Interview with Haein Lee

Haein Lee is the 2023 World silver medalist, the 2023 Four Continents champion, and a six-time South Korean national senior medalist. Season 2022-2023 is definitely her era of glam and glory, but this season seems to be a rocky one for her. In Montreal, Haein earned her small bronze medal in the short program of 2024 Worlds with a score of 73.55. But the difficult free skate pushed her off the podium. We got the chance to catch up with Haein on gala day, hoping to know more about her mental games, skating career, identity, and have a glimpse of what her life outside of the rink is like.

Special thank you to Krystal (@kuri_lens on Twitter and Instagram) for transcription and editing. Some photos provided by Gabb (@tegomass on Twitter and @gabietab on Instagram).

Krystal: Let’s start with something easy, what does your day look like? What are your training routines?

Haein: I wake up at around 7 or 8 a.m. and then dance a little bit before breakfast. And then I have three sessions of skating, around four hours. And then I have off-ice training, and then pilates training at 9:30 p.m.. And then I go study another language, and then I go to sleep.

Another language? What are you learning?

This is a little secret, haha!

Alright, we will look forward and one day when you speak another language, we will know! What do you do for leisure?

I really like to dance to K-pop. It’s really tiring to do it, but it’s really fun! And I also like drawing. I draw pictures of my family and friends and give it to them as gifts. I listen to music and watch movies with my family.

I know athletes have strict diets, so what do you like to eat on your cheat days?

I like Korean fried chicken!

Question! Do you like fried or yangnyeom (Korean fried chicken coated with sweet and sour seasonings)?

Fried? Because I can choose to dip it or not, so I like fried ones more!

*Photo by Gabb (@gabietab on* *Instagram*)

Moving to more competition-related stuff, what does your competition day look like? Any routines?

I have an official practice first, and then I will go to sleep, take a nap. It only takes 30 minutes to do my makeup and hair, so I can sleep more and rest well.

That’s quick! Your makeup looks detailed, I heard skaters doing…

Two hours! I’m not like those girls, I just EHHHHHH (hastily applying makeup), DONE!

Of course, competitions are stressful, do you have any pre-comp stuff you will do to help loosen yourself up?

I try to do the same as practice. When I’m in competitions, I try to tell myself “this is not a competition, this is just a practice.” That helps me to relax and not think too much and do my thing.

What is going on in your head before competitions? In your free skate, you have five skaters ahead of you after the warm-up session, what’s in your head?

Nothing much, I’m just thinking about my program. Because it will be my last time to show this program. It is a little bit sad, because I really love this program. I just keep thinking about my program and my whole season.

So, are you having new programs next season?

Yes, I will have new short program and free program next season.

Not only me, a lot of fans also love your short program, Seirenes. You said in an interview last season that your goals for this season is to get your triple Axel back, have stronger choreography, and gain consistency. How did you come up with Seirenes? The music choice and choreo.

Lori (Nichol) picked it for me, I didn’t pick it. I think they picked it because they want me to skate like a senior, more mature. They want me to improve on my skating. It was very hard to do it, but I think most people like Seirenes more than Why Don’t You Do Right?I'm happy about my programs.

You said you are bringing back Seirenes in Worlds because you think you are more ready to do it. What is difficult about Seirenes?

Because the step sequence music is like BOOM BOOM (intense), but before that it’s the same pace. It was really to express the feelings about the program. The movements also, because I used to do musical music, they come with a story. But Seirenes does not have that much of a story, it’s just sirens, mermaids. That part was hard for me.

So did you come up with your own interpretation of Seirenes?

Yes I actually made my own story for Seirenes. The starting pose looks like a mermaid, so I’m like living in the ocean, and I was swimming around with my friends and family. And then the enemy came, so I beat them and felt happy.

Which part in Seirenes makes you shine the most?

Step sequence!

Seirenes is so different when compared to what you have done before, what did you do to adjust to a new style?

