SOURCE: "K-POP 아이돌 같아" 피겨 간판 차준환 외모 인기 폭발…일본+이탈리아 반응 초대박 "최고로 귀엽다"
The looks of South Korea's leading figure skater Cha Junhwan win hearts even in Japan.
On the 7th, the opening ceremony of the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics was held at the San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Italy. It marked the first-ever Winter Olympics to be hosted by two cities. South Korea entered the stadium 22nd.
At the ceremony, the South Korean team was divided by venue: 21 participants in Milan (6 officials, 15 athletes), 14 in Cortina d'Ampezzo (4 officials, 10 athletes), 12 in Livigno (3 officials, 9 athletes), and 3 in Predazzo (2 officials, 1 athlete). In Milan, men's figure skating star Cha Junhwan and veteran speed skater Park Jiwoo served as flag bearers. the two athletes entered the stadium while waving the South Korean flag.
Regarding his role as the flag bearer, Cha Junhwan said, "Since it's a role that represent the whole team, I felt great honor and gratitude. It is truly an honor. The flag bearer stands at the very front of the delegation. I hope the positive energy I gain from this role reaches all South Korean athletes," sharing that he wanted to share his energy with the other athletes.
Cha Junhwan's appearance as flag bearer has become a major topic in Japan as well. After the opening ceremony, Japanese media 'The Answer' reported, "The figure skater who served as the South Korean flag bearer is drawing attention with reactions like 'He looks like a K-pop idol,' and 'This is where cuteness is defined.'"
The media explained, "The athlete who served as the South Korean flag bearer was figure skater Cha Junhwan. He marched cheerfully with a smile on his face while waving the flag alongside a female athlete. This is is 3rd Olympics and he placed 5th at the Beijing Games. Even though he is 24 years old, he gives off a boyish charm that make you forget his age," expressing strong admiration for his looks.
Cha Junhwan is already a star in the figure skating world. The Answer added, "He is already well-known among figure skating fans. On social media, there were many supportive comments like, 'Flag bearer Cha Junhwan is unbelievably cute,' 'It was worth staying awake just to see Cha Junhwan,' and 'He looked dazzling because of his sparkling charm.' Meanwhile, there were also fresh reactions like, 'The flag bearer looks like a K-pop idol.'"
Cha Junhwan's popularity continues in Milan as well. On the 5th, he arrived at Malpensa Airport in Milan, Italy, with his teammates. Dozens of local fans gathered at the airport. Cha Junhwan said, "I'm very grateful that so many fans welcomed and supported me. I will do my best to show a great performance in return for the support."
Cha Junhwan placed 15th at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games and 5th at the 2022 Beijing Games. Since he won a silver medal at the ISU Four Continents Championships ahead of this Olympics, expectations for him are very high.
TOP COMMENTS:
1. [+528][-19] He is indeed very handsome. He has the face of an actor.
2. [+467][-14] He actually was a child actor when he was little... If he continued up to be an actor, he probably would’ve been super popular too~
3. [+322][-14] Because of contracts with TV networks and Naver, the opening ceremony and even competition highlights aren’t being uploaded to YouTube.
4. [+34][-1] He has looks that wouldn’t fall short anywhere, honestlyㅎ
5. [+26][-1] I heard the Canadian broadcast went insanse when Cha Junhwan came out… They totally went wild over him thereㅋㅋㅋ
