Cha Junhwan continues on-ice evolution: ‘I want to keep challenging myself and improving’

There’s an air about Cha Junhwan that follows him wherever he goes: On the ice; off of it. He exudes a kind of inviting confidence that has made him not only one of the most popular figure skaters in the world, but also one of the best.

Last March, he put together two of his strongest programs ever at the World Championships, vaulting him onto the podium to win the silver medal, an historic first for a man from the Republic of Korea.

“I think in my opinion, actually, nothing is different,” a forthcoming Cha tells Olympics.com when asked about how his life has changed since then. “I’m just... I’m still a happy skater.”

He beams a million-watt smile that has helped him score acting roles and modelling gigs across Korea, but don’t be fooled: The 22-year-old is deadly serious about his ambitions – and would like to make the coming Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 his most successful yet.

“I really had a successful season last year, but, well, still, I want to keep challenging myself [and] improving as [an] athlete,” he said. “I would say I'm just keep trying my best and working hard.”

With that in mind, he’s made the most significant change of his career: He’s returned home to Korea to train, ending an eight-year partnership with renowned coach Brian Orser.

Cha Junhwan: With Brian Orser ‘I improved a lot’

“I worked with Brian for so long time; we know each other so much,” Cha said of his partnership with the 1988 Olympic silver medallist, which included a move to Toronto’s Cricket Club.

The relationship dissolved, Cha said, mostly due to logistics: “Since Covid, everything changed,” he explained, having moved back home to Korea to train. “I had to keep working and training hard for my dream Olympics. It was quite hard to train with Brian [because] we just always [only] met at competitions.”

His time in Toronto, which dates back to his junior career, was one that shaped him, however: “Working and training at the Cricket Club, I think I improved a lot since [being] a junior skater. I can say technically and, artistically, a lot of, improvement was there.”

“It’s always disappointing” to end a coach-athlete relationship, Orser told Olympics.com in October. “It’s a long time [that] we spent together, so I’d like to think our team had something to do” with his success.

Added Orser: “He has great spins. He’s going to have to keep working at them, but they can be the best. He’s pretty amazing to see live, and is pretty good peaking at the right time.”

Cha will look for said timely peaking at this weekend’s (1-4 February) Four Continents Championships, where he is the 2022 champion. But that was an Olympic year for the event, meaning many of the top skaters in the world were not in attendance.

Neither two-time and reigning world champion Uno Shoma will be in Shanghai, however, nor will Grand Prix Final champion Ilia Malinin.

But Cha will have plenty of strong competition, including a resurgent Kagiyama Yuma, the Olympic medallist who appears to be close to his best again after an injury took him out for the majority of last season.

Cha: 'I want to come back strong again'

While the Orser relationship is no more for now, Cha has kept his connection with Shae-Lynn Bourne, the well-known choreographer whom he has worked with since the 2018-19 season. Armed a mix of quad jumps and a respected cadre of spins, footwork and program connectivity, Cha has continued to focus in on development of both sides of his skating as he's made the transition back to Korea. 

"Figure skating has the technical and artistic parts, so I just always want to take them together and then keep going together," explains Cha. "I am just trying my best to working on my jumps and my choreography. And that's what I really love about skating - figure skating."

The Bourne influence is one that Cha hasn't taken lightly, either.

"When I'm working with her, I get so much energy and power from her," he said. "I always have great ideas and creations [that are] are coming to me... and I am learning from there.

"That's what [makes] training more fun and like, I mean, some parts are hard, but that's the challenge and that's what I can improve more. So I'm really happy about it."

The talent has been evident for Cha since before his first big introduction to the world at PyeongChang 2018 when he was just 16, but he sees his two Olympic experiences as imperfect. He wants back-to-back throwdown programs in 2026. 

"For Milan, I would say my goal will be again [to] really enjoying that moment in my life and just do my best." he said.

The growth is continuous, even at Cha's accomplished level. After he came unravelled in the Skate Canada free skate in October, he said he would use it as a growing experience even as he later revealed an ankle inury.

"I think it didn't go well this time, but it was a great experience for me after, like a very successful season last season," Cha said. "And, I think this is just the start. I just want to stay strong and... yeah, come back strong again."