood coaches Shin Hea-sook and Ryu Jong-hyun. Her first competition of the season was the 2012 NRW Trophy which was held in Dortmund, Germany, from December 5–9, 2012. She competed at the event to earn the minimum score required for Championship events. Kim placed first in the short program with a score of 72.27 points and also won the free skate with 129.34 to claim the gold medal. With the technical qualifications met, Kim's agency said she would focus on Korean nationals and the World Championships.

In January 2013, due to her lack of competition in the previous season, Kim had to compete in the 2013 South Korean Championships to earn a spot for the 2013 World Championships. She placed first in the short program with a score of 64.97, and won the free skate with a score of 145.80, after skating a clean program. Kim won her fifth national title and qualified to compete in the World Championships.

At the 2013 World Championships, Kim placed first in the short program with a score of 69.97 points after completing a triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination, a triple flip and a double Axel, taking the lead over Carolina Kostner from Italy by 3.11 points. She also won the free skate after executing a clean free program that earned 148.34 points. Her technical score of 74.73 and her presentation score of 73.61 were the highest of the night, and was the only skater of the competition to receive tens in her program components. With 218.31 points overall, Kim claimed her second world title, surpassing the rest of the competitors by 20.42 points, the largest difference between gold and silver in the nine years the ISU Judging System had been used in the World Championships. Her world title secured three spots for South Korea in the ladies event for the 2014 Winter Olympics and 2014 World Championships.

2013–2014 season: Olympic silver medal and retirement from competition

At the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi

In the 2013–2014 ISU Grand Prix season, Kim was assigned to compete in the 2013 Skate Canada International and in the 2013 Trophée Eric Bompard. However, on September 26 it was announced that Kim would not compete in the Grand Prix series due to a metatarsal injury to her right foot (bruised bones) from excessive training, with recovery expected to take up to six weeks.

Kim competed in the 2013 Golden Spin of Zagreb in Zagreb, Croatia from December 5–8, 2013. She placed first in the short program with a score of 73.37 points and won the free program with 131.12 points, despite falling on a triple Lutz. She won the gold medal with a total score of 204.49 points, beating Miki Ando of Japan by 27.67 points.

In early January, Kim competed in the 2014 South Korean Championships. She led after a perfect short program with 80.60 points and won the free program with 147.26 points. As a result, Kim won her sixth national title with a total score of 227.86 points.

In February 2014, Kim competed in the ladies event at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, with the intention of her two programs being the farewell performances of her competitive career. She led the short program and came in second in the free program, and finished with an Olympic silver medal. This was a source of controversy to many. Kurt Browning, four-time World champion and commentator for CBC, stated: "Yu-na Kim outskated [Sotnikova], but it's not just a skating competition anymore—it's math." American Olympic champion Dick Button stated: "Sotnikova was energetic, strong, commendable, but not a complete skater". As anticipated, Kim announced that the Olympics would mark the end of her competitive skating career.

Professional career

Kim performs her exhibition to Méditation at the 2010 All That Skate LA.

Between 2008 and 2010, Kim headlined the ice show Festa on Ice, produced by her former agency, IB Sports. IB Sports produced another ice show, Ice All Stars, which took place in Seoul on August 14–16, 2009. Michelle Kwan, who is Kim's idol and a five-time World champion, joined the ice show.

In April 2010, Kim left IB Sports and set up her own agency called All That Sports Corp. (AT Sports) with the support of her mother. They organized an ice show, All That Skate, which has been held annually ever since. In October 2010, Kim and her management debuted All That Skate LA, a US version of their Korean ice show brand, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The show, directed by Canadian choreographer David Wilson, featured Michelle Kwan, the reigning Olympic champions from three skating disciplines including Kim, and many world champions. It received positive reviews from both figure skating fans and critics for bringing a new style of skating show to the US and for overall high production quality.

In June 2012, Kim took part in Artistry on Ice in China. According to Li Sheng, president of SECA, the host of the show, it took two years to attract Kim. He added, "It's a breakthrough in Artistry on Ice, and even in China's figure skating history, although she only took part in the Shanghai stop." Kim held farewell ice shows in Seoul following her retirement from competition in 2014. She made a guest appearance in All That Skate in 2018, before returning in a starring role a year later. In 2018, she appeared in the Spanish ice show Revolution on Ice, hosted by Javier Fernández.

