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Enhypen's Sunghoon realizes Olympic dream as torchbearer in Milan

Published: 06 Feb. 2026, 09:00 Updated: 08 Feb. 2026, 15:38

Sunghoon, a member of the K-pop boy band Enhypen and a former figure skater, attends a news conference at Korea House in Milan, the hospitality space for Korea during the 2026 Winter Olympics, on Feb. 5. [YONHAP]

When Sunghoon, currently a member of the K-pop boy band Enhypen, began his figure skating career as a boy, he dreamed of competing at the Winter Olympics.

More than a decade later, he found himself a part of the Winter Games here in northern Italy — not as an athlete, but as a torchbearer for the relay in Milan on Thursday.

"My first dream was to skate at the Olympics, but I have chosen to pursue my second dream as a pop idol. Even though I am in a different career now, I feel like I've realized my dream," Sunghoon said at a news conference following the opening ceremony of Korea House, the hospitality venue for the Korean delegation during the Olympics here. Sunghoon is a goodwill ambassador for the Korean Olympic & Sport Committee (KSOC).

"I've been able to come here because of what I did in the past [as a figure skater], and I've received so much help along the way," Sunghoon added. "It's a huge honor to be able to come to an Olympic Games and help promote Korean sports. I was so happy to be able to join so many people in this journey that is the Olympics."

Sunghoon, 23, enjoyed a solid career on the ice before taking his talent to music. He won consecutive silver medals in the junior men's singles at the Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy in 2016 and 2017, and also competed at two International Skating Union Junior Figure Skating Grand Prix events.

Sunghoon, whose career ended in 2020, grew up training with the two male singles skaters representing Korea here this month, Cha Jun-hwan, 24, and Kim Hyun-gyeom, 19. Sunghoon plans to watch them compete in the short program on Tuesday.

"It feels like only yesterday we were training together. It is so great to see them now at the Olympics after all these years," Sunghoon said. "I saw how hard they worked all the time, and I know they will do really well here. I will be cheering for them."

When asked to describe his rivalry with Cha, Sunghoon smiled and said, "I wouldn't say we were rivals. Jun-hwan was so much better."

"I always learned so much from him both as a figure skater and an older brother figure," the K-pop star added. "He was a complete athlete who did everything well."

Yonhap