Yuseong Kim trains at the Taereung International Skating Rink in Seoul, South Korea, on July 15, 2026. Photo © Golden Skate / Warren Kim
Yuseong Kim Steps into the Spotlight
Yuseong Kim heads into her first senior season after winning silver at the 2025–26 ISU Junior Grand Prix Final in Nagoya, but her focus isn’t on medals. Instead, she’s determined to become a more complete performer.
“Since this is my senior season, I want to show a more mature performance with deeper expressiveness and artistry, expressing myself as I move toward my dreams,” she said.
Stepping Into Seniors Together
Yuseong is eager to begin the next chapter of her career, but she knows the senior ranks bring a different level of pressure.
“I’m really looking forward to showing a new side of myself on the senior stage,” she said. “On the other hand, I’m a bit nervous because even a small mistake can have a huge impact on the results.”
Moving up to the senior ranks in figure skating comes with new challenges, but Yuseong is glad she doesn’t have to do it alone. She and her twin sister, Yujae, are making the transition together.
“If I had to stand on the senior stage alone, I think I would have been much more nervous,” Yuseong admitted. “But having Yujae, who is always on my side, is a huge comfort. We are also preparing for this senior season together, so I feel very reassured and ready.”
Although they compete against each other, the sisters also spend every day helping one another improve.
“On one hand, we are competitors, but normally we can help each other out a lot while practicing together, which is really great,” Yuseong said. When asked what she most admires about Yujae’s skating, Yuseong didn’t hesitate: “I want to emulate Yujae’s powerful skating and the speed and power she generates when performing the Triple Axel.”
The sisters also motivate each other to keep improving.
“When Yujae does well, I feel motivated to do even better, and if she struggles, I want us to do well together. So it’s very motivating,” she explained.
Yuseong Kim (R) and sister Yujae Kim (L) with coach Nahyun Kim at the Taereung International Skating Rink. Photo © Golden Skate / Warren Kim
Finding New Ways to Perform
This season, Yuseong is taking on two programs unlike anything she skated as a junior. Her short program is set to Fosse, incorporating tracks “I Gotcha,” “Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries,” and “Fosse’s World: Calypso / Snake in the Grass.”
“The energy is intense from the moment the music starts, so I thought it would be very fresh and fun,” Yuseong explained. “My short program is a piece that can well express Bob Fosse’s unique style, so I hope people pay attention to the fingertips, the gaze, and the delicate details. Especially the part right after my second jump is where I perform with the most confidence.”
Choreographer Kaitlyn Weaver chose the music to bring out another side of Yuseong’s skating.
“Yuseong’s ‘I Gotcha’ is a completely different world,” Weaver observed. “It’s playful, confident, and full of personality. She has a wonderful willingness to commit, and I wanted to give her permission to be bold and fearless—to enjoy performing and let the audience see her personality.”
For her free skate, Yuseong chose music from Evita, featuring “You Must Love Me,” “Buenos Aires,” and “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina.”
The choice of Evita carried deeper meaning than simply selecting a favorite soundtrack. Choreographer Yeaji Shin had recommended the music before the World Junior Championships and later encouraged Yuseong not to let disappointment define her after the event. Rather than dwelling on the result, Shin urged her to see it as one step in a longer journey and to keep moving forward with confidence. Yuseong embraced that message when she committed to the program.
“I’ve loved this soundtrack for a long time,” Yuseong shared. “When Yeaji Shin told me, ‘Yuseong, now is the time for you to do Evita!’ I chose it right away.”
One of Yuseong’s favorite moments comes as the choreography builds with the music.
“The step sequence is very energetic and spectacular, which feels thrilling. The choreo sequence also deepens as the music builds.”
Yuseong Kim training her Short Program in Seoul, South Korea, on July 15, 2026. Photo © Golden Skate / Warren Kim
Growing Into Senior Skating
Yuseong is taking a patient approach to her first senior season. Under the ISU’s new rule reducing free skate jump passes from seven to six, she’s placing even greater emphasis on skating skills and presentation.
“Since my season starts a bit later than it did in juniors, I’m focusing on building up my stamina to match that schedule,” Yuseong explained. “To show a more mature, senior-like skating style, I am practicing basic skating skills more. I want to start with the mindset of being the youngest rookie again. Rather than putting pressure on myself to do everything perfectly from the very beginning, I want to take things step by step, even if it’s not absolutely perfect.”
