Kim Yu-jae (Korean김유재; born 12 June 2009) is a South Korean figure skater. She is a two-time bronze medalist on the ISU Junior Grand Prix (at the 2022 JGP France and the 2023 JGP Turkey) and the 2022 South Korea junior silver medalist. She placed fourth at the 2023 World Junior Championships.

Kim Yu-jae
Native name김유재
Other namesYujae Kim
Born (2009-06-12) 12 June 2009 (age 14)
Seoul, South Korea
HometownAnyang
Height1.45 m (4 ft 9 in)
Figure skating career
Country South Korea
CoachChi Hyun-jung
Kim Jin-seo
Began skating2019

Personal life edit

Kim was born on 12 June 2009 in Seoul. Her fraternal twin sister, Yu-seong, who is six minutes younger than her, is also a competitive figure skater.[1][2]

Career edit

Early years edit

Kim's mother, Ga-young, first signed her and her sister up for figure skating when they were eight years old as a means of improving their health and growth.

Due to the lack of skating rinks where they lived, the family moved to Gwacheon in 2019, where both sisters began training under Choi Hyung-kyung.[2]

She won the silver medal at the 2022 South Korean Junior Championships at age of twelve.

2022–23 season edit

Based on her junior national podium the previous year, Kim was sent to make her international junior debut on the Junior Grand Prix. Given one assignment, she won the bronze medal at the 2022 JGP France in Courchevel. Kim attempted a triple Axel in the free skate, a rarity among female skaters, landing it a quarter underrotated.[3]

After finishing sixth at the 2023 South Korean Championships at the senior level, Kim was given one of three South Korean berths at the 2023 World Junior Championships in Calgary. She finished fourth in the short program with a new personal best, despite receiving a quarter underrotation call on her triple loop attempt.[4] In the free skate, Kim successfully landed the triple Axel, and received only one quarter call on her other six triple jumps. She was fourth in that segment as well, finishing fourth overall. She indicated that she next goal would be to put two triple Axels in her free skate.[5][6][7]

2023–24 season edit

In late July, Kim competed at the 2023 South Korean ISU Junior Grand Prix Qualifiers, where she finished sixth. Her performances earned her one assignment on the Junior Grand Prix circuit. She won the bronze medal at the 2023 JGP Turkey.[8]

In late September, it was announced that Kim and her sister made a coaching change from Choi Hyung-kyung to Chi Hyun-jung and Kim Jin-seo.[9][10][11][12]

Kim went on to compete at the senior national ranking competition, where she finished sixth overall.[13] At the 2024 South Korean Championships, Kim placed fifth. With this result, both Kim and her sister, who finished fourth at the event, were selected to represent South Korea at the 2024 World Junior Championships.[14][15] She came sixteenth at the event, while Yu-seong was fifteenth.[16]

Programs edit

Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2024-2025
2023–2024
[9][7]
Avatar: The Way of Water:
2022–2023
[17]
Aida:

Competitive highlights edit

JGP: Junior Grand Prix

International: Junior
Event 21–22 22–23 23–24
Junior Worlds 4th 16th
JGP France 3rd
JGP Turkey 3rd
National
South Korean Champ. 2nd J 6th 5th
Ranking Comp. 2nd J 8th 6th
J = Junior; TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew

Detailed results edit

ISU personal best scores in the +5/-5 GOE System [18]
Segment Type Score Event
Total TSS 193.62 2023 World Junior Championships
Short program TSS 65.33 2023 JGP Turkey
TES 36.73 2023 JGP Turkey
PCS 28.60 2023 JGP Turkey
Free skating TSS 129.65 2023 World Junior Championships
TES 69.57 2023 World Junior Championships
PCS 60.08 2023 World Junior Championships

Junior level edit

Current personal best scores are highlighted in bold.

2023–24 season
Date Event Level SP FS Total
Feb. 26 – Mar. 3, 2024 2024 World Junior Championships Junior 18
54.98
13
112.86
16
167.84
January 4–7, 2024 2024 South Korean Championships Senior 4
66.04
5
132.43
5
198.47
September 6–8, 2023 2023 JGP Turkey Junior 3
65.33
4
118.32
3
183.65
2022–23 season
Date Event Level SP FS Total
January 5–8, 2023 2023 World Junior Championships Junior 4
63.97
4
129.65
4
193.62
January 5–8, 2023 2023 South Korean Championships Senior 10
63.33
5
130.64
6
193.97
August 24–27, 2022 2022 JGP France Junior 3
60.87
2
124.80
3
185.67
2021–22 season
Date Event Level SP FS Total
January 7–9, 2022 2022 South Korean Junior Championships Junior 2
55.11
2
93.89
2
149.00

References edit

  1. ^ a b ""I've never been afraid of jumping a triple Axel" "My dream is to compete at the Olympics with my sister" (in Korean)". Sports Dong-A. 23 September 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  2. ^ a b c 김, 동윤. "'韓 피겨 최연소 메달' 김유재 "연아 언니가 제 이름만 알아줘도..." [신년기획]". 스타뉴스. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  3. ^ a b "A first for Korean Ice Dance as Japan returns in style at ISU Junior Grand Prix Courchevel". International Skating Union. 29 August 2022.
  4. ^ a b Slater, Paula (2 March 2023). "Mao Shimada shines in Calgary". Golden Skate.
  5. ^ a b "Spectacular Mao Shimada (JPN) soars to World Junior title". International Skating Union. 4 March 2023.
  6. ^ a b Slater, Paula (4 March 2023). "Mao Shimada impresses in Calgary; takes Junior World title". Golden Skate.
  7. ^ a b c 박, 지민 (26 May 2023). "[인터뷰] 꿈을 그리는 쌍둥이 별, 피겨 요정 김유재-김유성 자매". Focus. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Ami Nakai (JPN) and Rio Nakata (JPN) secure Junior Grand Prix Final spot in Istanbul (TUR)". International Skating Union. 11 September 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  9. ^ a b c "Yujae KIM: 2023/2024". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 11 September 2023.
  10. ^ a b "Yujae KIM: 2023/2024". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 8 August 2023.
  11. ^ a b "Yuseong KIM: 2023/2024". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 1 August 2023.
  12. ^ a b "Yuseong KIM: 2023/2024". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 23 September 2023.
  13. ^ a b "Ranking Competition - Senior Women Results". Twitter. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  14. ^ a b "Yujae KIM: Competition Results". International Skating Union. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  15. ^ a b "ISU World Junior Championships 2024 - Junior Women Entries". International Skating Union. International Skating Union. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  16. ^ a b Slater, Paula (1 March 2024). "Mao Shimada defends Junior World title". Golden Skate. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  17. ^ a b "Yujae KIM: 2022/2023". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 21 October 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  18. ^ a b "Yujae KIM". Skating Scores. Retrieved 29 January 2024.

External links edit