# Park So-youn (figure skater)

Park So-youn (Korean: 박소연; Hanja: 朴小宴, born October 24, 1997) is a former South Korean competitive figure skater. She is the 2012 Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy champion, the 2014 Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy bronze medalist, the 2015 South Korean national champion, and a three-time South Korean national silver medalist (2012–2014).
On the junior level, she is the 2012 Youth Olympic team event bronze medalist, the 2012 JGP Turkey silver medalist, and the 2011 Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy silver medalist.
She placed 4th at the 2012 Winter Youth Olympics and 21st at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

## Personal life

Park was born on October 24, 1997 in Naju, South Jeolla Province, South Korea. She studied at Dankook University's Department of International Sports Studies.
In February 2025, Park married former Uzbekistani men's singles competitive figure skater, Misha Ge.

## Career
### Early years and junior career

Park began skating when she was eight years old, in the first grade of elementary school. In 2009, she became the youngest Korean national team member, aged 13. She began competing on the ISU Junior Grand Prix series in autumn 2011.
In the 2012–13 season, Park won gold on the senior level at the Asian Trophy and a silver medal at a JGP event in Turkey. She then won her third national silver medal and was sent to her first World Junior Championships, where she placed 12th. In 2013, Park said her goal was to compete at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

### 2013–14 season: Senior international debut

In August, at South Korea Trials for Junior Grand Prix, she placed 1st in the short program and 8th in the free skate, which resulted in 5th place overall. She was not selected to compete at the 2013–14 ISU Junior Grand Prix. She changed her free program for the Korean Nationals. At the 2014 South Korean Championships, she won the silver medal, 49.69 points behind Kim Yuna.
Park made her senior international debut at the 2014 Four Continents Championships. She placed 8th in the short program and 9th in the free skating, finished 9th with the combined total of 162.71. She was selected to represent her country at the 2014 Winter Olympics with her national teammates, Kim Yuna and Kim Hae-jin. She was 23rd after the short program, barely advancing to the free skate. After the free skate, she placed 21st overall. At the 2014 World Championships, she had a clean free program and placed 9th overall. She scored 176.71 points, which was her new personal best.

### 2014–15 season: First national title

Park made her Grand Prix debut at the 2014 Skate America. She placed 5th in both programs and 5th overall. At the 2014 Rostelecom Cup, she placed 7th in the short program, 4th in the free skate and 5th overall.
At the 2015 South Korean Championships, Park won both the short program and free skate, and won her first national title. At the 2015 Four Continents she placed 10th in the short program, 9th in the free skate, and 9th overall.
At the 2015 World Championships, Park placed 15th in the short program, 9th in the free skate, and 12th overall. Her placement helped earn two spots for South Korea in the ladies event for the 2016 World Championships.

### 2015–16 season

Park received two 2015–16 Grand Prix assignments. She began her season by finishing 4th at 2015 Finlandia Trophy. Turning to the Grand Prix series, she placed 9th at 2015 Skate America and 8th at 2015 Cup of China.
Park then went on to finish 5th at the 2016 South Korean Championships, but was still named for the 2016 Four Continents and World teams since three of the four skaters that finished ahead of her were ineligible for the senior level. At Four Continents, she skated a personal best short program with a score of 62.49 points, placing in the top five in the short program and beating her season's best by 8.71 points. She went on to score 116.43 points in the free skate and a total score of 178.92 points placing fourth overall. Her total score was a personal best and beat her season's best by 14.64 points.

### 2016–17 season

Park placed 8th at the 2016 Skate America and then 5th at the 2016 Trophée de France. She fractured her left ankle during a training session on December 13, 2016, which caused her to withdraw from the 2017 South Korean Championships, 2017 Winter Universiade and the 2017 Asian Winter Games.

### 2017–18 season

Park had to undergo four surgeries while recovering from the ankle injury from the previous season. She participated in all three stages of the national selection process for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, but could not get hold of a ticket.

### 2018–19 season

Park finished 4th at the 2019 South Korean Championships and 5th at the 2019 Winter Universiade. She participated in All That Skate 2019, then announced her retirement from competition. She is going to join the cast for a Cirque du Soleil show.

## Skating technique

Park can land 3S-3T and 2A-3T combinations.

