Having made their international junior debut two seasons ago, jinny kim and namu lee are making their strides. They earned their first international medal at JGP Bangkok this season and are about to compete at the 2024 youth Olympics happening at home! we had a chance to talk to them to learn more about them!
Special thank you to Becs (@becsfer on Twitter) for transcription and editing. Photos by Gabb (@tegomass).
Jinny Kim and Namu Lee at the medal ceremony at Korean Nationals 2024
Gabb: How did you guys start skating?
Namu: When I was in grade 6, I was doing ice hockey, and then during that, I tried to learn some edges and skating skills and I heard that figure skating is really good for learning about skating skills. So I decided to do figure skating with ice hockey but I think at that time I thought figure skating was more for me so I started to figure skate.
Jinny: I was doing singles until I was twelve or thirteen years old and I wanted to quit but my figure skating coach said “How about ice dance?”. Honestly, I didn't want to do figure skating anymore but my mom said that I should try it. Then, my figure skating coach introduced Namu [to me] and I started [ice dance] three years ago.
I followed you guys when you started, I remember seeing you in the holiday Christmas show!
Jinny: You saw that?
It was a really bad stream but I saw it, I've been there since the start! Jinny already talked about it a bit but what made you [Namu] switch from singles to ice dance?
Namu: I was doing singles until last year. As I did singles, my coach recommended me to do ice dance. So I was doing free skate and ice dance but now I'm doing only ice dance because I have more opportunities in ice dance.
Do you have any teams you look up to in ice dance?
Namu: I really love Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, because they're my heroes.
Jinny: I like Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron. I honestly like Hannah and Ye, and I really like the Czech Junior World Champions from last year (Katerina Mrazkova and Daniel Mrazek ).
For this season’s programs you have 'I Love Rock & Roll' and 'The Greatest Showman', how did you choose these programs?
Jinny: The rhythm dance is 80s music and we're born in 2007 so we don't know the 80s well. Our coaches chose and recommended that we do strong music and not so happy happy, but something strong and dancier. For the free dance, we wanted something fun that the audience could clap together with and a more popular song.
Namu: Last season, we did more quiet and classical programs. For this season, our coaches wanted to do something energetic and exciting. So we tried to do something different from last season.
It worked out, by the end of your program [at Nationals] everyone was clapping so it was a lot of fun! Are there any programs you want to skate to in the future?
Namu: Do you know the movie Armageddon? I really want to use that music.
Jinny: Before when I was doing singles, I skated to Giselle, so I'd like to skate to it one more time in ice dance.
I really like that program and your Moonlight Sonata [when Jinny skated in singles].
Jinny: That's my favorite program!
You trained in Korea before moving to Vancouver, so what are the differences between Korea and Vancouver?
Namu: So first, in Korea, there are only a few ice rinks but in Vancouver, there are a lot of ice rinks there. In Korea, there's no ice rink or sessions just for ice dancers but in Canada, there's a session only for ice dancers. So that's a big difference.
Jinny: We have to always skate with single skaters in Korea, so it's a little bit dangerous.
How do you like your training in Vancouver? Since you guys train with a lot of ice dance teams?
So in Canada, there are a lot of ice dance teams and that's a big difference. In Korea, we're the only junior ice dance team. In Canada, we can learn things from the other teams and there are some senior teams that are really motivating to watch.
Are there any teams you train with that inspire you?
Jinny: Mostly Tyler and Miku!
Namu: They give me lots of inspiration.
Jinny: They taught me the straight line lift.
Namu: The straight line lift is Tyler's specialty.
Are there any patterns you like to do?
Namu: We don't have too many [that we need to perform], so no favorites.
Jinny: I want to try the paso doble. In our club, a novice team is practicing the paso and it looks so cool.
One technical question for you: before you guys used to do three sets of twizzles but now you only do two, is there a reason you changed the number?
Jinny: Our coaches said let's do something different, why don't we change something from last year. So we tried to do like a jump the first time and it was a little hard, my legs weren't matching but now I think it's good.
The Youth Olympic Games are coming up, you guys are training for them. How do you feel about competing in them at home in Korea?
Namu: I'm really excited because it's our first Olympics and it's even in Korea. It may be our first and last opportunity to do an international competition in Korea.
Jinny: Yeah honestly I'm really excited I can go to the Youth Olympics. Young You was a champion at the 2020 games, so I was watching her and cheering! I never expected I could go to the next Youth Olympics. But now, I can go it's like a dream. I'm so excited!
How do you feel being here at nationals with a home crowd?
Jinny: Honestly, Nationals is not like a competition because we're the only team in Korea. I don't feel nervous but I feel more excited about it! There are so many fans! It was really happy. All the fans like “Oh can we take a picture?” and “Can you sign this?”. I was so happy.
Namu: I think this Nationals was a good opportunity to check our programs and practice before the Youth Olympics.
Is there anyone [friends] you were happy to see here [since you train abroad]?
Namu: Everyone. I missed everyone.
Jinny: I wanted to see Hannah and Ye's free dance. I love their program it's so beautiful.
Do you have any favorite ice dance programs this season from other teams, aside from Hannah and Ye?
Namu: I liked the British team Phebe Bekker and James Hernandez a lot last season. Their program was really really good! I watched it at Junior Worlds when I was there.
Jinny: I love Zingas and Kolesnik's Beauty and the Beast program, it's so cool. Also Piper and Paul's free dance [Wuthering Heights] too.
Do you have any goals for this season?
Jinny: The biggest goal is to get a medal at the Youth Olympics.
Namu: Also to qualify for the free dance at Junior Worlds.
Do you have any hobbies outside of skating?
Namu: I love to listen to music, I have my own playlists and before I sleep I will put on my headphones and listen to them.
Any songs in particular that you like right now? Genres?
Namu: Pop, classical, hip hop...
And you Jinny?
Jinny: I play with my dog and walk them.
What's your dog's name?
Jinny: Its Byeol (별)!
What type of dog is it?
Namu: It's a poodle!
Do you guys have a favorite memory since partnering up together?
Namu: Favourite memory? This year the first junior grand prix in Bangkok was maybe the best memory of the year.
Jinny: Same thing! Honestly, the Japanese Junior Grand Prix was also really fun too. I really enjoyed it. The results were not really good but I really enjoyed it.
Any favorite off-ice memories?
Namu: I made a new best friend in Canada. They're a skater!
Jinny: I hung out with the other skaters in Japan. It was really fun! The Japanese ice dancers and single skaters were really fun.
Fans like to throw stuffed animals on the ice, do you have any favorite plushies and gifts you like to receive?
Jinny: I like the Carebears and Haribo jellies.
Namu: I like polar bears and orcas.
Finally, do you have any final message for your fans?
Jinny: Thank you for supporting us, we'll try to do better and better so please cheer us on and support us. Thank you very much!
Namu: Thank you for your support. Every year we will try to be better and improve our skating skills, expression, and everything! So for this year, we have Youth Olympics and we are trying to be on the podium so thank you for cheering.