It was very hard to do new program, new music. Every time, I got scared. For example Seirenes, I have never done those kind of music. I had no confidence in the program. But it’s fun to do it, new program and new music. I think it’s a good opportunity for my career, it’s fun.

Do you plan to continue with something similar to Seirenes, or go back to musical, or try something new?

I’m not sure yet, but I want to try something new. But I want to try something new.

There’s this analogy, there’re beautiful dresses, and there are dresses that make you look beautiful. I hope you can find programs that make you look beautiful. Among all of your programs, which program best represents you?

I think it’s Phantom of the Opera. I like the lyrics “you are not alone,” and then I go double Axel-triple Toe loop, it’s the same for me, you are not alone. I felt so safe and confident. That’s why I can do much better at the end of the season. And the step sequence too! Even though I changed my program every season, I keep practicing the step sequences from old programs like Homage to Korea and Ave Maria. It’s so much fun to bring back the old step sequences.

It’s very admirable for that because if I were you, practicing the same programs for an entire season, again and again, I would get bored.

It’s like a refresh. Because I was doing Notre Dame de Paris, and I think I lost interest. So I practiced Phantom of the Opera, and then went back. It feels new.

I know you started skating because of Yuna Kim, what in Yuna that you look upon the most?

I saw her World Championships in 2013. At that moment, I thought I wanted to be like her, I wanted to be a figure skater. I want to compete in big competitions, World Championships. And her jumps as well, her jumps are textbook-levels. And she has nice speed. Her movements are just beautiful, and she never drops her arms like (sloppy), always has energy.

Of course that will be a long way to be someone like her, but what do you want to work on so as to get closer to her?

I think I have to practice REALLY hard. And everytime I compete, I get a little bit scared. “If I make a mistake, what should I do…”, “what am I supposed to do…”, I think that’s not good for me, that’s not healthy for my skating. I think I have to work on my mental strengths.

Do I remember correctly or incorrectly, are you ENFP?

No, I’m ENTJ. You know what, I was an ESFP. I was F. Because of Jun (JunHwan Cha), I became T. Every time when I go like “my leg hurts, oppa…”, and he’s like “oh…” (nodding). Like WHAT.

Note:

F refers to “feelers,” who are typically more aware of their own and other people’s emotions.

T refers to “thinking”, T people are prone to use logic and analytics to make decisions.

ENFP is called the Campaigner in the MBTI personality test.

ENTJ is called the Commander in the MBTI personality test.

ESFP is called the Entertainer in the MBTI personality test.

Oh, I think F-athletes may have a harder time, although you are a T now.

I was an F. Because of him (Side eye) BOMBASTIC SIDE EYE. I like to be T, I think it’s better for me. Because when I make a mistake in competitions or have a bad skate, I don’t cry anymore. I go and have fun and try to forget the bad parts and try to move on. I think T is good for figure skating, thanks to him! Thanks!

I actually tried counting the MBTIs of Team Korea, I think Jia Shin is the only F now.

She will be T, because she started talking to Jun, haha.

We have to go back on track, focus. I know you want to skate like Yuna, and at the same time you are searching for programs that suit you better. Is there anything that you want to trademark?

I think step sequence is my favourite, and Haein Lee is step sequence! Sometimes I get Level 3, but most of the time, I get Level 4, and high GOEs. So it’s good and I feel confident doing my step sequences.

You had three goals last season, what is done to build your triple Axel and consistency then?

On Christmas, I did my triple Axel after two or three months of rest because I didn’t need it. At first attempt, I landed it, but Q, so… okay… I will keep practicing. I landed the triple Axel so many times, I really want to add the triple Axel into my program, and one day I can do it in competition. For consistency, I used to jump a lot, till my body said “stop Haein.” So now I jump till my body starts feeling not as nice, and I will do triple Axel for 30 minutes, or 1 hour if I feel good.

This season is difficult in many ways, how do you perceive these hiccups?