## Programs

| Season | Short program | Free skating | Exhibition |
| 2018–2019 | The Man With The Golden Arm by Billy May choreo. by Cindy Stuart | Titanic by James Horner choreo. by Cindy Stuart | 7 Rings / Problem by Ariana Grande choreo. by Shin Yea-ji Amazing Grace performed by Hayley Westenra choreo. by Cindy Stuart |
| 2017–2018 | Black Swan by Clint Mansell choreo. by Cindy Stuart | En Aranjuez con mi amor by Joaquín Rodrigo performed by Nana Mouskouri choreo. by David Wilson | This Is Me by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul |
| 2016–2017 | The Man with the Golden Arm by Billy May choreo. by Cindy Stuart | En Aranjuez con mi amor by Joaquín Rodrigo performed by Nana Mouskouri choreo. by David Wilson | Amazing Grace performed by Hayley Westenra choreo. by Cindy Stuart |
| 2015–2016 | Black Orpheus by Luiz Bonfá choreo. by Cindy Stuart | Romeo and Juliet by Abel Korzeniowski choreo. by David Wilson The Red Violin by John Corigliano choreo. by Cindy Stuart | Dear Future Husband by Meghan Trainor choreo. by Cindy Stuart |
| 2014–2015 | Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso by Camille Saint-Saëns choreo. by David Wilson | Romeo and Juliet by Abel Korzeniowski choreo. by David Wilson | I Dreamed a Dream by Idina Menzel (from Glee) choreo. by Cindy Stuart |
| 2013–2014 | The Swan (from The Carnival of the Animals) by Camille Saint-Saëns choreo. by Cindy Stuart | Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini by Sergei Rachmaninoff choreo. by Cindy Stuart As you like it by Patrick Doyle Spirited Away by Joe Hisaishi choreo. by Cindy Stuart | I Dreamed a Dream by Idina Menzel (from Glee) choreo. by Cindy Stuart |
| 2012–2013 | Piano Trio In A Minor II : Pantoum by Maurice Ravel | West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein | Poème by Secret Garden |
| 2011–2012 | Poème by Secret Garden | Elizabeth: The Golden Age by Craig Armstrong | They Can't Take That Away From Me sung by Peggy Lee by George Gershwin |
| 2010–2011 | Czardas by Vittorio Monti | Malaguena by Ernesto Lecuona | Roxie (from Chicago) by John Kander |
| 2009–2010 | Carousel Waltz (from Carousel) by Richard Rodgers | Yentl by Michel Legrand | Once Upon A December (from Anastasia) by Stephen Flaherty |
| 2008–2009 | Kalinka by Ivan Larionov | It Ain't Necessarily So by George Gershwin | So long, Farewell (from The Sound of Music) by Richard Rodgers |
| 2007–2008 | The Swan (from The Carnival of the Animals) by Camille Saint-Saëns | Aragonaise (from Carmen) by Georges Bizet | |

## Competitive highlights
### 2011–12 to present

GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix
International :
| Event | 11–12 | 12–13 | 13–14 | 14–15 | 15–16 | 16–17 | 17–18 | 18–19 |
| Olympics | | | 21st | | | | | |
| Worlds | | | 9th | 12th | 18th | | | |
| Four Continents | | | 9th | 9th | 4th | WD | 11th | |
| GP Skate America | | | | 5th | 9th | 8th | | |
| GP Cup of China | | | | | 8th | | | |
| GP France | | | | | | 5th | | |
| GP Rostelecom | | | | 5th | | | WD | |
| GP NHK Trophy | | | | | | | 12th | |
| CS Alpen Trophy | | | | | | | | 8th |
| CS Finlandia | | | | | 4th | | | |
| CS Lombardia | | | | | | 5th | | |
| CS Nebelhorn | | | | | | 4th | | |
| Asian Games | | | | | | WD | | |
| Asian Trophy | | 1st | | 3rd | | 4th | | |
| Winter Universiade | | | | | | WD | | 5th |
| International: Junior |||||||||
| Youth Olympics | 4th | | | | | | | |
| Junior Worlds | | 12th | | | | | | |
| JGP Austria | 6th | | | | | | | |
| JGP Italy | 4th | | | | | | | |
| JGP Turkey | | 2nd | | | | | | |
| JGP U.S. | | 6th | | | | | | |
| Asian Trophy | 2nd | | | | | | | |
| National |||||||||
| South Korean Champ. | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 5th | WD | 5th | 4th |
| Team events |||||||||
| Youth Olympics | 3rd T 1st P | | | | | | | |
| TBD = Assigned, WD = Withdrew Levels: J = Junior T = Team result; P = Personal result; Medals awarded for team result only. |||||||||

### 2008–09 to 2010–11 : Pre-junior international debut

International: Novice :
| Event | 2008–09 | 2009–10 | 2010–11 |
| Children's Games | | | 2nd N |
| NZ Winter Games | | 1st N | |
| National ||||
| South Korea | 2nd J | 3rd | 2nd |
| Levels: J = Junior; N = Novice; ||||

