As the 2026–27 figure skating season approaches, South Korea’s Yujae Kim is preparing to step onto the senior stage after a standout junior career. The transition brings new challenges, but the 16-year-old is eager to show a more mature and artistic side of her skating.

“I’m most excited because I get to compete alongside senior skaters whom I’ve always admired,” she said. “But that also makes me quite nervous.”

Stepping Into Seniors Together

Moving up to the senior level comes with new pressures, but Yujae finds comfort in making the journey alongside her twin sister, Yuseong.

See Yuseong Kim Interview

“It still doesn’t feel entirely real that we’re moving up to the seniors together,” Yujae reflected. “But knowing that I’m not alone and we can do this together gives me the greatest strength.”

While the sisters frequently share the ice as competitors, Yujae noted that their relationship gives her someone she can always lean on.

“While we are competitors sometimes, as we train together, it’s really nice that she always comforts me when I don’t do well,” she explained. “I think Yuseong has a stronger mental game, which is a great quality. I admire Yuseong’s consistency, and I like how she stays unshaken no matter what others say.”

Of course, training together also brings a little friendly rivalry.

“Sometimes, when Yuseong does really well, I do feel a bit jealous,” she admitted. “But when she wins a medal, I congratulate her, and we rise together in a win-win way.”

The sisters’ bond extends well beyond training. When asked about the most comforting words she’d ever received, Yujae immediately recalled something Yuseong told her after one of her tougher skates.

“I know how hard you worked during practice, regardless of the result,” Yuseong told her. “I was really grateful for that,” Yujae said.

Finding Her Artistic Voice

For her senior debut, Yujae is introducing two new programs that showcase both her artistry and technical strengths. Her short program, set to the Frida original soundtrack, features the tracks “Burning Bed” and “Burn it Blue,” a selection recommended by choreographer Kaitlyn Weaver.

“Unlike typical Frida music, I felt a strong yet sorrowful vibe from the very first time I heard it,” Yujae said. “We chose it because I thought it could express a different side of me on the senior stage.”

The program asks Yujae to dig deep emotionally, particularly during the step sequence, where she portrays Frida Kahlo painting while confined to her bed after her accident.

Beyond introducing new programs, Yujae hopes fans will also discover a new side of her skating.

“I want to show my determination to never give up, no matter how difficult the situation gets,” she said. “I want to showcase my own power and charisma through the energy of the music.”

Working with the twins for the first time, Weaver wanted to highlight Yujae’s quiet emotional style.

“She has a quiet emotional depth, and I wanted to lean into that,” Weaver shared. “Rather than asking her to become a bigger performer, I wanted to create space for her sincerity. There’s a maturity in her skating that doesn’t need to be overstated, and I think that music allows her to connect with the audience in a very honest way. It’s tender, nuanced, powerful.”

For her free program, Yujae initially considered retaining her well-received Lord of the Rings routine from her final junior season. Instead, she decided it was time for a new challenge, selecting music from the Gladiator soundtrack (“Now We are Free” and “Barbarian Horde”). The choice was inspired by watching Kaori Sakamoto and Yuma Kagiyama perform to the same soundtrack at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

“In the first part, the protagonist dies in Gladiator, and I want to express that pain,” Yujae explained. “But the music from Gladiator II is also used, where the protagonist survives, so in the final part, I want to express brave fighting.”

Growing Into the Senior Game

Preparing for senior competition has also changed the way Yujae approaches training.

“In seniors, I feel like skating skills and program completeness are even more important than technical elements, so we’ve been practicing those aspects a lot more,” she explained. “Rather than being shaken by a single result, I think it’s important to look at things with a long-term perspective, trust myself, and stay calm.”

With the free skate reduced from seven jump passes to six, she’s placing even greater emphasis on skating skills, spins, choreography, and presentation.

“I’m aiming for two triple Axels in the free program,” she said. “But since the number of jumps is reduced, non-jumping elements and PCS seem to have become more important. So I’m practicing step sequences, choreo sequences, and spins a lot. Beyond just jumps, I want to express deeper emotions in tune with the music and show a mature performance on the senior stage.”