Skating technique

Kim is famous for her speed, consistency, and artistry on the ice. Her programs are often commended for their ice coverage, strong jump technique, and musical interpretation. "She's beautiful. She has the combination of the technical elements and the grace and musicality, and that's what you want in skating", remarked Peggy Fleming. 1994 World champion Yuka Sato said, "Your eyes are always drawn towards her. She catches your eyes, and it's like a magnet. It's just amazing. I call that major star quality. She takes command on the ice." 1980 Olympic champion Robin Cousins concurred, describing Kim as having the "it factor". According to Michelle Kwan, Kim is "what the judges are looking for, when it comes to jump quality, spin quality and edges", and has also said "Yuna is very rare. She has the speed, the beauty, the jumping, the footwork." Frank Carroll has said "It's almost impossible to combine athletics and artistry under the new judging system, but she seems to be able to do it." Dorothy Hamill praised her Vancouver Olympics Long Program, saying she had "jaw-dropping magnificence", and that her skating was like "magic". Two-time Olympic champion and skating commentator Dick Button praised Kim for the technical and artistic quality of her skating. "She is one of the skaters that can answer, 'where is that jump in that jump,'" he said. He also added that Kim is a very elegant skater with "wonderful edges, speed and flow".

Kim performs a bent-layover spin during practice at the 2008–2009 Grand Prix Final.

Kim landed her first triple jump at the age of 10, and by age 12, she used five triple jumps in her programs. She landed her first triple-triple combination jump, a triple toe-triple toe combination, at age of 14 at the 2005 World Junior Championships. She was also known to practice triple Axels in training.

She is well known for her signature triple-triple jump combinations including triple Lutz-triple toe loop, and triple flip-triple toe loop. She can also execute a triple Lutz-double toe loop-double loop jump combination. Another signature jump in her repertoire is a layback Ina Bauer or spread eagle that leads to either a double Axel, a double Axel-triple toe loop jump combination or a double Axel-double toe loop-double loop jump combination – a difficult transition given the required shift in weight and edges. Kim personally stated that her favorite jumps are the Lutz, flip, and Axel. Commentators and analysts consistently refer to her jumps as textbook standard. Her jump techniques are well praised for their high-speed entry, height, position, and quality of running edges. She has received +2.20 grade of execution for the quality of her jumps.

One of Kim's most famous moves is the bent-leg layover camel spin. Although she did not invent the move, it is frequently called the "Yuna spin" or "Yuna camel". She frequently does a combination spin that leads to a skate-held I-spin towards the end of her programs.

Olympic ambassador

Kim was heavily involved in the 2018 Winter Olympics, held in her home country. She co-starred with actor Park Bo-gum in Coca-Cola's campaign for the event, and lit the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony.

Kim played a key role in South Korea winning the right to host the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. Kim was part of the Olympic Bidding Committee for Pyeongchang, the Korean hosting city. The Korean committee members, including Kim, traveled to Durban, South Africa, where the International Olympic Committee (IOC)'s decision for the hosting city was finalized on July 6, 2011. There, she fulfilled her role as a member of the Korean delegation by promoting Pyeongchang as an athlete ambassador and Olympic champion. Kim was one of the Korean delegates who appeared before the July 6 IOC conference and delivered a presentation for Pyeongchang, which won the hosting rights over the other rival cities, Munich of Germany and Annecy of France. In October 2011, Kim was appointed a member of the Executive Committee of the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic Winter Games Organising Committee.

On August 18, 2011, Kim was named as a Global Ambassador for the Special Olympics and a Goodwill Ambassador for the 2013 Special Olympics World Winter Games. In October, Kim was named as an ambassador for the 2012 Winter Youth Olympics in Innsbruck.

Kim stated that she hoped to become a member of the IOC after the 2014 Sochi Games. On August 27, 2015, Kim was named as an ambassador for the 2016 Winter Youth Olympics in Lillehammer.

Kim was named an official ambassador for the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. She appeared as the final torch bearer and lit the Olympic flame in the Opening Ceremony. She also co-starred in Coca-Cola's 2018 Winter Olympics campaign with actor Park Bo-gum.

In February 2022, she was named the honorary ambassador for the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics in Gangwon, South Korea. She was asked by the IOC to set an example for athletes, and will be teaching high level skating and presentation skills to develop young figure skaters' talents as part of a project utilising the Pyeongchang facilities.

