Leading South Korean figure skater Cha Jun-hwan announced Tuesday that he will sit out the current season and step away from the national team, raising questions about his competitive future as many speculate he will take on more entertainment work.
The 24-year-old wrote on Instagram that his contract with Seoul City Hall had ended and that he needed time to consider his next step.
“After wrapping up last year’s season, I spent a lot of time thinking about what to do next. After much consideration, I have decided not to compete or continue my national team activities this season,” Cha wrote.
He also thanked Seoul City Hall for supporting his skating career.
“I sincerely thank the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul City Hall team for their trust and generous support,” he wrote.
Cha did not say whether or when he would return to the ice.
“For now, I plan to focus on the opportunities ahead of me and take time to think about my next steps. I am deeply grateful to everyone whose support has given me strength,” Cha said.
Cha’s decision means he will withdraw from two Grand Prix competitions this season — the Cup of China and Japan’s NHK Trophy.
The figure skater reportedly began considering his future in the sport after finishing fourth at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in February, according to local reports.
In April, he moved further into entertainment, signing with talent agency Fantagio and starring in the ice show “Solo Leveling on Ice” in August.
A former child actor, Cha rose to stardom in men’s figure skating while attending Whimoon Middle School.
He placed 15th at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, setting a Korean men’s singles record. He improved to fifth in Beijing in 2022 and fourth this year.
Cha won the Four Continents title in 2022, took silver at the 2023 World Championships and claimed gold at the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China.
junheee@heraldcorp.com