(C) Olympics.com
[Nagoya] A new chapter in Korean figure skating history has been written. Seo Min-kyu (17), a rising star in men's singles figure skating, has won the gold medal at the International Skating Union (ISU) Junior Grand Prix Final, becoming the first Korean male skater to achieve this feat. This marks the first time a Korean athlete has won this competition in 20 years since 'Figure Queen' Kim Yuna (35, retired) in 2005, and will be recorded as a historic moment that brightens the future of Korean figure skating.
At the 2025-2026 ISU Junior Grand Prix Final men's singles event, which concluded on December 5th in Nagoya, Japan, Seo Min-kyu displayed overwhelming skill. After ranking second with 84.82 points in the short program on December 4th, trailing Ryo Nakata (17, Japan), Seo Min-kyu dramatically claimed a come-from-behind victory by earning a personal best of 171.09 points in the free skating on December 5th. With a total score of 255.91 points, Seo Min-kyu comfortably surpassed second-place Nakata (total score of 249.70 points) to stand atop the podium.
Seo Min-kyu's victory fulfills a long-held desire for Korean men's figure skating. The previous best performance by a Korean male singles skater in this competition was second place, achieved by Seo Min-kyu himself last year and Kim Hyun-gyeom (19) in 2023. Seo Min-kyu has now surpassed his own record, opening up new horizons for Korean men's figure skating. His gold medal is all the more significant as it is the first Junior Grand Prix Final victory for a Korean athlete in 20 years, since Kim Yuna won the women's singles title in 2005.
After the competition, Seo Min-kyu expressed his emotional sentiments, saying, "I'm happy to win the gold medal with a clean performance." His calm remarks revealed the sweat and effort he had put in, and his pride in rewriting the history of Korean figure skating. Seo Min-kyu's victory is expected to inject vitality not just into his individual glory, but into Korean figure skating as a whole.
On the same day, good news also came from the women's singles event. Kim Yu-seong (16) earned a silver medal with a personal best total score of 198.66 points. Seo Min-kyu's gold and Kim Yu-seong's silver clearly demonstrate the depth and growth potential of Korea's junior figure skating talent pool.
This success at the Junior Grand Prix Final has proven that Korean figure skating can once again draw attention on the world stage. The remarkable achievement in the men's singles category, in particular, is enough to bring new hope to Korean figure skating, which had been somewhat stagnant since Kim Yuna's retirement. All eyes are now on whether a new generation of stars, led by Seo Min-kyu and Kim Yu-seong, can usher in another golden age for Korean figure skating. Their performances are expected to play a crucial role in elevating Korea's standing in upcoming Olympic Games and World Championships.
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