In the media

Endorsements

Among Kim's official sponsors are Kookmin Bank, Nike, Korean Air, Samsung and Hyundai Motor Company. Her other endorsements include Anycall (mobile phone), Hauzen (air conditioner), Lac Vert (cosmetics), Maeil Dairies Co. Ltd (dairy products), Maxim (coffee), Saffron (fabric softener), Tous Les Jours (bakery), J. Estina (jewelry) and Qua (apparel). She is also an ambassador for French fashion house Dior.

Kim has appeared in many commercials in South Korea. Her commercial for a new touchscreen haptic phone from Samsung Electronics, dubbed "Yuna's Haptic" (SPH-W7700), sold over one million devices in a record seven months. During the 2010 Winter Olympics, Forbes magazine named Kim, along with American snowboarder Shaun White, as the top-earning athletes participating in the Olympics with $7.5 million each to their name. In August 2010, Forbes magazine listed her as one of the highest-paid female athletes in the world, with annual earnings of $9.7 million.

Since her retirement, Yuna Kim has continued to dominate the commercial scene and remains an advertising giant in South Korea. Her business followers say Kim evokes an emotional friendliness that can only be found in an athlete. A South Korean company reputation research agency says big data related to Kim contains key words like "beautiful", "doing well" and "like", while related links include "queen", "Pyeongchang" and "Olympic". They say positive responses deriving from her are 63.79 per cent. Kim is said to earn 1 billion to 1.4 billion Korean won (US$930,000 to US$1,300,000) per advertisement.

Music

Kim has worked on several projects as a singer. She recorded a duet with K-pop singer Lee Seung-gi to collaborate on "Smile Boy (Rock Ver.)", the 2010 Football World Cup commercial song. She also sang with South Korean band Big Bang on the single "The Shouts of Reds Part 2", created for the Korean World Cup soccer team. Her skating music and other favorites were compiled in the album Yuna Kim: Fairy on the Ice (Universal Music Korea, 2008).

Books

On January 28, 2010, Kim published her book, Kim Yu-na's Seven-Minute Drama, about her experience with figure skating since the age of seven to the preparation of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The Chosun Ilbo stated that the book "deals with her attempts to overcome her obstacles and to become the world's top figure skater." In addition to this book, she also wrote a book called Like Yuna Kim, published on March 30, 2010. This book targets younger readers.

Television

In May 2011, Kim began to host a program called Kim Yu-na's Kiss and Cry in SBS's Good Sunday. The program portrayed the challenging process of ten popular entertainers as they learned how to figure skate from professional skaters. The ten stars included comedian Kim Byung-man, singer U-Know of TVXQ, Krystal of f(x), IU, Son Dam-bi, actors Park Joon-geum, Seo Ji-seok, Lee Ah-hyun, Jin Ji-hee and speed skater Lee Kyou-hyuk. The winner of the show was Krystal and her partner Lee Dong-hoon. The runner up was Kim Byung-man and his partner Lee Soo-kyung. As a reward, Krystal and Lee Dong-hoon got to showcase their skating with Kim in the All That Skate exhibition that was held in August 2011.

Awards and honors

Kim with then South Korea president Lee Myung-bak at the Talent Award of Korea Ceremony, August 2010

Kim has received numerous accolades in recognition of her achievements and impact. She was honored in the sports category at the Republic of Korea National Assembly Awards in 2006, and later received an Achievement Award in 2011. She was awarded the Talent Medal of Korea in 2008.

Kim was named as an ambassador for the 2010–2012 Visit Korea Year, promoting Korean tourism as part of a three year campaign.

In August 2010, in honor of Kim's visit, the city of Los Angeles designated August 7 as "Yu-Na Kim Day" and granted her honorary citizenship. She also received the Proud Korean Award from the Korean American Leadership Foundation. Kim received the Sportswoman of the Year Award from the Women's Sports Foundation later that year.

Kim at the 2010 Time 100 Gala

In 2012, Kim was awarded the Peony Medal (Moran) in recognition of her contributions to the 2018 Pyeongchang bid. It is the second-highest grade in South Korea's Order of Civil Merit. She was later awarded the Blue Dragon Medal (Cheongnyong) at the 54th Korea Sports Awards in October 2016. The medal is the highest decoration in the Order of Sports Merit. Kim was not originally eligible for the honor, having already received a different order less than seven years prior, but an exception was made in light of her achievements. She became the youngest and only winter sports athlete to be inducted into the Korean Sports Hall of Fame the subsequent month. Following the 2018 Winter Olympics, she received the Outstanding Performance Award at the ANOC Awards.

