This interview transcript has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Hi, this is Gabb (@tegomass). We were at Skate America 2022 this weekend, and I was so excited about the start of the Grand Prix Series. It was so much fun getting to watch some skating live again.
I had the chance to sit down with my favorite skater and the Men’s bronze medallist of the event, Junhwan Cha (KOR).
How was your time at Skate America?
I think it was quite a great time for me, because it's been almost 3 years since I've come back to Skate America again, because the last time was in 2019. Especially this season, I already finished two Challenger Series events and I was kind of getting more ready for the beginning of the season.
I was very happy to perform in front of the Americans - because I'm performing the "Michael Jackson" Short Program too!
Yeah, the crowd really loved it!
Yes, so I was very happy about coming to Skate America.
So did Finlandia Trophy and Nepela Memorial help you be ready for this competition?
Actually, when I was going to Nepela and Finlandia, I wasn't really ready but I just wanted to go through it and then just think of it as part of training and I think that was really helpful for me, to start the Grand Prix.
You have a few weeks between now and the NHK Trophy. What are you going to do to get ready? Are you going to be training in Canada or Korea?
First of all, I'm going back to Canada to train with Brian [Orser] and Tracy [Wilson]. I still had a lot of mistakes in my Short and Long, so I just want to fix them up and work on them.
Especially, I think, for this season, these new programs need a lot of energy so I just want to get more energy and then give the energy to the audience in the next competition.
I think you did a good job here already so I'm excited to see how the rest of the season goes!
Thank you!
So for this competition, I noticed that you changed your costume for the Free Skate. Was that planned before? Did you change your mind at the last minute or was it something already made, why did you change it?
It was right after the Finlandia Trophy. I just watched the video of my competition and I like the design, but some parts weren't really good - a bit on it. I just wanted to show more different parts of James Bond so I talked with the designer who made my costume and she made it in Korea and then just sent it to here - America - and I just got it here yesterday morning.
Oh wow, that's really last minute!
[Laughs] Yes, it was really last minute.
Did you have any say in the design or did you just tell your designer like "Have fun with it?"
For me, I just give it to her. I just want to hear what the designer is going through but I'm not really touching it because it's kind of a creative part. My decision is important too, but I think her decision is more important to make a better costume.
So I wanted to ask you about your off season. I've heard a lot about you working with Shae-Lynne Bourne, but I also know that you spent a month at the Jincheon Athlete Village. I was wondering how that experience was?
In the off season, I went to Stars on Ice, and then I went to the US. Working with Shae was a great time. After that, I went to The Ice, and then after that I went to Jincheon, where the Korean athletes train.
It's the first time that figure skaters were in that village and actually, for me, it was very special and helpful. I learned a lot there, so I think it was a great moment. I was really happy there and I could skate there.
I stayed there one month and I actually met a lot of different athletes - more from summer sports.
I saw you got really close to Hwang Sunwoo (swimmer).
Yes, ‘cause usually I never meet summer sport athletes - like for swimming or table tennis or taekwondo. But I met a lot of different athletes, and watched how they train. That kind of gave me more motivation too and I think that was a really helpful and fun time for me.
Did you try any other sports while you were there?
I loved the table tennis! [Laughs] And I went to the - I don't know how you call it - heavy weights?
Weightlifting?
Yeah, lifting. I watched how they train and that was a really fun time for me.
So you like summer sports and winter sports. What are your other favorite sports? I know you like Short Track Speed Skating. I got into Short Track because of you!
Oh really? [Laughs]
Yes, next week I'm going to go watch the World Cup!
Oh really? That's cool! Yeah, I like Short Track Speed Skating a lot because it gives me a different extreme feeling than figure skating. So that's really fun too.
I really love swimming too. I think those two sports are my favorite.
Good choices! Okay, for this season, I know that you're trying to increase your technical content with your jumps. I was wondering if you're working on any jumps in particular, like your triple Axel or quads?
Well I really want to challenge myself about the technical parts more this season, but I also want to think about the programs too. So I just want to keep challenging, but also work on both sides.
I was working on my Axel, getting a better quality, but, I mean, I had a little mistake on it at the last three competitions. But I think I can keep working on and managing it well.
Also I want to keep trying and challenging on two quads in the Short Program too. That's my goal.
Well then good luck on that! To finish up, is there anything you'd like to say to your fans?
First of all, during Skate America, I was really happy to skate here - especially on my birthday! I thought my birthday was three days in a row here!
Yeah, everyone celebrated it!
Yeah! [Laughs] Because my birthday is during competitions often, I was really not trying to think about my birthday and just wanted to focus but they were celebrating me and it was a very happy time.
For the next competition, which will be the NHK Trophy, I'll work hard until then and I'll show my fans a better performance.
That's good! And, since you were talking about your birthday, was the cake that Jason Brown got you good?
It was really good! [Laughs]
Good! That's all I wanted to know! Thank you!
Thank you so much!
You can follow Junhwan on Instagram at @jun_july_august