January 15, 2025
Alexandra Trusova Expecting a Child
May 03, 2025
Cha Junhwan, South Korea’s dazzling “figure skating prince,” is rewriting the rulebook, dominating the ice, slaying the fashion scene, and stealing the spotlight as an acting sensation. From a child actor picking up skating for potential roles to a global sports icon, Cha’s journey is a thrilling fusion of athletic prowess and artistic brilliance. At 23, he’s gunning for his third Olympic appearance at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games while keeping the entertainment world buzzing with TV appearances and jaw-dropping fashion photoshoots. Buckle up as we dive into how Cha conquers these vibrant worlds, fueled by his own words and electrifying achievements.
Born on October 21, 2001, Cha Junhwan burst onto the scene as a child actor, lighting up screens in commercials and K-dramas like The Return of Iljimae (2009). To level up his acting game, he mastered skills like swimming, piano, violin, and figure skating. “Skating was just a tool to snag new roles,” Cha revealed in an Olympics.com interview. But at seven, a school trip to a public rink changed everything—he was hooked, swept away by the “wind when [he] was skating.”
That spark ignited a wildfire. Mentored by former South Korean Olympic skater Shin Hea-sook, Cha hit the competitive scene at 10, snagging the junior title at the 2011 South Korean Championships. Inspired by skating legends Evgeni Plushenko and Daisuke Takahashi, he chased technical and artistic greatness. By 2015, he stormed the junior international stage, dominating the Skate Canada Autumn Classic with a 30-point lead. His meteoric rise continued with a bronze at the 2016–17 Junior Grand Prix Final and his first senior national title in 2017.
Cha’s career is pure history in the making. He’s the first South Korean man to medal at the World Championships (silver, 2023), conquer the Four Continents Championships (gold, 2022), and claim gold at the Asian Winter Games (2025), earning an exemption from South Korea’s mandatory military service. With nine straight national titles (2017–2025), a bronze at the 2018–19 Grand Prix Final, and show-stopping performances at the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics, Cha is a global skating titan.
Cha’s acting roots infuse his skating with a cinematic edge, making every performance a heart-pounding spectacle. “Skating is the only sport where we can create our own story,” he told Olympics.com. “That’s a very special moment.” His programs, crafted with choreographic geniuses like Shae-Lynn Bourne, are storytelling masterpieces, featuring iconic moves like the Ina Bauer, cantilever, and mesmerizing step sequences that grip audiences worldwide.
The 2022–23 season was Cha at his peak. For his short program, he unleashed a Michael Jackson medley, ditching his classical vibe for a bold, electrifying persona. His free skate to the No Time to Die soundtrack channeled his inner James Bond, earning raves from former coach Brian Orser, who dubbed the Michael Jackson program “sensational.” At the 2023 World Championships in Saitama, Cha’s flawless short program scored a personal-best 99.64, clinching a historic silver—the first for a South Korean man.
This season, Cha teamed up with Olympic ice dance champ Guillaume Cizeron for a show-stopping exhibition gala to Loïc Nottet’s Mr/Mme, pushing creative boundaries. He also reimagined Shoma Uno’s 2016–17 free skate music, Astor Piazzolla’s Balada para un Loco, delivering a fiery tango twist. “Great music lets skaters carve their own path,” Cha said, doubling down on his unique vision.
Despite battling ankle and wrist injuries, Cha’s grit is unstoppable. “Injuries make it tough, but I still love figure skating,” he shared with Olympics.com. His ankle, “100 percent not great” at the 2023 Skate Canada, is now 70–80% recovered, powering him to gold at the 2025 Asian Winter Games, where he outshone Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama with a blazing 281.69 combined score.
Cha’s on-ice charisma spills into fashion, where he’s a red-hot star in South Korea’s style world. With his youthful, K-pop idol vibes, he’s rocked covers for GQ Korea, Vogue Korea, and Elle Korea, and starred in slick clothing and cosmetics ads. His photoshoots, shaped by his team’s creative genius, mirror his skating artistry. “Fashion and skating are both super creative—they’re totally linked,” Cha declared.
His on-ice costumes, designed by Bae Kyongsool since his school days, are pure fire. At the 2025 ISU Figure Skating Awards, his “Fate of the Clockmaker” short program outfit—a dramatic black look with clock motifs and flowing fabric—scored a Best Costume nomination, perfectly capturing the program’s time-bending theme. His Beijing 2022 costumes were equally iconic, blending elegance with storytelling swagger, cementing his status as a fashion trailblazer.
Skating may be his main stage, but Cha’s acting flame still burns bright. His childhood roles paved the way for a dynamic entertainment career. He’s lit up shows like King of Mask Singer (2020), flexing his singing and dancing chops and drawing K-pop idol comparisons. Fans call him the “K-pop star stolen by figure skating,” a testament to his magnetic charm. At the 2022 SBS Gayo Daejun, Cha delivered a skating performance that fused athletic precision with pure showbiz dazzle.
His acting roots sharpen his ability to captivate, whether landing a triple Axel or shining on TV. “I’m the same person on and off the stage,” Cha told Olympics.com, radiating authenticity. He’s itching to dive deeper into dance, inspired by street dance shows, noting that “dance and skating are similar.” Expect future gala performances to blend skating with bold new artistic vibes.
Mastering skating, fashion, and acting demands next-level hustle. Cha’s packed schedule—crushing it at the 2025 Four Continents Championships (silver), World University Games (bronze), and Korean Nationals (gold)—weaves seamlessly with photoshoots and TV gigs. His move from Toronto’s Cricket Club, where he trained with Brian Orser, back to South Korea was a game-changer. “Covid flipped everything,” Cha said, citing logistical hurdles. Now training in Korea with choreographer Shae-Lynn Bourne, he’s leveling up both technically and artistically.
Injuries have pushed him to the limit, but Cha’s focus on the 2026 Olympics—where he aims to be the first South Korean man to medal—is razor-sharp. His fifth-place finish at Beijing 2022, with a personal-best 282.38, set a new benchmark for South Korean men’s skating, topping his 15th place at PyeongChang 2018. Commentator and ex-skater Kwak Min-jeong bets on Cha’s quad-triple combos to land an Olympic podium.
As Cha gears up for the 2025 World Championships in Boston, where he recently placed seventh, and the 2026 Olympics, his ability to dominate ice, style, and stardom makes him a force of nature. His gold at the Asian Winter Games proves his competitive fire, while his fashion and media presence amplify his cultural clout. “I want to be an even better skater,” Cha vowed post-Beijing 2022, a mission that fuels his every move.
From a kid learning to skate for acting gigs to a global phenom spinning stories on ice, Cha Junhwan’s journey is pure magic. With fans likening him to K-pop heartthrobs and actors like Song Kang, his star power knows no bounds. “I just want to stay strong,” he told Olympics.com. Whether nailing a quadruple Salchow, striking a pose for Vogue, or owning the TV screen, Cha Junhwan is redefining what it means to be a figure skating legend.
By Vitalina Andrushchenko, Staff Writer
January 15, 2025
Alexandra Trusova Expecting a Child
December 26, 2024
2025 World Junior Championship Schedule
February 14, 2025
Alysa Liu Shares Why She Came Back: A Passion Reignited