Kim has been featured in various lists, including the Time 100 (2010) and Forbes 30 Under 30 (2016). She was the first person to top the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40, which she did in 2009 and 2010, and appeared in the top 10 on six other occasions (2011–2015, 2018).

Philanthropy and activism

Kim has donated more than 5 billion won to various charitable causes, as of February 2022. She has funded multiple scholarships for aspiring figure skaters in South Korea, and donated the proceeds from her 2011 duet with IU, "Ice Flower", to the national figure skating team. She donated the prize money from the 2011 World Championships to children affected by the 2011 Japan earthquake; the competition had been scheduled to be held in Japan before being reassigned to Russia as a result of the disaster. She has also aided relief efforts in Nepal, Haiti and the Philippines. In 2014, she donated 100 million won to the families of the victims of the Sewol ferry disaster, in addition to the proceeds from her retirement medal. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she made several donations to help provide vaccines to developing countries and conduct treatment initiatives. On March 7, 2022, Kim donated 100 million won to the Hope Bridge Disaster Relief Association to help the victims of the massive wildfire that started in Uljin, Gyeongbuk and spread to Samcheok, Gangwon.

In July 2010, Kim was named an international UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. In September 2010, she was invited to the United Nations' New York headquarters to mark the annual International Day of Peace celebration as a UNICEF International Goodwill Ambassador. She joined the ceremony alongside high level UN officials, including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and Goodwill Ambassadors representing other branches of the United Nations. There, she advocated peace messages on behalf of UNICEF. Kim is a member of UNICEF's Honors Club, a group for major donors. She was also named an ambassador for the 2010 G-20 Seoul summit alongside actress Han Hyo-joo and soccer player representative Park Ji-sung.

In September 2022, she participated in a "women roundtable" held at the residence of the US Ambassador in Seoul by Kamala Harris to discuss gender equality, and the stories of Korean women having achieved parity with male rivals in their respective fields. The participants included Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon, Kim Sagwa, Youn Yuh-jung and the head of the Korean Medical Women's Association Baik Hyun-wook.

Personal life

Kim became a Roman Catholic in 2007 after a devout Catholic doctor helped heal severe skating injuries incurred in 2006–2007. Her Confirmation name is Stella from "Stella Maris" in Latin, meaning Our Lady, Star of the Sea, an ancient title of The Blessed Virgin Mary. She often makes the Sign of the Cross and wears a rosary ring during competitions.

Relationship

On July 25, 2022, it was confirmed that Kim would marry singer Ko Woo-rim of Forestella, with whom she had been in a relationship for three years. They married in a private ceremony on October 22, 2022, at Hotel Shilla in Seoul.

Name spelling

The correct transliteration of her name, 김연아, would be "Kim Yeon-a". However, when Kim applied for her passport, the official miswrote her name as "Yu-na", which is written as "유나" rather than "연아". From the 2010–2011 season, her name was registered as "Yuna Kim" at her International Skating Union profile, and she has requested media to be referred to in English using western name order as "Yuna Kim" instead of "Kim Yu-na".

Discography

Singles

As lead artist

List of singles as lead artist, with selected chart positions and sales, showing album name and year released

Title	Year	Peak chart positions	Sales	Album
		KOR
"Smile Boy (Rock Ver.)" (with Lee Seung-gi)	2010	14		Non-album release
"Super Girl" (with Sistar and Electroboyz)		57
"Winter Dream" (꿈의 겨울) (with Lena Park)	2011	62	KOR: 158,650
"Ice Flower" (얼음꽃) (with IU)		8	KOR: 1,733,045

As featured artist

List of singles as featured artist, with selected chart positions, showing album name and year released

Title	Year	Peak chart positions	Album
		KOR
"The Shouts of Reds Part 2" (승리의 함성) (Big Bang and Trans Fixion featuring Yuna Kim)	2010	47	Non-album release

