"She Is So Pretty" "Her Commentary Is Excellent"... Japanese Media Fascinated by the 'Post-Kim Yuna'

Former National Figure Skater Im Eunsu
Gained Attention in Her Competitive Days as the "Post-Kim Yuna"
Shifted to Musicals and Commentary After Retirement

Im Eunsu, commentator for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Screenshot from social media.

Japanese media have highlighted the recent activities of former national figure skater Im Eunsu, who is serving as a commentator at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, following her commentary role at the recent Harbin Winter Asian Games.

On the 9th, Japanese outlet The Answer reported, "As the figure skating team event at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics gets underway, it appears that a former Korean figure skating queen is seated in Korea's TV commentary booth," adding, "Im Eunsu, the champion of the 2016-2017 Korean Figure Skating Championships, announced via her social media (SNS) that she is currently visiting Italy."

Japanese daily sports media Daily Sports also reported, "The appearance of a woman in the commentary booth caused a stir," and said, "The person in the Korean commentary booth is Im Eunsu, a former Korean figure skating champion with experience at the World Championships, who is now working as a commentator." The outlet went on to share reactions from fans at home and abroad, such as "She is pretty" and "Her commentary is great."

Born in 2003, the 'post-Kim Yuna'... Seven years on the national team

Born in 2003, Im Eunsu was a promising women's figure skater once referred to as the "post-Kim Yuna." After winning the bronze medal at the 2016 Korean Figure Skating Championships, she drew attention as a candidate to succeed Kim Yuna as the next figure skating queen. In September of the same year, she finished fourth at the fifth event of the 2016-2017 ISU Junior Grand Prix series held in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

In the second event of the Junior Grand Prix held in Austria in 2017, she won the silver medal, further cementing her status as a leading prospect expected to spearhead Korean women's figure skating. After winning the Asian Open Trophy at the 2018 Challenger Series (CS), her first senior international competition, she went on to claim the bronze medal at the Russian leg (Rostelecom Cup) of the 2018-2019 International Skating Union (ISU) Senior Grand Prix series, becoming the first Korean skater since Kim Yuna to reach the podium in a senior Grand Prix series event.

After retiring, Im Eunsu expanded her career into musical theater and, starting from the recent Harbin Winter Asian Games, has been showing a new side of herself by working as a commentator.