❄️ The Emotion of Milano Continues! Praise for Lee Hae-in & Touching Behind-the-Scenes of Choi Ga-on and Kim Yun-ji 🏂 - 2026.03.27 | 2026 Winter Sports Festival

Hello, fans! It's your Milano Explorer, bringing you the heat of the Milano-Cortina Olympics! 👋 Spring of 2026 has arrived, but the flame of winter sports in our hearts is still burning bright, right? Today, I've packed this newsletter with touching behind-the-scenes stories of our Milano Olympic heroes and great news from the world stage! Shall we dive right in? 🚀

🧜‍♀️ The 'Siren' Who Captivated Japan, Lee Hae-in!

At the 2026 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Prague, Czech Republic, our Lee Hae-in delivered a perfect performance to place 10th in the short program ^[1]! The Japanese reaction to her 'Siren' performance has been incredibly hot. Japan's 'Tokyo Sports' called Lee Hae-in the 'Second Kim Yuna', reporting that Japanese fans are pouring out praises like "She looks like a beautiful Siren" and "Her scale is massive and her presence is overflowing" ^[1].

Moreover, her popularity during the Milano Olympics is being highlighted again. Remember when she ranked 2nd—the highest among Asian athletes—in Vogue Italy's 'Top 5 Olympic Looks'? Her cat cafe date with America's Ilia Malinin is also making headlines again, firmly establishing her as a global star ^[1]!

🏂 Choi Ga-on, The Sweat of 'My Dad' Behind the Gold Medal

Choi Ga-on, Korea's first-ever gold medalist in an Olympic snow event, posted a heartwarming message on SNS yesterday (26th) ^[2]. She shared photos of memories with her father, Choi In-young, along with the caption, "My dad, who has always run with me through countless journeys, crying and laughing together for 10 years" ^[2].

It is said that her father personally shoveled snow for her training and became a strong pillar of support, sharing her joys and sorrows after taking advice from Chloe Kim's father ^[2]. Right before her 3rd Olympic run, he eased her tension by saying, "Hey, the Japanese girls all fell. You can do this." It seems this gold medal was possible because of her father's love ^[2]. Isn't it so touching? 😭

🥇 The 19-Year-Old Hero Who Broke the Wall, Kim Yun-ji!

Kim Yun-ji, who swept 2 gold and 3 silver medals across cross-country and biathlon at the Milano Winter Paralympics, held a press conference yesterday (26th) at the Olympic Hall as the Paralympic MVP ^[3]! It's an amazing fact that Kim Yun-ji is the first athlete in Korean sports history across both Winter/Summer Olympics and Paralympics to win 5 medals in a single event!

Kim Yun-ji delivered a moving message of courage to people with disabilities, saying, "Breaking the wall is not as hard as you think. If you challenge yourself in sports, you will be able to break out of your own world" ^[3]. Showing off her unique teenage cheerfulness and bold charm, we are even more excited for Kim Yun-ji's next 4 years ^[3]!

🎬 The Behind-the-Scenes of Yu Seung-eun's Injury Battle

Lastly, a video showing the tear-jerking story of 18-year-old snowboard medalist Yu Seung-eun fighting through her injury has been released ^[4]. It's a video where you can once again see the passion and strong will of Yu Seung-eun, who never gave up and competed with determination, so I highly recommend all fans to watch it ^[4]!

Seeing our athletes' sweat and tears, and their families' dedication, brings back the emotion of the Milano Olympics all over again. I'll be back next week with more fun and informative news! Bye! ❄️💙