Many young promising skaters made their debut at the 2023 Junior World Championships in Calgary, Canada. We were able to have a quick chat with Minsol Kwon from Korea who made her debut at Junior Worlds this season! She is the 2021 junior national Champion and also the silver medalist at 2022 JGP Ostrava, and bronze medalist at 2022 JGP Baltic Cup.
Minsol Kwon during the women’s short program at the 2023 Junior Worlds Championship. Photo by Gabb.
Your short program this season is Danse Macabre and your free program is a medley to Cats the musical. How did you come to choose your program music?
The choreographer (Yeaji Shin) was the one who suggested Danse Macabre, and since I also like it a lot, and it's one of the programs that Yuna performed so amazingly, I thought I would like to try it too and decided to choose it. The free skate is a program that I've been wanting to do for a while, and I also like animals a lot, so I said I wanted to do it and suggested it.
Via Minsol’s Instagram stories.
You saw Cats the musical recently too! Did it bring you inspiration for performing your program?
The gestures and expressions of the actors were very cat-like, so I saw that and thought I should try to imitate them.
Do character pieces (such as your free program Cats, and your novice programs like Snow White and Cinderella) help you embody and act in a program?
I can definitely embody programs that have a character better, I also find them easier to watch and follow.
Do you have a piece of music you would like to skate to in the future?
There isn't anything in particular. In the future, I want to do programs that suit me well.
What inspired you to skate? Tell us how you started.
After watching Yuna Kim at the Sochi Olympics I went skating with my father for the first time and started skating as a hobby. (Oh, you went to Sochi?) No. I watched it on TV.
You’ve been a flower girl for many years at domestic competitions in Korea. There are so many competitors you got to watch as a flower girl such as Young You and Yelim Kim. How did it feel competing alongside them this year at the Ranking Competition and Nationals?
It's such an honor to be able to compete against the older sisters that I like so much, I really liked being able to go to the competitions, it was really amazing.
After the ice dance free dance at the Junior Worlds Championship, Team Korea (Left to right: Jia Shin, Jinny Kim, Minsol Kwon, Yujae Kim, Namu Lee) take a photo with 2023 Junior World Champions Katerina Mrazkova and Daniel Mrazek. Photo by Gabb.
Any skaters you were excited to meet at Junior worlds?
The Czech ice dance team!
This is your first international junior season. Did you enjoy it?
I'm really happy that I was able to get many good results in my first junior season. I will work hard for the next season and I hope I can get good results again.
What is your favorite memory this season?
What I liked the most was being able to go to Junior Grand Prix Final.
Do you have a favorite animal or mascot? Fans love to know what you like so that they can throw it to you on the ice!!
My favorite animal is a dog!
Lastly, if you have any message to tell to your fans?
(Interviewer note: I feel like her message was too cute to not include as an audio file! Take a listen for yourself on what Minsol wants to tell her fans!)
Thanks to Minsol for taking the time to talk to us! You can follow her on Instagram at @minsol_kwon_!