# Kim Hyun-gyeom

Kim Hyun-gyeom (Korean: 김현겸; born June 27, 2006) is a South Korean figure skater. He is the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic champion in both the men's and team events, the 2023–24 Junior Grand Prix Final silver medalist, a two-time ISU Junior Grand Prix medalist, the 2023 South Korean silver medalist, and the 2020 South Korean Junior bronze medalist.

## Personal life

Kim was born on June 27, 2006, in Seoul, South Korea. Before he began figure skating, Kim played soccer at a youth soccer academy. Moreover, he also practiced ballet and took piano lessons as a child.
Kim can speak some Japanese as a result of his mother being fluent in the language. He also speaks a bit of English.
He looks up to training mate, Cha Jun-hwan, as well as fellow skaters, Yuma Kagiyama and Adam Siao Him Fa.

## Career
### Early career

Kim began figure skating at the age of eight and has trained under coach, Chi Hyun-jung, since the age of nine.
As an intermediate novice skater, Kim competed at 2018 Asian Open Trophy, where he won the gold medal. He then went on to finish fourth at the 2019 Korean Junior Championships that same year.
The following season, at 2019 Asian Open Trophy, Kim won the bronze medal as an advanced novice. Then going on to compete at the 2020 Korean Junior Championships, Kim won the bronze medal.

### 2020–21 season

Debuting on the senior national level, Kim placed eighth at the 2021 Korean Championships.

### 2021–22 season

Making his international Junior Grand Prix debut, Kim finished eighth and ninth at the JGP Poland and JGP Austria, respectively.
Following a seventh-place finish at the 2022 Korean Championships, Kim closed his season with a gold medal in the junior event of the 2022 Triglav Trophy.

### 2022–23 season

Kim began the 2022–23 figure skating season by making his senior international debut at 2022 Ondrej Nepela Trophy, where he placed fourth before going on to finish twelfth at 2022 Finlandia Trophy.
At the 2023 Korean Championships, Kim managed to win the silver medal behind Cha Jun-hwan after delivering two clean performances. As a result, Kim was selected to represent South Korea at the 2023 World Junior Championships in Calgary, Alberta.
At those championships, Kim placed eighth in the short program and sixth in the free skate segments of the competitions, scoring personal bests and finishing sixth overall. This placement earned two spots for South Korean men's singles skaters at the 2024 World Junior Championships.

### 2023–24 season

In late July, Kim competed at the 2023 South Korean ISU Junior Grand Prix Qualifiers, where he won the silver medal behind Seo Min-kyu, earning two assignments on the Junior Grand Prix circuit. At his first assignment, the 2023 JGP Austria, he won the silver medal and set a new personal best score in the free skate in the process. He was the only skater at the event to attempt quadruple jump, but it was deemed underrotated. Kim then won gold at the 2023 JGP Hungary, again improving his free skate personal best and setting a new personal best in total score as well. His results qualified him for the 2023–24 Junior Grand Prix Final. The following week he appeared on the senior level at the Nepela Memorial, finishing fourth for the second consecutive season.
Following the Junior Grand Prix, Kim won the national qualifier for the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics, to be hold on home ice in Gangwon. He went on to compete at the senior national ranking competition, finishing fourth.
Kim then competed at the Junior Grand Prix Final in Beijing, where he won the short program. Second in the free skate, he dropped to second overall and won the silver medal. After falling on his quad attempt, he said he was "not that satisfied with my performance" but "happy with the result." He went on to place fourth at the 2024 South Korean Championships. Due to Seo Min-kyu, who had placed ahead of him at Nationals, being age ineligible to compete at the 2024 World Championships in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Kim was given one of the three spots to compete at the event.
At the Youth Olympics, Kim came third in the short program of the men's event. He won the free skate, rising to first overall and claiming the gold medal, the first Olympic medal for a Korean man. He then joined Team Korea for the team event, again winning the men's segment and winning gold with the rest of the team, another first for Korea.
Kim concluded the season making his senior World Championship debut, where he finished eighteenth.

### 2024–25 season

Kim began the season with a seventh-place finish at the 2024 CS Cranberry Cup International. He would then go on to finish fourth at the 2024 Asian Open Trophy.
In early October, Kim competed at the 2024 Korean Universiade and Asian Games Qualifiers, where he placed second to Cha Jun-hwan. With this result, Kim was selected to represent South Korea at the 2025 Asian Winter Games. In late November, Kim would make his senior Grand Prix debut at the 2024 Cup of China, where he finished in ninth place. One week later, he competed at the annual South Korean Ranking Competition, where he placed fifth. With this result, Kim was named to the 2025 Four Continents Championships team. One month later, he finished fourth at the 2025 South Korean Championships.
In February, Kim competed at the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China. During the short program, he took a hard fall on a triple axel attempt, spraining his ankle in the process. After placing tenth in that competition segment, Kim opted to withdraw before the free skate to allow his ankle to heal. One week following the event, Kim competed at the 2025 Four Continents Championships in Seoul, finishing the event in seventh place.
Initially named as the first alternate for the 2025 World team, Kim was ultimately called up to compete following the withdrawal of Lee Si-hyeong.

