Yuna interview

[Bennett]

Yuna interview: Translation please (Japanese)

Sorry that it's in Japanese and that I don't have time and energy to translate all. I hope that someone else could volunteer to follow up. Or you might be able to find translation already done by someone else at other sites.

http://www.chosunonline.com/article/20080324000047
http://www.chosunonline.com/article/20080324000048

I would just like to do a bit of my translation for the part that I thought interesting. Pls be aware that it's translated from Korean to Japanese, and then to English. So it's possible to be lost in translation. Pls feel free to correct my translation if any.

What went well this season?

“The preciseness of jumps. Although they are not perfect yet, I hear people saying so. As I see the Internet, they say that my performances are beautiful. But I have never thought so.”

Do you check your reputations on the Internet?

“As I care about it, I do. Especially, the news and the articles whose titles are sensational. Even if there are somewhat critical comments, I don’t particularly mind because there are fans who support me. Not everyone praises you.”

She sounds very calm and objective as always. I think her strength is knowing herself so well and always being calm, humble, and realistic about it. I am also amazed to hear that she is not afraid of reading critical comments which can be pretty mean on the Internet. A very mature attitude. Not many teenagers have this self-knowing and objectivity.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

She's a nice Lady and a beautiful skater. All I would want her to work on is to turn out more at the knees and point toes in Spirals and some spins.

Joe

 

[ManyCairns]

She certainly sounds more calm, humble, and self-assured/self-knowing than many so-called adults!

Kudos to her for a great attitude. I just love to watch her skate. She really has the "it" factor, too, when she skates.

 

[mizu_iro]

Here's a couple of Korean interviews from the same website (although it may not do too many of you any good): http://spn.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2008/03/25/2008032500987.html
http://spn.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2008/03/23/2008032300603.html

Her comments are as follows (roughly translated):

Regarding the competition:

"Up to now, I've been undergoing treatment to momentarily ease the pain but now I have to tackle the source of the pain. I just want to not do anything and rest for a while."

"With my injuries in mind, it's a satisfying result...although I found some of the scoring a bit unexpected, it's already in the past so I'll think of it fondly."

Regarding Mao:

"While we were waiting for our doping test, we talked about a lot of things like Mao's trip to Korea for Four Continents and eating Korean food. When I said 아쉽다 (disappointed) during the press conference, Mao thought I said 맛있다 (tasty) and incredulously responded "oishii?" (tasty in Japanese) and we both cracked up." (the words for disappointed and tasty have similar sounds in Korean, so it's understandable that Mao heard wrong)

"The thing that I'm most envious of (regarding Mao) is her physical vigor. I've never seen her have problems with her skating because of physical problems. I'm also envious of her triple axel, which even many male skaters have problems with. The fact that she has been able to maintain it is tremendous. I've heard rumors saying that I've landed the triple axel in practice. You can disregard all of them - if it was that easy I would have already attempted it in competition."

Regarding herself:

"I see the precision in my jumps as a strength. Many people have complimented me regarding my expression as well."

"I don't feel that my jumps are perfect, and I've never felt while jumping that my jumps are beautiful. However, I'm grateful for all of the compliments."

"As I've become more experienced with different programs, I've become accustomed to thinking about what kinds of expressions I should use at different points in the music. Watching other skaters has also been helpful."

"I replaced the triple loop that I did during the Grand Prix with a double axel. I don't think I would have placed as high as 3rd if I hadn't considered my own body. There's no reason to take a harder path when there's an easier way."

About the upcoming season:

"I don't know what music I'll use for my new programs. I'll have to listen to a lot."

"The pieces I've used so far haven't been the most common ones....I think I might want to do something that the audience will identify immediately. Light music is nice but I prefer music that has more weight to it."

"It's important for me to perfect the jumps I'm already doing. Making less mistakes is the most important."

About previous programs:

"Last year's short (Tango de Roxanne) was a cut above in terms of atmosphere and even costuming. Each movement had to be really forceful. Skating to such powerful music helped me with my interpretation."

"I don't like my free programs as much simply because they're so tough. My fans really liked "The Lark Ascending" but I couldn't wait to stop skating to it because it was such a difficult program."

Miscellany:

"Korean competitors aren't that far behind in terms of technical difficulty now. The level has really gone up because Korean skaters have started to focus on expression as well."

"A lot of rest will probably allow for the injury to heal. I have to take my midterms soon, but I'm not that worried about them."

---

A lot of people suspected that David Wilson's choreography in Lark was preventing Yu-Na from hitting the technical elements perfectly, and I guess that may be true. She says she wants to skate to a classic...hopefully she'll actually do something fresh and exciting if she does. At least it probably won't be Carmen - she skated to that as a junior (although the music cut was unusual).

 

[jaejang2001]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Chwtr7SqWA

 

[_Ladybug_]

I've always wished she'd skate to Yanni's "Nightingale". Only she and Mao and maybe a couple of other could do this music justice.