With fewer jump passes this season, Yuseong believes program components (PCS) will play an even bigger role.
“I believe the importance of PCS will be much greater this season,” she said. “So, I’m investing more time in practicing skating and non-jumping elements. I’m also focusing on how well I can express the music and how to naturally connect the steps and spins with the music and choreography.”
Yuseong’s planned competitive layouts include:
Short Program: triple Axel, triple flip + triple toe loop, triple Lutz
Free Skate: triple Axel, triple flip + triple toe loop, triple loop, Flying Camel Spin, Step Sequence, triple Lutz + triple Salchow + double Axel sequence, triple flip, triple Lutz, Change Foot Combination Spin, Choreo Sequence, and Choreo Spin
The triple Axel remains one of Yuseong’s biggest strengths.
“The triple Axel is the jump I’ve practiced the most, and it’s a jump that gives me a lot of confidence when I land it,” Yuseong said. “I’m so happy that I can do it in the short program now.”
Yuseong has paid close attention to the details of every element in her programs, including her Choreo Spin.
“I do a spin with confidence, ending with a Biellmann spin and then bringing it down. That way, it finishes in a grand manner.”
Yuseong Kim in her Free Skate opening pose during training on July 15, 2026. Photo © Golden Skate / Warren Kim
Behind the Programs
Working with Kaitlyn Weaver and Yeaji Shin gave Yuseong the chance to learn from two very different choreographers.
“I really loved how she taught us the rhythm and musical accents during off-ice training,” Yuseong shared. “She also said it was her first time visiting Korea since competing at the PyeongChang Olympics. We bought her some snacks and seaweed (gim), and she loved them so much. She said she’d treasure them and eat them little by little.”
Working with Yeaji Shin helped refine the details of her choreography.
“Yeaji Shin created details in the step sequence that perfectly match the music and choreography, highlighting my strengths,” Yuseong said.
Away from the ice, Yuseong and Yujae are also taking on more responsibility, including learning to do their own competition makeup.
“We still have a long way to go, but we are practicing and trying to do it ourselves,” she said. “We check each other’s makeup first, and then our mom gives us the final check.”
Yuseong Kim with coach Hyungkyung Choi at the Taereung International Skating Rink in Seoul, South Korea, on July 15, 2026. Photo © Golden Skate / Warren Kim
Beyond the Rink
Looking back, two competitions stand out most to Yuseong.
“The fourth Junior Grand Prix event of the 2024–25 season is the most memorable for me because I won my first gold medal,” she said. “The 2025–26 Junior Grand Prix Final is also very memorable. It was wonderful because I went with Yujae and we both performed well.”
Her favorite junior programs include Clair de Lune and Hero: Heaven and Earth, both of which gave her the chance to explore different styles. If she could skate one of Yujae’s programs, she’d choose her 2023–24 Flamenco routine or Lord of the Rings.
Outside the rink, Yuseong balances skating and school while planning to join Yujae in watching Notting Hill to help improve her English.
To unwind after training, she enjoys dancing to K-pop choreography or taking her dog, Bori, for a walk. She also keeps separate playlists for K-pop and Western pop. Her K-pop favorites include Aespa, ILLIT, and NMIXX, while her pop playlist features artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Cyndi Lauper.
She’s also becoming more interested in fashion, though she laughed that she still mostly buys athletic clothes because she spends so much time training. For comfort, she enjoys collecting Sylvanian Families figures.
Although she’s excited about competing internationally as a senior, Yuseong admits that stepping into a new environment can still be a little intimidating.
“I think international competitions make me more nervous. Meeting new skaters in a different environment makes me tense, but I think it will be a great experience.”
Yuseong has set ambitious goals for her first senior season.
“For me, winning a gold medal at a Challenger event!” she said. “Also, scoring over 220 points in total (short + free), getting Level 4 on all non-jumping elements with over 1 point of GOE, skating confidently with no regrets, expressing facial emotions well, and delivering a performance that I can be fully satisfied with.”
Yuseong’s first senior international competition will be the2026 Cranberry Cup International—a Challenger Series event—in two weeks with her sister. The event will also mark the twins’ first international trip on their own. She will also compete at Grand Prix de France later in October.