## Detailed results
### Senior level

2018–19 season :
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| March 6–9, 2019 | 2019 Winter Universiade | 10 52.71 | 4 122.95 | 5 175.66 |
| January 11–13, 2019 | 2019 South Korean Championships | 5 62.07 | 5 114.67 | 4 176.74 |
| November 14–17, 2018 | 2018 CS Inge Solar Memorial - Alpen Trophy | 3 58.94 | 9 94.00 | 8 152.94 |
| 2017–18 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| January 22–28, 2018 | 2018 Four Continents Championships | 12 53.05 | 9 106.43 | 11 159.48 |
| January 5–7, 2018 | 2018 South Korean Championships | 5 62.74 | 6 113.83 | 5 176.57 |
| November 10–12, 2017 | 2017 NHK Trophy | 11 51.54 | 12 84.25 | 12 135.79 |
| 2016–17 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| November 11–13, 2016 | 2016 Trophée de France | 6 64.89 | 4 120.30 | 5 185.19 |
| October 21–23, 2016 | 2016 Skate America | 7 58.16 | 8 103.20 | 8 161.36 |
| September 22–24, 2016 | 2016 CS Nebelhorn Trophy | 5 55.71 | 4 106.24 | 4 161.95 |
| September 8–11, 2016 | 2016 CS Lombardia Trophy | 4 56.93 | 5 99.92 | 5 156.85 |
| August 4–7, 2016 | 2016 Asian Figure Skating Trophy | 3 48.02 | 4 80.93 | 4 128.95 |
| 2015–16 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| March 28– April, 2016 | 2016 World Championships | 22 52.27 | 18 101.97 | 18 154.24 |
| February 16–21, 2016 | 2016 Four Continents Championships | 5 62.49 | 7 116.43 | 4 178.92 |
| January 8–10, 2016 | 2016 South Korean Championships | 6 55.34 | 6 105.73 | 5 161.07 |
| November 6–8, 2015 | 2015 Cup of China | 10 52.47 | 6 111.81 | 8 164.28 |
| October 23–25, 2015 | 2015 Skate America | 10 53.78 | 9 105.88 | 9 159.66 |
| October 9–11, 2015 | 2015 CS Finlandia Trophy | 6 51.51 | 3 108.42 | 4 159.93 |
| 2014–15 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| March 23–29, 2015 | 2015 World Championships | 15 53.95 | 9 106.80 | 12 160.75 |
| February 9–15, 2015 | 2015 Four Continents Championships | 10 53.47 | 9 110.28 | 9 163.75 |
| January 5–9, 2015 | 2015 South Korean Championships | 1 60.40 | 1 113.99 | 1 174.39 |
| November 14–16, 2014 | 2014 Rostelecom Cup | 7 53.71 | 4 109.53 | 5 163.24 |
| October 24–26, 2014 | 2014 Skate America | 5 55.74 | 5 114.69 | 5 170.43 |
| August 6–10, 2014 | 2014 Asian Figure Skating Trophy | 5 49.20 | 1 111.29 | 3 160.49 |
| 2013–14 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| March 24–30, 2014 | 2014 World Championships | 13 57.22 | 9 119.39 | 9 176.61 |
| February 6–22, 2014 | 2014 Winter Olympics | 23 49.14 | 19 93.83 | 21 142.97 |
| January 20–26, 2014 | 2014 Four Continents Championships | 8 55.91 | 9 106.80 | 9 162.71 |
| January 1–5, 2014 | 2014 South Korean Championships | 5 52.31 | 2 125.86 | 2 178.17 |

### Junior level

At team events, medals awarded for team results only.
2012–13 season :
| Date | Event | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| February 25 – March 3, 2013 | 2013 World Junior Championships | Junior | 14 47.24 | 12 88.18 | 12 135.42 |
| January 2–6, 2013 | 2013 South Korean Championships | Senior | 3 53.20 | 2 108.68 | 2 161.88 |
| September 19–22, 2012 | 2012 JGP Turkey | Junior | 1 51.45 | 3 93.32 | 2 144.77 |
| August 29 – September 1, 2012 | 2012 JGP USA | Junior | 2 52.33 | 7 85.04 | 6 137.37 |
| August 8–12, 2012 | 2012 Asian Figure Skating Trophy | Senior | 1 49.67 | 1 86.46 | 1 136.13 |
| 2011–12 season ||||||
| Date | Event | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| January 14–22, 2012 | 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games – Team | Junior | – | 1 96.84 | 3 |
| January 14–22, 2012 | 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games | Junior | 5 48.37 | 4 88.23 | 4 136.60 |
| January 4–8, 2012 | 2012 South Korean Championships | Senior | 2 51.43 | 3 93.16 | 2 144.59 |
| October 5–8, 2011 | 2011 JGP Italy | Junior | 4 49.06 | 4 95.65 | 4 144.71 |
| September 28 – October 1, 2011 | 2011 JGP Austria | Junior | 8 46.27 | 6 84.92 | 6 131.19 |
| August 23–26, 2011 | 2011 Asian Figure Skating Trophy | Junior | 3 43.40 | 2 82.30 | 2 125.70 |
2010–11 season :
| Date | Event | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| January 27–30, 2011 | 2011 International Children's Winter Games | Novice | 1 39.33 | 5 49.09 | 2 88.42 |
| January 12–16, 2011 | 2011 South Korean Championships | Senior | 2 48.82 | 2 93.47 | 2 142.29 |
| 2009–10 season ||||||
| Date | Event | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| January 7–10, 2010 | 2010 South Korean Championships | Senior | 4 42.78 | 3 84.99 | 3 127.77 |
| August 28–30, 2009 | 2009 New Zealand Winter Games | Novice | 1 44.50 | 1 62.93 | 1 107.43 |
| 2008–09 season ||||||
| Date | Event | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| January 7–10, 2009 | 2009 South Korean Championships | Junior | 2 37.18 | 2 65.85 | 2 103.03 |
* ISU personal bests highlighted in bold.