Having medalled in both his Junior Grand Prix assignments, making it to the Junior Grand Prix Final, and even winning a gold at the Denis Ten Memorial Challenger; Juheon Lim has made a statement for himself on his international debut season. We had a chance to learn more about him ahead of him competing at the Four Continents Championships in Shanghai.
Special thank you to Becs (@becsfer on Twitter) for transcription and editing. Photos by Gabb (@tegomass).
Gabb: How did you start skating?
Juheon: I started skating in Canada. I think when I was around 13 years old. My friends told me "You're in Canada. You have to play hockey" and I was like "Yeah, yeah. I'll try [it]". In Canada, there's a program called 'CanSkate' before you go to into figure skating or hockey and I tried CanSkate and the coach in Canada told me "Oh, you're really good at skating and I think you're really suited for figure skating instead of hockey". I was like "No no figure skating is for girls!". But he was begging for a month or so, and I was like "Ah I'll try it. I'll try it. Well now I'm here."
It seems like it's a good fit. What was it like growing up and training in Canada?
It was different from Korea. I think the vibe is different. I started skating in Canada so I didn't know about what it was like in Korea. My coach from Canada was super disciplined and really strict but he was a cool guy. But skating in Korea in the vibe is super cool and coach Jinseo and Chi Hyunjung and everyone is just really nice.
About your coaches, you seem really close with coach Jinseo and even Coach Chi. What's your relationship like?
I met Coach Chi and Jinseo around April this past year. Coach Chi is really.... I haven't known her for years but it's like she knows what I'm thinking, how I feel, what I should do.
So she really understands you!
Yeah, even if I don't say anything she knows what I'm thinking of! She's like "Oh, you're thinking this?" and I'm like "Yep!" "Okay!". And Coach Jinseo, he really knows how I want to be like as a skater and how I want to skate since he was one of the Korean national skaters. Because of that experience, he knows how I feel when I'm skating, like, if I'm not skating well or if I'm doing really well. He knows all the skater’s feelings and he really understands them. I really like him a lot.
You did Canadian Nationals a while ago [2020] and now you're here competing at Korean Nationals, what prompted you to switch countries?
After I got injured for the second time, Covid-19 happened and all the hospitals were closed down and I couldn't do any rehab. I came back to Korea for rehab and all my family told me "Oh, you're back in Korea after 8 years and I feel you should really stay and skate in Korea."
Photo from HamiltonSkating
Back when you were in Canada, you skated at the Hamilton Skating Club and I remember seeing a photo where you signed a board saying "I landed my first triple axel". So how was it landing your first triple axel?
When I landed my first triple axel I was like "Is this really a triple axel?". It wasn't landed very perfectly, but the next day I landed it I was like "Oh! I really landed this!". So the second day I landed it I signed the boards.
How did you choose your programs this season? You recycled your Moulin Rouge short program, and you worked with Misha Ge for your Game of Thrones free skate.
Moulin Rouge I was thinking about switching this season but Coach Chi [Hyunjung] told me "I think you're a fit for Moulin Rouge this season". And Game of Thrones, it was Misha Ge's suggestion. It was different from anything I ever did. So he was like "Oh, you could try a new style of program" and I was like "Okay, I'll try it!", and I really like it.
Do you have a preference between the two programs?
I like the short program but if I had to go with one of the two I'd go with the Game of Thrones free program.
Is there any music you want to skate to in the future?
In the future, maybe years later hrmm...Right now I really like Yuma Kagiyama's free program Rain In Your Black Eyes. I saw him in the Grand Prix Final, I was like "Oh! That's how I really want to skate! The program, the music, the choreography, it was awesome!".
Is there a skater you look up to?
Yuma!
You did Junior Grand Prix Final and it's your first big international competition, how did that feel? Especially since you medaled twice on the JGP circuit this season?
It was my first competition after four years of injury and I didn't really have as much experience as other skaters so I was really nervous. These were my first international competitions too. At Osaka and Gdansk... I was feeling like this is what I really look up and aim for so I wanted to really show everything I had. I was really excited after all the competitions. I could show the skates I wanted to show and how I could have skated if I hadn't been injured.
How did you manage your injuries during those 4 years?
It was a hard time with all the rehab and four years of consecutive injury. After I healed, a few months later, I'd get injured again, and then heal, and injured again. I think it was just the thought process of "this is just the progress I need to take from all the stuff I'm going to do for years and years later". I shouldn't say this but I think I'm happy I got injured for all these years and if I didn't have that experience maybe I wouldn't love this sport so much.
What has been your favorite memory from the first half of the season?
Well, all the competitions were good! Osaka, Gdansk, Kazakhstan...everything was amazing but if I had to choose, maybe Gdansk and JGPF!
Is there a specific moment why those were your favorite?
In Poland, I really gave it my all. Well... I gave it all in all my competitions. But in Poland, during my last choreo sequence I was really super happy. There's a moment I looked at my coach and I was smiling like "I really did this!". He was super happy and I was really happy. And after I got the medal, all the feelings I had inside of me for the four years that I couldn't skate, all came up to me and blasted me. And for the finals, it didn't go as well as other competitions but I did give it my all. I really learned a lot from all the senior skaters. Especially Shoma Uno, Yuma Kagiyama, Adam Siao Him Fa... Everyone! I saw Yuma's practice for the first time and his skating, jumps, and choreography. I think, it's just my opinion, but I feel like he was really happy every moment when he was skating.
So what is your day-to-day life like?
My day-to-day life is just all about skating! Morning I wake up, I go for a run, stretch, work on mobility, then I go to skating. Warm up, skate, and train, workout, go back for more skating. And after all that maybe an ice bath, stretching…
Do you have any hobbies outside of skating?
All the stress I get from skating, I use for skating. I know that if I do all of this stuff for skating, every movement, every second I do it... then I know at the end, I can do it with all of this training. In the end, after all this, after everything others won't do because it's difficult and bothersome, I know that there will be good results in the end if I keep this up. So I keep skating in my mind and go all-in in skating and I'm planning to keep it this way
Is there any music you like listening to these days? Something that helps pump you up for skating?
Not that much, when I'm warming up I just listen to skating music.
Are there any skaters you're close with?
All of Coach Chi's team. Everyone is really nice so I'm closer to them. And at the Finals, I really became close with Yuma Kagiyama.
That's cool that you look up to him and also get to be friends.
Yeah! Yuma, Rio Nakata, and Kao Miura. I really became close friends with them.
Are there any particular plushies you like to have your fans throw you?
I would like to get anime stuff.
Any specific anime?
Haikyuu!
Do you have any favorite animes?
Haikyuu! is one of them. There's one called Dr. Stone that is science stuff and that's really cool.
Nice! And lastly, do you have any message for your fans?
Thank you for every moment that you cheer me on and I'll try my best and work even harder!
