Yuna Kim | Page 23 | Golden Skate

Yuna Kim

sunny0760

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 16, 2010
(As cooper expalined how to vote, I edit my post.)
This may not Yuna news but younger Yuna performing an exhibition, Reflection(2006 TEB).
Today I am watching this over and over again. My focus is on her extremely beautiful movements of arms and hands. She already had the whole thing we see now at the age of 16.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqCHuIidmsQ

And the comments from Ito Midori(!) and a male commentater(who is he? very good voice!) are also impressive. They held such high expectation on this girl from the neighbor country. Well, they could see the future. They were truely pleased to this girl. They might have foreseen the rivalry which would surely come but I think, what mattered most to them and what they found was a pure joy that only best talents could bring to skate. They said, "How much stronger and bigger will this girl be!"
 
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treeloving

Medalist
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
Where I see the distortion is not the mainstream media in Japan, which has a lot of Yuna praises. Some even seem to be angry that Japanese media seems too much biased towards the Yuna side. It's the Internet and lower-level weekly magazines where you'd find the ugliest things.

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
 

cooper

Medalist
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Where I see the distortion is not the mainstream media in Japan, which has a lot of Yuna praises. Some even seem to be angry that Japanese media seems too much biased towards the Yuna side. It's the Internet and lower-level weekly magazines where you'd find the ugliest things.

Like the multiple accounts in Youtube.
 

sunny0760

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 16, 2010
Where I see the distortion is not the mainstream media in Japan, which has a lot of Yuna praises. Some even seem to be angry that Japanese media seems too much biased towards the Yuna side. It's the Internet and lower-level weekly magazines where you'd find the ugliest things.

I think this is very reasonable observation. As in Korea, as there are not so many popular or influential lower-level weekly magazines, the internet can be the worst place for wrong rumors/gossips and distortion of facts and unconditional hatred toward anyone.
We can admit the negativity and ugliness of this rivalry but don't have to exaggerate it. There are always more people with common sense.
 

Marrymeyunakim

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 4, 2009
Just to add to the conversation about the media in Japan: Yu-Na was voted as the 10th most popular sporting star as recently as last year so the respect and adoration for her in Japan is tremendous. It's the trashy, quick-sale buck tabloids that do the trash talking that I suspect Mao and Yu-Na have no patience for.
 

aurora100

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 3, 2009
(As cooper expalined how to vote, I edit my post.)
This may not Yuna news but younger Yuna performing an exhibition, Reflection(2006 TEB).
Today I am watching this over and over again. My focus is on her extremely beautiful movements of arms and hands. She already had the whole thing we see now at the age of 16.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqCHuIidmsQ

And the comments from Ito Midori(!) and a male commentater(who is he? very good voice!) are also impressive. They held such high expectation on this girl from the neighbor country. Well, they could see the future. They were truely pleased to this girl. They might have foreseen the rivalry which would surely come but I think, what mattered most to them and what they found was a pure joy that only best talents could bring to skate. They said, "How much stronger and bigger will this girl be!"

There are many many you tube videos with Japanese commentary on them, and where it's bee translated into English, I noticed that Japanese commentators are always generously complementary about Yuna's skating. Not only in words but in their emotions in their voice. They just sound genuinely impressed with Yuna's talent and skills. In particular Yuna's 2007 Worlds SP and 2009 Words SP.
 

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
There are many many you tube videos with Japanese commentary on them, and where it's bee translated into English, I noticed that Japanese commentators are always generously complementary about Yuna's skating. Not only in words but in their emotions in their voice. They just sound genuinely impressed with Yuna's talent and skills. In particular Yuna's 2007 Worlds SP and 2009 Words SP.

The Japanese understand and respect good skating. Yu-na has many of the qualities the Japanese admire in thier ow skaters, great jumps, slow flow over the ice. They certainly are not close-minded enough to show dislike for her just because she is Mao's greatest rival. That would be juvinille.
 

Bennett

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
The Japanese commentators who do commentary for ladies include Shizuka Arakawa, Ms. Junko Yaginuma, and Mr. Yutaka Higuchi. Occasionally, Ms. Chikako Suguri (Suguri's sister) and Midori Ito also do that.

Shizuka always gives the greatest compliments on pretty much everything about Yuna's skating (techniques, artistry, and mental strength):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6iVs5z6J-w

A former Olympian Ms Yaginuma is very calm and gentle (and a very beautiful lady). She also always compliments on Yuna's techniques, artistry, and mental strength. She often points out her second jump of the combo bigger than the first one, how wonderful her artistry is, and how mentally prepared she is. She talks less, but observes and analyzes well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMQC2DMa0Ww

I could not find Mr. Higuchi and do not know what he says about Yuna. But generally, he does very elegant, gentle commentary.

I read that some of the Mao fans were kind of ticked off when Fumie Suguri praised Yuna's skating and was perceived as negative to Mao's skating at Worlds. Yoshie Onda also received similar responses when she was seen as very negative to Mao and praised Yuna at 2008 GPF. But the above three always find positive things about pretty much everyone and it always seems genuine. I like that.
 
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GiuliaPlum

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 10, 2008
The Japanese commentators who do commentary for ladies include Shizuka Arakawa, Ms. Junko Yaginuma, and Mr. Yutaka Higuchi. Occasionally, Ms. Chikako Suguri (Suguri's sister) and Midori Ito also do that.