Records and achievements

• Former world record holder for the ladies' combined total score. Kim set the record three times and held the record for the longest time from March 28, 2009, to January 27, 2017, under the historical +3 GOE system.
• Former world record holder for the ladies' short program score. Kim set the record five times and held the record for the longest time from March 23, 2007, to March 27, 2014, under the historical +3 GOE system.
• Former world record holder for the ladies' free skate score. Kim set the record three times and held the record for the longest time from November 24, 2007, to April 2, 2016, under the historical +3 GOE system.
• First and only figure skater to have never finished off the podium in her entire career under the current ISU judging system.
• First figure skater to achieve a Career Super Grand Slam under the current ISU judging system. She is the first ladies' singles skater to win gold in all major ISU championship titles including the Junior Grand Prix Series and Final, World Junior Championships, Grand Prix Series and Final, Four Continents Championships, World Championships, and Winter Olympic Games.
• First female skater to break the 200-point, 210-point, and 220-point mark in the ladies' combined total in international competition (2009 World Championships, 2009 Trophée Eric Bompard, 2010 Winter Olympics).
• First female skater to break the 140-point and 150-point mark in the ladies' free skate total in international competition (2010 Winter Olympics).
• First female skater to break the 75-point mark in the ladies' short program in international competition (2009 World Championships).

List of Kim's world record scores

Kim has broken world records 13 times in her career:

Combined total records
Date	Score	Event	Note
February 25, 2010	228.56	2010 Winter Olympics	Historical world record. Kim became the first lady to score above 220 points. The record was broken by Evgenia Medvedeva on January 27, 2017.
October 17, 2009	210.03	2009 Trophée Éric Bompard	Kim became the first lady to score above 210 points.
March 28, 2009	207.71	2009 World Championships	Kim became the first lady to score above 200 points.
Short program records
Date	Score	Event	Note
February 23, 2010	78.50	2010 Winter Olympics	The record was broken by Mao Asada on March 27, 2014.
November 14, 2009	76.28	2009 Skate America
March 27, 2009	76.12	2009 World Championships	Kim became the first lady to score above 75 points in short program.
February 4, 2009	72.24	2009 Four Continents Championships
March 23, 2007	71.95	2007 World Championships
Free skating records
Date	Score	Event	Note
February 25, 2010	150.06	2010 Winter Olympics	Kim became the first lady to score above 150 points in free skating. The record was broken by Evgenia Medvedeva on April 2, 2016.
October 17, 2009	133.95	2009 Trophée Éric Bompard
November 24, 2007	133.70	2007 Cup of Russia
Junior ladies' short program records
Date	Score	Event	Note
March 11, 2006	60.86	2006 World Junior Championships	The record was broken by Caroline Zhang on March 1, 2008.
Junior ladies' free skating records
Date	Score	Event	Note
September 4, 2004	101.32	2004 ISU Junior Grand Prix, Hungary	The record was broken by Mao Asada on December 5, 2004.

Programs

Post-2014

Season	Exhibition
2018–2019	Variations on "Dark Eyes" performed by Lara St. John, Ilan Rechtman choreo. by Sandra Bezic, David Wilson "Issues" by Julia Michaels choreo. by Sandra Bezic, David Wilson
2017–2018	"House of Woodcock" (from Phantom Thread) by Jonny Greenwood choreo. by David Wilson

