Junhwan Cha: “The best part was being able to train properly. This season, I barely trained and had a hard time just adapting at the rink, but this time I was able to prepare to some extent, so I felt better mentally.”
Junhwan Cha placed sixth in the men’s short program at the Four Continents Championships.
original source: mfocus.kr dd. 23d January 2026 by Kim Hyun-jin
Junhwan Cha placed sixth in the men’s short program at the Four Continents Championships, reflecting on his performance, equipment challenges, and the emotional depth of his program ahead of the upcoming Olympics. Here’s a translation of his comments posted on MFocus.
Meeting with reporters in the mixed zone after the competition, Cha said, “It’s a bit disappointing that I fell on the second jump, but I did my best in everything else, so I’m satisfied. I practiced hard for about two weeks, but I think I was a little lacking in the sensory aspects. So today’s mistake is disappointing, but I want to think of it as a good experience to prepare for Milan (the Olympics) in two weeks.”
Cha has struggled with boot issues all season. At the January National Championships, he said, “I finally found boots I can train in.” Regarding his adaptation since then, he explained, “I’m still using the skates from Nationals. They fit reasonably well… Actually, I didn’t have any other options. These were the last ones. It’s hard to order new ones or get more right now.” He added, “Anyway, since these boots are suitable for training, I’ve been focusing solely on practice since Nationals.”
Compared to the Challenger Series and Grand Prix Series earlier in the season, Cha found the official practice and competition process at this event to be the most stable. He said, “The best part was being able to train properly and then go into official practice and competition. This season, I barely trained and had a hard time just adapting at the rink, but this time I was able to prepare to some extent, so I felt better mentally.”
In an interview earlier this season, Cha described his short program as an attempt to express a more human inner side, the other side of life. “It’s not just a happy story. I wanted to include difficult moments and convey the ups and downs of those emotions to comfort those who support me.” The theme of his program seemed to resonate with the ups and downs he experienced due to boot issues throughout the season. Asked about any new details or changes in his performance since completing the program, he said, “I tried to include not only the positive aspects of my life but also my inner and hidden sides. I wanted to reflect more on life itself, not just skating. Through movement, not words, I hope to comfort people about the ups and downs in their own lives. As I kept practicing throughout the season, I tried to include more varied emotions, and I think it’s developing that way.”
Regarding costume details, he explained, “I wanted to add more details. I added fabric and silver decorations to the back, which help match the mood of the music.” When asked if this was meant to express the flow of water, he replied, “I think it has a more natural feeling.”
Looking ahead to free skating, Cha said, “I just want to do my best, like today. I switched to last season’s program, and while I feel comfortable and familiar during practice, I think it might feel different in competition, so I hope this event will be a good experience for me.” Starting from this event, Cha is using last season’s free skating program, “Balada para un Loco.” About his free skate costume, he said, “It’s white and has a flowing feel. It’s different from last year’s red, so I’m looking forward to the new impression it gives.”
Related topics: Four Continents Championships, Junhwan Cha
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