“It’s not retirement, but...” Figure skater Cha Jun-hwan suddenly announces a pause in national team and competitive activities—why?

[Financial News] Cha Jun-hwan, a leading figure who has helped write the history of South Korean men’s singles figure skating, has suddenly announced he is suspending his competitive activities this season. While making clear that this does not mean retirement, he is expected to focus on popular culture activities rather than his career as a professional athlete for the time being.
On the 12th, Cha said on social media (SNS), “After finishing last season, I gave a great deal of thought to and agonized over what to do next,” adding, “After much deliberation, I decided not to continue my national team activities or compete this season.”
He also announced that he was parting ways with his team. “After having a thorough discussion with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, I have also concluded my contract with Seoul City Hall,” he said, expressing gratitude for its support over the years. He also reportedly recently stepped down from his position on the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee’s Athletes’ Commission for personal reasons.
Following this decision, Cha is also expected to miss the third event (Cup of China) and sixth event (NHK Trophy) of the 2026–2027 International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix Series, for which he had been scheduled to receive invitations.
However, Cha said, “I’ll do my best at the things currently entrusted to me, while carefully considering what direction to take going forward. I hope to continue showing you my best,” and declined to comment on whether he would retire or when he might return. He had also denied retirement rumors that surfaced after the Milan Winter Olympics last February, saying, “I never said it was my last dance.”
The prevailing view within and beyond the skating world is that Cha, a former child actor, will broaden his activities into popular culture for the time being. Last April, after the Olympics, he signed an exclusive contract with entertainment agency Fantagio, and in August he received favorable reviews for playing the lead in the ice show *Solo Leveling on Ice*, based on a popular webtoon.
Cha is a trailblazer in South Korean men’s singles figure skating. After placing 15th at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and fifth at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, he finished fourth at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics held last February, just 0.98 points short of a medal, setting a new record for the best-ever Olympic result by a South Korean man in figure skating. He has also made his mark with major achievements, including winning the 2022 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, taking silver at the 2023 ISU World Figure Skating Championships, and earning gold at the 2025 Harbin Asian Winter Games.


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