## Programs

| Season | Short program | Free skating | Exhibition |
| 2015–16 | | The Pink Panther Theme by Henry Mancini choreo. by Kim Chae-hwa | |
| 2016–17 | Love Me Tender Hound Dog by Elvis Presley choreo. by Sin Na-hee | Over the Rainbow by Harold Arlen choreo. by Kim Hyeon-jung | |
| 2017–18 | Billie Jean by Michael Jackson choreo. by Lee Hyun-jung | Grease by Grease Live! Cast choreo. by Lee Hyun-jung | |
| 2018–19 | Billie Jean by Michael Jackson choreo. by Lee Hyun-jung | Smile by Nat King Cole choreo. by Kim Jin-seo | |
| 2019–20 | All of Me by John Legend choreo. by Shin Yea-ji | Bohemian Rhapsody Radio Ga Ga by Queen choreo. by Shin Yea-ji | |
| 2020–21 | Brucia la terra (from The Godfather) by Nino Rota performed by Andrea Bocelli choreo. by Shin Yea-ji | Sherlock Holmes Discombobulate Catatonic I Never Woke Up in Handcuffs by Hans Zimmer choreo. by Shin Yea-ji | |
| 2021–22 | E lucevan le stelle (from Tosca) by Giacomo Puccini performed by Luciano Pavarotti, Leone Magiera, & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra choreo. by Shin Yea-ji | The Man in the Iron Mask Surrounded Heart of a King by Nick Glennie-Smith choreo. by Shin Yea-ji | |
| 2022–23 | Mi Mancherai (from Il Postino: The Postman) by Luis Bacalov & Marco Marinangeli performed by Josh Groban & Joshua Bell choreo. by Shin Yea-ji | West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein & Stephen Sondheim Prologue Jet Song performed by Mike Faist, Kyle Coffman, Kevin Csolak, John Michael Fiumara, & Patrick Higgins Maria performed by Ansel Elgort Cool performed by Ansel Elgort & Mike Faist choreo. by Shin Yea-ji | |
| 2023–24 | Music by John Miles choreo. by Shin Yea-ji | Requiem for a Dream by Clint Mansell Main Theme by Jonas Kvarnström & Clint Mansell Southern Hospitality by Clint Mansell & Kronos Quartet Requiem for a Dream - Requiem for a Basilosaurus (Octopus) by Octopus arranged by Cédric Tour choreo. by Benoît Richaud | |
| 2024–25 | Amuse Bouche (from The Menu) by Colin Stetson choreo. by Stéphane Lambiel Music by John Miles choreo. by Shin Yea-ji | Hold on to Hope in the Dark Times (from Dragonheart: Vengeance) by Mark McKenzie Einon To the Stars (from Dragonheart) by Randy Edelman choreo. by Shin Yea-ji | Mi Mancherai (from Il Postino: The Postman) by Luis Bacalov & Marco Marinangeli performed by Josh Groban & Joshua Bell choreo. by Shin Yea-ji |

## Competitive highlights

* GP – Event of the ISU Grand Prix Series
* JGP – Event of the ISU Junior Grand Prix Series
* CS – Event of the ISU Challenger Series
Competition placements at senior level :
| Season | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 | 2023–24 | 2024–25 |
| World Championships | | | | 18th | TBD |
| Four Continents Championships | | | | | 7th |
| South Korean Championships | 8th | 7th | 2nd | 4th | 4th |
| GP Cup of China | | | | | 9th |
| CS Cranberry Cup | | | | | 7th |
| CS Finlandia Trophy | | | 12th | | |
| CS Nepela Memorial | | | 4th | 4th | |
| Asian Games | | | | | WD |
| Asian Open Trophy | | | | | 4th |
Competition placements at junior level :
| Season | 2018–19 | 2019–20 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 | 2023–24 |
| Winter Youth Olympics | | | | | 1st |
| Winter Youth Olympics (Team event) | | | | | 1st |
| World Junior Championships | | | | 6th | |
| Junior Grand Prix Final | | | | | 2nd |
| South Korean Championships | 4th | 3rd | | | |
| JGP Austria | | | 9th | | 2nd |
| JGP Hungary | | | | | 1st |
| JGP Poland | | | 8th | | |
| Triglav Trophy | | | 1st | | |

## Detailed results

ISU personal best scores in the +5/-5 GOE System :
| Segment | Type | Score | Event |
| Total | TSS | 230.46 | 2023 CS Nepela Memorial |
| Short program | TSS | 81.15 | 2024 CS Cranberry Cup International |
| Short program | TES | 44.99 | 2024 CS Cranberry Cup International |
| Short program | PCS | 36.16 | 2024 CS Cranberry Cup International |
| Free skating | TSS | 155.22 | 2023 CS Nepela Memorial |
| Free skating | TES | 81.96 | 2023 CS Nepela Memorial |
| Free skating | PCS | 73.26 | 2023 CS Nepela Memorial |