Her planned layouts are:

Short Program: triple Axel, triple Lutz + triple toe loop, triple loop

Free Skate: triple Axel + triple toe loop, triple Axel, triple loop, Change Foot Combination Spin, Choreo Sequence, triple Lutz + triple Salchow + double Axel sequence, triple Lutz, triple flip, Step Sequence, Flying Camel Spin, and Choreo Spin

Attempting the triple Axel in the short program is exciting, but it also comes with extra pressure.

“Since it’s seniors, it’s great that I can attempt the triple Axel in the short program,” she said. “But I’m also nervous because a mistake can drop the score significantly. However, I want to focus and give it a try.”

Yujae and choreographer Yeaji Shin worked together to create the new Choreo Spin.

“At first, Yeaji Shin made a non-basic spin where the protagonist lies down, like a lying pose,” Yujae explained. “Then I put in my unique non-basic spin that I’ve always done. Finally, since the protagonist always picks up soil from the ground (in a lunge), it ends with a lunge.”

Behind the Programs

Working with Kaitlyn Weaver taught Yujae new ways to think about performing.

“Kaitlyn didn’t just have us copy the movements; she explained them so we could understand the emotions behind them. I learned a lot about how to act,” Yujae said.

The process also included lighter moments: “She asked how to say ‘Cute’ in Korean. When I said ‘Gwi-yeo-wo,’ she kept saying ‘Gwi-yeo-wo!’ to me, which was fun.”

Working with Yeaji Shin again felt natural.

According to Shin, Yujae chose Gladiator because it reflected the artistic direction she wanted to explore. Shin said she has enjoyed watching Yujae develop into a confident, commanding performer and called the twins’ senior debuts a source of pride after working with them since they were young.

“Since Yeaji Shin has always choreographed with us, she knows our strengths very well,” Yujae noted. “She paid special attention to the step and choreo sequences and asked us to really emphasize those parts.”

Despite their growing profile, the twins still find that their identical appearance occasionally causes confusion around the rink.

“Our coaches don’t get confused anymore, but Hyeongyeom from our team still can’t tell us apart,” Yujae laughed. “Last time, he looked at me and asked, ‘Are you Yuseong?’ I thought he was joking, but he said he really didn’t know.”

Ready for the Next Chapter

Reflecting on her junior years, Yujae points to her victory at the Junior Grand Prix in Poland as her most memorable competitive moment.

“Two years ago at the same rink, I made many mistakes. This left me with a lot of regrets and disappointments,” she recalled. “But at the exact same rink, even though it was my last junior season, I managed to skate clean in both short and free programs and win the gold medal.”

She also looks back fondly on two of her junior programs: The Four Seasons from the 2022–23 season and her recent Lord of the Rings routine. Looking at her sister’s repertoire, she expressed an interest in trying Yuseong’s Hero: Heaven and Earth program or her current short program.

Off the ice, Yujae balances skating and school while making time to improve her English.

“Since we are so busy, we can’t study a lot, but I try to study English as much as possible,” she explained. “I really like English. Recently I read a book called How a Grade 9 Underdog Became an Interpreter in One Year. I want to be like that author.”

Her current study method is unconventional: she’s working her way through Notting Hill by watching the film repeatedly until she can memorize every line. So far, she’s watched it five times and hopes to eventually reach 100.

To manage training stress, Yujae turns to music, podcasts, and spending time with her dog, Bori. Her off-ice playlist includes artists such as Olivia Rodrigo, Oasis, the Beatles, and older pop music. Fashion isn’t a priority. She happily lets her mother choose most of her clothes and focuses instead on training.

Looking ahead, Yujae has set clear goals for her first season as a senior.

“First, winning a medal at an international competition, including Challenger events,” she stated. “Also, adapting well to my first senior season, getting a GOE of over 2 points on my choreo sequence, getting Level 4 on all non-jumping elements, achieving over 1 point of GOE on all elements, and skating with confidence.”

Her season will begin alongside Yuseong at Cranberry Cup International—a Challenger Series event—in two weeks. It will also be the first international competition the twins will travel to without their mother—another meaningful step as they begin the next stage of their careers. Yujae also was assigned her first two senior Grand Prix events: Skate Canada and Skate America.