Shizuka always gives the greatest compliments on pretty much everything about Yuna's skating (techniques, artistry, and mental strength):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6iVs5z6J-w

A former Olympian Ms Yaginuma is very calm and gentle (and a very beautiful lady). She also always compliments on Yuna's techniques, artistry, and mental strength. She often points out her second jump of the combo bigger than the first one, how wonderful her artistry is, and how mentally prepared she is. She talks less, but observes and analyzes well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMQC2DMa0Ww

I could not find Mr. Higuchi and do not know what he says about Yuna. But generally, he does very elegant, gentle commentary.

I read that some of the Mao fans were kind of ticked off when Fumie Suguri praised Yuna's skating and was perceived as negative to Mao's skating at Worlds. Yoshie Onda also received similar responses when she was seen as very negative to Mao and praised Yuna at 2008 GPF. But the above three always find positive things about pretty much everyone and it always seems genuine. I like that.

is Yaginuma this lady? http://hot-star-model.blogspot.com/2010/03/junko-yaginuma.html :eek:
 

Wrlmy

Medalist
Joined
Jun 17, 2007
I read that some of the Mao fans were kind of ticked off when Fumie Suguri praised Yuna's skating and was perceived as negative to Mao's skating at Worlds. Yoshie Onda also received similar responses when she was seen as very negative to Mao and praised Yuna at 2008 GPF. But the above three always find positive things about pretty much everyone and it always seems genuine. I like that.

Do older skaters resent Mao? I find it bizarre Fumie would critique Mao's skating especially since she still intends to compete. Isn't criticizing one's own teammates discouraged, or at least very rare, in Japanese culture? Not that Fumie ever had warm and fuzzy relationship with Japanese teammates.
 

Bennett

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 20, 2007

No, this one:
http://sports.livedoor.com/photo/detail-2531.html?category_id=4&p=57

I do not think that older skaters resent Mao even though some Japanese Mao fans might twist things like that. It's just that they were trying to explain competition results and pointed out where Mao is weaker. Focusing on positive sides has been the norm in FS commentary because each one has different strengths and weaknesses. Focusing on negatives can make constructive advice, but the timings were not the best. When she did well, they could have said just congrats.
ETA: I think it easier to criticize your teammates than criticize skaters in other countries because the former can be seen as advice, whereas the latter can be seen only as criticism.
 
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jasminum

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
I do not remember exact wording though, when Fumie was on a TV show to comment about the Worlds, one guy said something like, it’s very difficult for ordinary people like him to understand figure skating, especially the LP scores confused him. She answered saying something like, I hope ordinary people will learn more about figure skating if they watch it.

I suppose some Mao “fans” were upset because Fumie didn’t question the scores and didn’t say she wouldn’t agree with the judging, as they had expected. And, it’s clear those “fans” never tolerate anything that they think negative, be it constructive criticism, genuine advice, or honest opinion.
 

Bennett

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
I watched her Oly commentary at TV shows and it seems that she is concerned about the speed of Mao, which she seems to think is negatively reflected on her PCS. Regarding the Worlds, I watched one TV program and she was like Mao should return to the starting line of skating once again, like skating more beautifully and that she should try some new. She praised the quality of Yuna's skating skills that she thinks does not change despite falls. I think it 1) a constructive criticism and 2) an attempt to explain the scoring system. But perhaps some hard-core fans make twisted interpretation and perceived that she praised one skater and put down on the other. I have an impression that Suguri is not as skillful as Shizuka or Ms. Junko Yaginuma at being sensitive to everyone that is involved.
 

hurrah

Medalist
Joined
Aug 8, 2009
I didn't see too much of Fumie's commentary, but what I did made me think that she saw Mao as more her rival than her teammate. Some television commentator asked her if the score difference between Yuna and Mao was warranted, and she just said 'Sooo desu neeee' = 'Yeeesss it waaassss', and didn't really give a technical explanation except to mention something about Yuna's speed. It was also unfortunate that she said this with a slight chortle.

She obviously was not prepared to be a commentator. I don't think skaters who still are or are wishing that they still could be competing on the amateur circuit should be expected to take on the role of a commentator.

Shizu's commentary is pretty good, I think. I sometimes feel that her commentary is a bit too tame. She is actually quite politically conservative in terms of what she will say about the judging system in itself.

Junko Yaginuma's commentary is my favorite because she remains very complementary of all the skaters by giving a technical explanation but she will sometimes make comments about the judging. For example, she made a comment during the Olympics that the tech caller seemed to be very lenient, and during Worlds, she said that the tech caller was very strict.

On the whole though, Japanese commentators are very informative about the technical aspects of skating, and stay away from commenting on the 'artistic' aspects of skating, such as, e.g., costumes. I've never heard any commentator voicing their personal preference for a certain dress.
 
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cooper

Medalist
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
In other news: Laura Lepisto admires Yuna Kim

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DYXNwTyeTs

And Yuna took a break today...shopping! :laugh:

From Yuna's forum, credit to Common:

Yuna appeared at Sinchon street for shopping today. It's said that so many people came to the shop to see her.
Now I can realize that she's in Korea. She's doing the shopping at Sinchon! laugh.gif FYI, Sinchon is a college town where many young people gather, also famous for shopping area.


http://gall.dcinside.com/list.php?id=yeona&no=364080&page=1&bbs=
http://gall.dcinside.com/list.php?id=yeona&no=364086&page=1&bbs=
 

Bennett

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Junko Yaginuma often comments on musicality. I hear her comment on Yuna's attention to details and how her steps are structured to express the ups and downs of the music etc. Shizuka says in the above video on the link that Yuna's each (ever-changing) expression is worthy of attention and her step sequences express the world of Bond Girl very well etc. But I agree that they do not show their personal preferences about artistry which is by virtue subjective. I enjoy British and North American commentators for that.
 
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