 

[Dodhiyel]

I love watching Yu-Na; she is like a butterfly on the ice. I thought she really expressed the spirit of the waltz this season, in "Die Fledermaus", which delighted me.

It's nice to read her interview; she seems as lovely off the ice, as on it.

I hope so much that she can heal really well. The competitions between her and Mao Asada are pleasant; both have a lot to offer.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

David Wilson's choreography is never easy. One has to skate transitions throughout. Only exception would be to do crossovers for a big jump. Wilson is very musical and if one is not careful a fall will be iminent

YuNa can do that and she wins the LP with it. as did Buttle. I hope she stays with Wilson, and suggest what she would want.

Joe

 

[Ms.Anthrope]

David Wilson's choreography is never easy. One has to skate transitions throughout. Only exception would be to do crossovers for a big jump. Wilson is very musical and if one is not careful a fall will be iminent.

I have new found interest and respect for YuNa's "The Lark Ascending" program and wish she could have skated at least one clean program, but I do understand that it was an exceedingly difficult program. It probably won't happen, but I wouldn't mind if she brought it back next year when she is in better physical condition.

 

[Bennett]

Here's a couple of Korean interviews from the same website (although it may not do too many of you any good): http://spn.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2008/03/25/2008032500987.html
http://spn.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2008/03/23/2008032300603.html

Thanks for all your work! I somehow thought that you would speak Japanese! In this interview she says something similar but also different things as well.

 

[mizu_iro]

Thanks for all your work! I somehow thought that you would speak Japanese! In this interview she says something similar but also different things as well.

Maybe because of my username? I'm fluent in Korean and English, and becoming fluent at Japanese is a goal of mine. Sadly, it hasn't happened quite yet.

 

[feraina]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Chwtr7SqWA

Wow, I've never seen Yu-na looking so relaxed, happy, and chatty before! She looks so young! Especially with her hair up like that.

 

[demarinis5]

Thank you for the translation and video link. YuNa skates beyond her years and presents a very sophisticated presence on the ice. It is nice to see her chatting away and being just 17. She is a lovely young woman.

 

[hongligl]

Wow, I've never seen Yu-na looking so relaxed, happy, and chatty before! She looks so young! Especially with her hair up like that.

wow, me neither. She's totally adorable, so natural and non-pretentious. I just love Yu-na to pieces!!! Get the Gold next time, girl!

 

[Tinymavy15]

very ladylike and mature interview. Did she say anything about her reaction to worlds? was she disappointed to place the same as last year... or just happy she didn't have to withdraw. I am glad that she and Mao get along... not like two other skaters I could name.

As for next year, if she skates to something familiar I would like to see her use Beethoven's Fifth because while it is very familiar with the general population, nobody really skates to it. I hope she does not do a ballet... she does is not the balletic type.

 

[mizu_iro]

very ladylike and mature interview. Did she say anything about her reaction to worlds? was she disappointed to place the same as last year... or just happy she didn't have to withdraw. I am glad that she and Mao get along... not like two other skaters I could name.

As for next year, if she skates to something familiar I would like to see her use Beethoven's Fifth because while it is very familiar with the general population, nobody really skates to it. I hope she does not do a ballet... she does is not the balletic type.

She said she's satisfied with the result considering her injury. She hopes to recover fully soon - she says she's going to focus all her energies on rest and recovery.

I was also thinking Beethoven, but I thought the Seventh Symphony would be best - I'm playing it right now and it's got a nice lilting, dance-oriented quality to it.

 

[feraina]

I am glad that she and Mao get along... not like two other skaters I could name.

Oh, who are you thinking of?! If it's Caroline and Mirai, I saw a photo of them recently looking pretty friendly and smiley together. Of course, who knows what one posed photo really means, but the fact that they got together for a photo at all seems positive to me. I can't help wondering whether in their case it's not the "grown-ups" who have been meddling.

 

[mizu_iro]

Oh, who are you thinking of?! If it's Caroline and Mirai, I saw a photo of them recently looking pretty friendly and smiley together. Of course, who knows what one posed photo really means, but the fact that they got together for a photo at all seems positive to me. I can't help wondering whether in their case it's not the "grown-ups" who have been meddling.

I think Caroline and Mirai are training partners as well, no animosity there.

I'm pretty sure Tinymavy was referring to Evan and Johnny...

 

[Bennett]

I think Caroline and Mirai are training partners as well, no animosity there.

I'm pretty sure Tinymavy was referring to Evan and Johnny...

Really? I somehow thought it was the current hot topic, the new Champ Jeff and the former Champ Joubert

 

[Wrlmy]

Or, Harding and Kerrigan, Suguri and Arakawa, Weiss and Weir, Kwan and Cohen to the lesser degree. probably the list can go on and on