This season was really hard for me, but I think I learnt many things. When I skated badly, I used to lock myself in the room and do nothing. I turn off my phone, just sleep, and spend all my time in my room. Now I have changed. Even if I skate badly in the competition, I come out and hang out with my friends, or talk to my family. Just think about how I can make myself happy, and do fun things. That’s what I learnt from this season. And I also learnt that my motivation should be for myself, not for other people. It is still hard to change the way I think about my motivations, I’m still trying. I hope next season will be better.

We know you worked hard, but unfortunately it wasn’t shown in competitions. Will you be adjusting your training?

I am not sure yet. But I don’t think I can change my practice and skating routines, because I like it now. I think the practice it’s not a problem, my body feels nice, strength’s nice. But I think here (pointing at her head) it’s not that good, not 100 percent good. If here (pointing at her head) is good, my next season will be good.

Will you be working with a sports psychologist?

No, but I talk to my friends or my mom about how I am feeling about my life, and how I am feeling right now, what happened. They comfort me a lot, that’s really helpful.

Does your coach Ms. Chi help you with that part?

Yes, but not that much, I think she’s T too, just like Jun. Every time I’m like “선생님 (trans: teacher) I’m sad”, she will be like “it will be okay, it will be okay.”

Off season is coming soon, any plans? Vacations?
I used to not go anywhere, not visit anywhere. I was an introvert, but now I’m an extrovert. I want to visit other countries, make new programs. And I want to rest with my cat, I’m very tired. I will hang out with my friends!

It’s almost the end of the interview, the last part will be some funnier questions. I know Kao Miura went to Korea and you were the tour guide, how was it?

We went to the amusement park together, LOTTE WORLD. We took the bus together, we were always together, almost every day. He needs a guide in Korea, and I was his guide. I was like “this is so famous, this is so good, we should go here, we should go there.” But it was also my first time, usually I just hang out one day and then practice, practice, practice. But we hanged out THREE DAYS, so tired. The next day, I skated really bad, haha!

Did you get scolded?

No no no.

It’s there any funny episodes during his visit?

You know 불닭볶음면 (Korean instant noodle, known for being very hot and spicy)? I made him try it, and he was crying. He kept saying やばいやばい (trans: it’s not good), his face was really red and starting to cry. So I said “sorry Kao! 大丈夫？大丈夫？” (trans: sorry Kao, are you okay?) He’s like “NO 大丈夫 NO 大丈夫” (trans: it’s not okay) He was drinking two bottles of water, it was crazy.

Was that the original flavour?

No! It’s carbonara, but I put all the sauce in for him. I was so mean, mine was not spicy and he got the spicy one. I just want him to try the spicy ramen.

Did you teach Kao any Korean?

Yes of course, it’s like 그렇지 (pronounciation: “keu-reo-ji”). That means “okay” or “let’s go.” If I did something well, I will say that. So I taught him to say 그렇지. We were playing UNO, the board game, he won and said 그렇지. He was doing a great job.

You graduated from high school, any expectations for university life?

I heard high school and university are really different, so I am looking forward to it. I want to meet many friends and talk to non-figure skater friends. I think going to university will be fun. I want to study more sports.

Are you taking international sports?

Yes.

Last question, if you were inviting any skater from Worlds to Korea, and you are there to be the tour guide, who would that be?

I don’t know, but I want many skaters to come to Korea. But anyways, the next 4CC will be held in Korea. So I think I will be the guide for many skaters. Go there! Go there!

You can just rent a car or tour bus.

I want to! But I want to, but I don’t have a driving license yet. I will try to…

But Junhwan has a driving license, right?

He has, but…haha, I want to drive! Everyone will be like this, (grabbing the handles with full force or sliding left and right) I want to be the driver.

That’s the end of this interview, is there anything you want to tell the fans?

I am just so happy to see my fans at figure skating events, they gave me a lot of good energy, and I always feel grateful for their love for me. I want to do an Instagram live with them!