⛸️ Sad News of Lim-Quan Split & Haein Lee's Olympic Behind-the-Scenes! - 2026.04.26 | Figure Skating

Hello, figure skating fans! Figure Lover is here. 💖 It's already the last week of April 2026! While the touching lingering emotions of the Milano Olympics are still on the ice, this week was full of eventful and exciting figure skating news. I'll deliver them to you vividly right now!

💔 Sad Split of Korea's Ace Ice Dance Team, Lim-Quan

Truly heartbreaking news has arrived. Korea's leading ice dance team, Hannah Lim and Ye Quan, who have breathed together beautifully for a whopping 7 years, officially announced the end of their partnership ^[1]. The two skaters wrote a new history for Korean figure skating by becoming the first Asian ice dance team to win medals at the Junior Grand Prix Final and the World Junior Championships in the 2022-2023 season ^[1]. In the team event rhythm dance at the Milano Olympics last February, they gave Team Korea a precious 4 points with a wonderful performance to the movie 'Men in Black' ^[1]. In particular, Ye Quan, whose parents are Chinese, chose to come to Korea to be with Hannah Lim and even went through special naturalization to wear the national flag, so the fans' disappointment seems to be even greater ^[1]. Although the two skaters will go their separate ways after the Olympics and their 15th place finish at the World Championships last month, both plan to find new partners and continue their new challenges on the ice ^[1]. We sincerely support the new chapter of the two skaters who gave us great joy for 7 years!

🎨 'Just Run!' Haein Lee Radiating Positive Energy

A heartwarming interview with Haein Lee, who successfully made her Olympic debut by taking a valuable 8th place in the women's singles at the Milano Olympics, has been released ^[2]. Haein Lee says she steadfastly overcame her difficult times by drawing and listening to music. In particular, she says the sense of accomplishment is extraordinary because figure skating, which draws a trajectory on the ice with a skate blade, is similar to a drawing that draws lines with the tip of a pen ^[2]. During the Olympics, she showed her extraordinary love for figure skating by directly drawing her fellow skaters on her tablet and presenting them as gifts ^[2]. Also, whenever she had a hard time, she listened to ENHYPEN's 'Tamed-Dashed' and gathered her mentality with the mindset of 'just run' like the lyrics ^[2]. Currently a student at Korea University's College of Physical Education, Haein Lee is wonderfully juggling the life of an ordinary college student and a national team member, planning her programs for the next season even during her 3-4 hour round-trip commute ^[2]. We're already looking forward to Haein Lee returning with an even more improved look next season!

🌟 Global Figure Skating Hot Issues (Liu Effect & ISU Rule Revision)

Across the ocean in the US, thanks to the outstanding performance of Milano Olympics gold medalist Alysa Liu, a massive 'Liu Effect' is blowing, with the registration rate for figure skating classes surging by up to 30% ^[4]. Liu retired after the 2022 Beijing Olympics but returned after two years to win the gold medal at the age of 18, completing a movie-like narrative ^[4]. It's amazing to see the Yuna Kim fever that once shook the whole of South Korea being recreated in the US! Meanwhile, a hot potato has emerged that the ISU (International Skating Union) is considering a reform proposal to separate the technical score and the artistic score in figure skating at the upcoming June general assembly ^[5]. Major skaters, including three-time World Champion Ilia Malinin, are immediately expressing concerns, so the results of future discussions are drawing attention ^[5]. For reference, Malinin is breaking the limits of figure skating by setting a phenomenal record of landing a whopping 7 quadruple jumps at once this season ^[7]! From neighboring Japan, there is also welcome news that the pair team Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, who rewrote the history of the pair discipline, are enjoying even greater popularity than during their active days after officially announcing their retirement ^[6].

🎉 Don't Forget Today! K-Skating Day

Lastly, news that will thrill the fans! Today, April 26th at 2:30 PM, 'K-Skating Day' will be held grandly at the Mokdong Indoor Ice Rink in Seoul ^[3]. It's a festival venue where figure skating, short track, and speed skating stars who shined at the Milano Olympics will gather across disciplines. Not only a figure skating gala show, but unprecedented unique stages such as 'Speed Skating Mystery Masked Racer' and 'Short Track Pair Team White Tigers' are waiting for the fans, so absolutely do not miss it ^[3]!

The ice rink is really colorful and hot this week too! Fans, we hope you have a weekend full of the charm of ice sports, whether at the K-Skating Day venue today or in your own places. See you next week with more fruitful news! Poof! ⛸️✨