“This year, we want to focus on gaining experience and enjoying the process rather than obsessing over results. It’s our first Olympic season, and we hope to learn a lot.” Hannah Lim and Ye Quan
Hannah Lim and Ye Quan Deliver Strong Performances at Cup of China in Build-Up to Olympic Season
original source: mfocus.kr dd. October 24th 2025 by Kim Hyun-jin / mfocus.kr dd. October 25th 2025 by Kim Hyun-jin
South Korean ice dancers Hannah and Ye Quan showcased powerful performances at the Cup of China, setting a season-best in their rhythm dance and securing fifth place overall in a competitive field. Here’s a translation of their comments posted on MFocus.
Performing to a remix of Men in Black, Lim and Quan earned 73.68 points in their rhythm dance, marking a season-best and surpassing their previous score of 66.99, set at July’s Challenger Series Kinoshita Cup.
In the mixed zone, Lim and Quan reflected on their rhythm dance. “We’ve been focusing on improving technical aspects of our performances since the Kinoshita Cup,” they shared. Quan expressed his satisfaction: “I feel like this program has improved significantly compared to the Challenger Series earlier this season. I’m really happy to have set a new season-best score.” Lim added, “I was quite nervous before the skate, but as soon as we started performing, the nerves completely disappeared. I was able to engage with the audience and truly enjoy the program, as if it were a stage performance.”
The duo skated their free dance to Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings, portraying the emotional story of lovers separated by war.
Speaking after their performance, Quan said, “We both felt a little more nervous than usual at this competition. We’ve spent so much time focusing on the technical points, and we wanted to reflect that work in our results. Overall, I’m satisfied, and I’m happy with the levels we achieved.” Lim added, “I’m pleased that most of our elements earned good levels today. It feels like all the effort we’ve put in really showed.”
Their free dance tells the story of lovers separated by war in the 1940s and 50s, a time when only letters could connect them. Quan explained, “The program is about a man leaving for war and the woman waiting for him. It tells the story of their days apart.” Lim elaborated, “There’s a line in the music that says, ‘I will wait for you.’ I tried to convey that message directly as if I were sending it myself.”
Some parts of the choreography emerged organically during practice. “The handshake gesture came out spontaneously during training, and our choreographer decided to incorporate it into the program. The salute was added just before the competition; it naturally fit the story and characters we wanted to portray,” Lim shared.
Additionally, Quan’s costume underwent revisions to better fit the theme. The dark black attire was changed to a deep olive green to enhance the military aesthetic. “The previous costume was too dark, and the military vibe wasn’t translating well under the lights or in photos. We went for a lighter fabric and added texture to emphasize the soldierly look,” Quan explained. Lim agreed, saying, “The green stands out more and looks much more natural on the ice. We also added details to the back to better express the emotions of the program.” Quan noted that the new costume is lighter and more comfortable than the earlier version.
The Cup of China marked more than just a milestone for Lim and Quan. During the event, the pair learned they had been officially assigned to Skate Canada, their second Grand Prix event of the season. Lim shared her excitement: “This morning, we heard that it was highly likely we would be assigned to Skate Canada. We decided to stay focused on the Cup of China first, but after practice, our team confirmed the assignment, and we were overjoyed.” Quan added with a laugh, “It’ll be our first time competing in two Grand Prix events back-to-back. I guess we’ll need to change our flights right away!”
On the topic of this Olympic season, Lim shared her perspective: “This year, I want to focus on gaining experience and enjoying the process rather than obsessing over results. Trying to aim solely for outcomes makes me feel too rigid.” Quan echoed her sentiment, saying, “It’s our first Olympic season, and we hope to learn a lot. I want this year to help us grow both technically and mentally.”
Related topics: Grand Prix of China, Hannah Lim Ye Quan
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