### Senior level

Results in the 2020–21 season :
| Date | Event | SP | SP | FS | FS | Total | Total |
| Date | Event | P | Score | P | Score | P | Score |
| Feb 24–26, 2021 | 2021 South Korean Championships | 8 | 47.27 | 8 | 99.32 | 8 | 146.59 |
Results in the 2021–22 season :
| Date | Event | SP | SP | FS | FS | Total | Total |
| Date | Event | P | Score | P | Score | P | Score |
| Jan 7–9, 2022 | 2022 South Korean Championships | 6 | 66.18 | 7 | 133.10 | 7 | 199.28 |
Results in the 2022–23 season :
| Date | Event | SP | SP | FS | FS | Total | Total |
| Date | Event | P | Score | P | Score | P | Score |
| Sep 29 – Oct 1, 2022 | 2022 CS Nepela Memorial | 7 | 67.21 | 4 | 134.98 | 4 | 202.19 |
| Oct 4–9, 2022 | 2022 CS Finlandia Trophy | 13 | 63.87 | 11 | 129.11 | 12 | 192.98 |
| Jan 5–8, 2023 | 2023 South Korean Championships | 3 | 78.60 | 3 | 158.63 | 2 | 237.23 |
Results in the 2023–24 season :
| Date | Event | SP | SP | FS | FS | Total | Total |
| Date | Event | P | Score | P | Score | P | Score |
| Sep 28–30, 2023 | 2023 CS Nepela Memorial | 8 | 75.24 | 4 | 155.22 | 4 | 230.46 |
| Jan 4–7, 2024 | 2024 South Korean Championships | 3 | 79.44 | 6 | 150.06 | 4 | 229.50 |
| Mar 18–24, 2024 | 2024 World Championships | 21 | 74.89 | 18 | 147.90 | 18 | 222.79 |
Results in the 2024–25 season :
| Date | Event | SP | SP | FS | FS | Total | Total |
| Date | Event | P | Score | P | Score | P | Score |
| Aug 8–11, 2024 | 2024 CS Cranberry Cup International | 5 | 81.15 | 8 | 136.27 | 7 | 217.42 |
| Sep 2–6, 2024 | 2024 Asian Open Trophy | 5 | 77.36 | 4 | 140.65 | 4 | 218.01 |
| Nov 22–24, 2024 | 2024 Cup of China | 11 | 67.76 | 8 | 148.88 | 9 | 216.64 |
| Jan 2–5, 2025 | 2025 South Korean Championships | 3 | 81.30 | 4 | 158.95 | 4 | 240.25 |
| Feb 19–23, 2025 | 2025 Four Continents Championships | 8 | 73.62 | 6 | 152.50 | 7 | 226.12 |

### Junior level

Results in the 2018–19 season :
| Date | Event | SP | SP | FS | FS | Total | Total |
| Date | Event | P | Score | P | Score | P | Score |
| Jan 11–13, 2019 | 2019 South Korean Championships (Junior) | 5 | 34.76 | 4 | 74.72 | 4 | 109.48 |
Results in the 2019–20 season :
| Date | Event | SP | SP | FS | FS | Total | Total |
| Date | Event | P | Score | P | Score | P | Score |
| Jan 3–5, 2020 | 2020 South Korean Championships (Junior) | 3 | 42.93 | 3 | 90.67 | 3 | 133.60 |
Results in the 2021–22 season :
| Date | Event | SP | SP | FS | FS | Total | Total |
| Date | Event | P | Score | P | Score | P | Score |
| Sep 29 – Oct 2, 2021 | 2021 JGP Poland | 7 | 62.30 | 8 | 119.40 | 8 | 181.70 |
| Oct 6–9, 2021 | 2021 JGP Austria | 7 | 62.42 | 9 | 114.91 | 9 | 177.33 |
| Apr 13–17, 2022 | 2022 Triglav Trophy | 1 | 66.29 | 1 | 129.45 | 1 | 195.74 |
Results in the 2022–23 season :
| Date | Event | SP | SP | FS | FS | Total | Total |
| Date | Event | P | Score | P | Score | P | Score |
| Feb 7–12, 2023 | 2023 World Junior Championships | 8 | 75.77 | 6 | 137.79 | 6 | 213.56 |
Results in the 2023–24 season :
| Date | Event | SP | SP | FS | FS | Total | Total |
| Date | Event | P | Score | P | Score | P | Score |
| Aug 30 – Sep 2, 2023 | 2023 JGP Austria | 2 | 73.45 | 3 | 138.31 | 2 | 211.76 |
| Sep 20–23, 2023 | 2023 JGP Hungary | 2 | 72.61 | 1 | 149.54 | 1 | 222.15 |
| Dec 7–10, 2023 | 2023–24 Junior Grand Prix Final | 1 | 77.01 | 2 | 146.60 | 2 | 223.61 |
| Jan 27–29, 2024 | 2024 Winter Youth Olympics | 3 | 69.28 | 1 | 147.45 | 1 | 216.73 |
| Feb 1, 2024 | 2024 Winter Youth Olympics (Team event) | — | — | 1 | 136.38 | 1 | — |