Pre-2014

Season	Short program	Free skating	Exhibition
2013–2014	"Send in the Clowns" (from A Little Night Music) by Stephen Sondheim choreo. by David Wilson	Adiós Nonino by Astor Piazzolla (arranged by Lisandro Adrover) choreo. by David Wilson	"Nessun Dorma" from Turandot by Giacomo Puccini choreo. by David Wilson "Imagine" by John Lennon performed by Avril Lavigne choreo. by David Wilson
2012–2013	The Kiss of the Vampire by James Bernard choreo. by David Wilson	Les Misérables by Claude-Michel Schönberg choreo. by David Wilson	"El Tango de Roxanne" (from Moulin Rouge!) by Sting, Mariano Mores "Someone Like You" by Adele choreo. by David Wilson "All of Me" by Michael Bublé choreo. by David Wilson
2011–2012	Did not compete this season		"Fever" by Beyoncé choreo. by David Wilson
2010–2011	Giselle by Adolphe Adam choreo. by David Wilson	Homage to Korea Korean folk music including "Arirang" choreo. by David Wilson	"Bulletproof" by La Roux choreo. by David Wilson
2009–2010	James Bond Medley by John Barry, David Arnold, Monty Norman choreo. by David Wilson	Concerto in F by George Gershwin choreo. by David Wilson	"Méditation" (from Thaïs) by Jules Massenet choreo. by David Wilson "Don't Stop the Music" by Rihanna choreo. by Sandra Bezic
2008–2009	Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saëns choreo. by David Wilson	Scheherazade by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov choreo. by David Wilson	"Only Hope" (from A Walk to Remember) by Mandy Moore choreo. by David Wilson "Gold" (from Camille Claudel) by Linda Eder choreo. by David Wilson
2007–2008	Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss II choreo. by David Wilson	Miss Saigon by Claude-Michel Schönberg choreo. by David Wilson	"Only Hope" (from A Walk to Remember) by Mandy Moore choreo. by David Wilson "Once Upon a Dream" (from Jekyll and Hyde) by Linda Eder choreo. by David Wilson "Just a Girl" by No Doubt choreo. by David Wilson
2006–2007	"El Tango de Roxanne" (from Moulin Rouge!) by Sting, Mariano Mores choreo. by Tom Dickson	The Lark Ascending by Ralph Vaughan Williams choreo. by David Wilson	"Reflection" (from Mulan) by Christina Aguilera choreo. by Brian Orser
2005–2006	"El Tango de Roxanne" (from Moulin Rouge!) by Sting, Mariano Mores choreo. by Tom Dickson	"Papa, Can You Hear Me?" (from Yentl) by Michel Legrand choreo. by Jeffrey Buttle, Jadene Fullen	"One Day I'll Fly Away" (from Moulin Rouge!) by Nicole Kidman choreo. by Kim Se-yol, Yuna Kim
2004–2005	"Snowstorm" by Georgy Sviridov choreo. by Catarina Lindgren	"Papa, Can You Hear Me?" (from Yentl) by Michel Legrand choreo. by Jeffrey Buttle, Jadene Fullen	"Ben" by Michael Jackson choreo. by Chi Hyun-jung, Yuna Kim
2003–2004	"Snowstorm" by Georgy Sviridov choreo. by Catarina Lindgren	Carmen by Pablo de Sarasate choreo. by Catarina Lindgren
2002–2003	Can-can by Jacques Offenbach choreo. by Catarina Lindgren	Carmen by Pablo de Sarasate choreo. by Catarina Lindgren
2001–2002	Can-can by Jacques Offenbach choreo. by Catarina Lindgren	The Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns choreo. by Garnet

Competitive highlights

GP: Grand Prix; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

Results
International
Event	01–02	02–03	03–04	04–05	05–06	06–07	07–08	08–09	09–10	10–11	11–12	12–13	13–14
Olympics									1st				2nd
Worlds						3rd	3rd	1st	2nd	2nd		1st
Four Continents								1st
GP Final						1st	1st	2nd	1st
GP Bompard						1st			1st
GP Cup of China							1st	1st
GP Cup of Russia							1st
GP Skate America								1st	1st
GP Skate Canada						3rd
Golden Spin													1st
NRW Trophy												1st
International: Junior
Junior Worlds				2nd	1st
JGP Final				2nd	1st
JGP Bulgaria					1st
JGP China				2nd
JGP Hungary				1st
JGP Slovakia					1st
International: Novice
Golden Bear			1st
Triglav Trophy	1st
National
South Korean Champs.	1st J	1st	1st	1st	1st							1st	1st
Levels: N. = Novice

Detailed results

(Small medals for short program and free skating awarded only at World, Four Continents, and World Junior Championships.)

Kim (center) with Mao Asada (left) and Joannie Rochette (right) on the 2010 Winter Olympics podium.

