Kim Chae-yeon

Kim Chae-yeon (; born 8 December 2006) is a South Korean figure skater. She is the 2024 World bronze medalist, the 2025 Four Continents champion and 2024 Four Continents silver medalist, the 2023 Skate Canada International silver medalist, the 2024 Cup of China bronze medalist, a four-time ISU Challenger Series medalist (including two gold), the 2025 Asian Winter Games champion, the 2024 Shanghai Trophy champion, and the 2025 South Korean national champion.

At the junior level, she is the 2022–23 Junior Grand Prix Final bronze medalist and a three-time ISU Junior Grand Prix medalist.

Kim Chae-yeon medaled at the World Championships after practicing figure skating for only 7 years, a rare feat in the history of the sport.

Personal life Kim was born on December 8, 2006, in Seoul, South Korea.

Kim's mother, Lee Jung-ah, is an interior designer and is responsible for designing all of her daughter's figure skating costumes. Going on to compete on the 2024–25 ISU Challenger Series, Kim took the gold medal at the 2024 CS Trophée Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur. She was ultimately named as the second alternate for the 2024–25 Grand Prix Final.

In late November, Kim competed at the annual South Korean Ranking Competition, where she won the gold medal. One month later, Kim won the gold medal at the 2025 South Korean Championships, defeating two-time and defending national champion, Shin Ji-a. With this result, Kim was named to the 2025 World team.

At the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China, Kim placed second in the short program but won the free skate, securing the gold medal by almost eight points ahead of three-time and reigning World Champion, Kaori Sakamoto. One week later, Kim competed at the 2025 Four Continents Championships in Seoul, where she won both the short program and free skate segments, scoring personal bests in the process and winning the gold medal by exactly eighteen points over silver medalist, Bradie Tennell. She became only the third South Korean women's singles skater to win Four Continents gold, after Kim Yuna and Lee Hae-in. Following the event, Kim said, "I was a little nervous because I wanted to show my best for the home crowd and I am glad I was able to do that. I wasn't feeling very well this morning, so I was worried about the performance. Fortunately, it turned out very well and I'm very satisfied with the result. I tried to get some confidence based on what I've accomplished at the Asian Winter Games."

The following month, three days before the 2025 World Championships, Kim was in a car accident, which further worsened a lower back injury she was dealing with at the time. Despite this, Kim did go on to compete at those Championships, where she finished in tenth place overall. It was subsequently announced that Kim had decided to move to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to train under coaches Lee Barkell and Jeffrey Buttle, and that she would also make trips to Seoul to continue working with Choi Hyung-kyung and Kim Na-hyun.

In January, Kim placed ninth overall at the 2026 South Korean Championships. Consequently, she was not named to the 2026 Winter Olympic team. She subsequently elected to withdraw from the Four Continents Championships.

Programs

Season Short program Free skating Exhibition 2025–2026 Qui a le droit? Whisperers from the Heart Love Dance

Taegukgi 전쟁! (The War) 영신 (Youngshin II) 에필로그 (Epilogue) 태극기 휘날리며 (Trailer Version) Pantomeme Lilies of the Valley 2024–2025