Senior results

2013–2014 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
February 6–22, 2014	2014 Winter Olympics (Sochi)	1 74.92	2 144.19	2 219.11
January 1–5, 2014	68th South Korean National Championships	1 80.60	1 147.26	1 227.86
December 5–8, 2013	2013 Golden Spin of Zagreb	1 73.37	1 131.12	1 204.49
2012–2013 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
March 10–17, 2013	2013 ISU World Championships	1 69.97	1 148.34	1 218.31
January 2–6, 2013	67th South Korean National Championships	1 64.97	1 145.80	1 210.77
December 5–9, 2012	2012 NRW Trophy	1 72.27	1 129.34	1 201.61
2010–2011 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
April 24 – May 1, 2011	2011 ISU World Championships	1 65.91	2 128.59	2 194.50
2009–2010 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
March 22–28, 2010	2010 ISU World Championships	7 60.30	1 130.49	2 190.79
February 14–27, 2010	2010 Winter Olympics (Vancouver)	1 78.50	1 150.06	1 228.56
December 3–6, 2009	2009–2010 ISU Grand Prix Final	2 65.64	1 123.22	1 188.86
November 12–15, 2009	2009 ISU Grand Prix Skate America	1 76.28	2 111.70	1 187.98
October 15–18, 2009	2009 ISU Grand Prix Trophée Eric Bompard	1 76.08	1 133.95	1 210.03
2008–2009 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
March 23–29, 2009	2009 ISU World Championships	1 76.12	1 131.59	1 207.71
February 2–8, 2009	2009 ISU Four Continents Championships	1 72.24	3 116.83	1 189.07
December 10–14, 2008	2008–2009 ISU Grand Prix Final	1 65.94	2 120.41	2 186.35
November 6–9, 2008	2008 ISU Grand Prix Cup of China	1 63.64	1 128.11	1 191.75
October 23–26, 2008	2008 ISU Grand Prix Skate America	1 69.50	1 123.95	1 193.45
2007–2008 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
March 17–23, 2008	2008 ISU World Championships	5 59.85	1 123.38	3 183.23
December 13–16, 2007	2007–2008 ISU Grand Prix Final	1 64.62	2 132.21	1 196.83
November 22–25, 2007	2007 ISU Grand Prix Cup of Russia	1 63.50	1 133.70	1 197.20
November 8–11, 2007	2007 ISU Grand Prix Cup of China	3 58.32	1 122.36	1 180.68
2006–2007 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
March 19–25, 2007	2007 ISU World Championships	1 71.95	4 114.19	3 186.14
December 14–17, 2006	2006–2007 ISU Grand Prix Final	3 65.06	1 119.14	1 184.20
November 16–19, 2006	2006 ISU Grand Prix Trophée Eric Bompard	1 65.22	1 119.32	1 184.54
November 2–5, 2006	2006 ISU Grand Prix Skate Canada	1 62.68	4 105.80	3 168.48

• World records highlighted in bold.
• Season bests highlighted in Italic.

Junior and novice results

2005–2006 season
Date	Event	Level	QR	SP	FS	Total
March 6–12, 2006	2006 ISU World Junior Championships	Junior	1 107.52	1 60.86	1 116.68	1 177.54
January 5–8, 2006	60th South Korean National Championships	Senior	–	1 61.44	1 104.08	1 165.52
November 24–27, 2005	2005–2006 ISU Junior Grand Prix Final	Junior	–	1 57.51	1 116.61	1 174.12
September 29 – October 2, 2005	2005 ISU Junior Grand Prix, Bulgaria	Junior	–	1 53.45	1 99.98	1 153.43
September 1–4, 2005	2005 ISU Junior Grand Prix, Slovakia	Junior	–	1 58.63	1 110.20	1 168.83
2004–2005 season
Date	Event	Level	QR	SP	FS	Total
February 28 – March 6, 2005	2005 ISU World Junior Championships	Junior	1 102.98	6 48.67	2 110.26	2 158.93
January 1–4, 2005	59th South Korean National Championships	Senior	–	1	1	1 1.5
December 2–5, 2004	2004–2005 ISU Junior Grand Prix Final	Junior	–	2 51.27	3 86.48	2 137.75
September 16–19, 2004	2004 ISU Junior Grand Prix, China	Junior	–	4 38.87	1 92.35	2 131.22
September 1–5, 2004	2004 ISU Junior Grand Prix, Hungary	Junior	–	1 47.23	1 101.32	1 148.55
2003–2004 season
Date	Event	Level	QR	SP	FS	Total
February 2–5, 2004	58th South Korean National Championships	Senior	–	1	1	1 1.5
November 19–22, 2003	2003 Golden Bear of Zagreb	Novice	–	1	1	1 1.5
2002–2003 season
Date	Event	Level	QR	SP	FS	Total
March 8–11, 2003	57th South Korean National Championships	Senior	–	1	1	1 1.5
2001–2002 season
Date	Event	Level	QR	SP	FS	Total
April 18–21, 2002	2002 Triglav Trophy	Novice	–	1	1	1 1.5
November 20–23, 2001	56th South Korean National Championships	Junior	–	1	1	1 1.5

• ISU season bests highlighted in Italic.
• QR = Qualifying round

External links

• Official website (in Korean and English)
• Yuna Kim at the International Skating Union
• Yuna Kim at Olympics.com
• Yu-Na Kim at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)
• Yuna Kim at the Olympic Athletes' Hub at the Wayback Machine (archived March 9, 2012)
• Yuna Kim at IMDb
• Yuna Kim on Instagram