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With Olympic debut, figure skater Lee Hae-in sticks the landing after scandal

Published: 20 Feb. 2026, 09:29

LEE SOO-JUNG
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Lee Hae-in competes during the women's figure skating free program at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 19. [NEWS1]

A missed chance at Olympic glory. A scandal that engulfed the Korean sports world. A ban that forced her to put her dreams on hold — and wonder if they were over.

For figure skater Lee Hae-in, the road to Milan was anything but easy, but after spending more than half her life on ice since the age of eight, the 20-year-old has finally made her Olympic debut, finishing eighth.

With a short program score of 70.07 and free program score of 140.49, she earned a total of 210.56 — her best score of the 2025-26 season.

Lee Hae-in lies on ice after finishing her free skate program at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 19. [YONHAP]

"I used to overthink and tremble before competitions, which I had to overcome," Lee said after finishing her Olympics program on Thursday. "Today's performance delivered a 'Carmen' who won her own battle." The piece she chose for her free skate program was "Carmen Suite No. 1” (1882).

“My goal for this season was, ‘Do my very best until the end regardless of the results,’” Lee said on Jan. 4. “I am sincerely grateful that I can compete in the Olympics.”

What drew Lee to figure skating was not a grand ambition to become an Olympian. It was the joy of performing in makeup and glamorous costumes, she said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency in 2023.

Lee Hae-in, then a junior figure skater, performs in the free program at a domestic competition held at an ice rink in Gyeonggi in February 2020. [YONHAP]

As a junior skater, Lee has been known for her eloquent and rhythmic execution of her step sequence, a requisite in both short and free programs. She earned a considerably high grade for execution — extra points added to base values — from her delicate maneuver on her skates' edges and cadenced turns and twizzles while also rarely slipping or falling during jumps.

In her final year in juniors, Lee won two consecutive gold medals in the Grand Prix series, the first major international competition of the season that allows the top six scorers to compete in the Grand Prix final. Such an achievement had previously been accomplished only by the Korean figure skating legend Kim Yuna.

Lee Hae-in's major achievements [LEE JUNG-MIN]

Her career faced its first setback in 2022. On track to represent Korea at the Beijing Olympics, she just missed out after coming in third in a competition for two berths to the Games.

Lee later confessed that she cried after the qualifiers, filled with regret for failing to deliver a perfect program throughout the season.

Lee Hae-in celebrates on the podium after finishing second in the women free skating at the 2023 World Figure Skating Championships held in Saitama, Japan. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

In the wake of the thwarted Olympic bid, she continued to skate, hitting her prime in the first half of 2023.

At the Four Continents Championship in 2023, Lee won gold — a first for a female Korean singles skater in 14 years since Kim's victory in 2009. At the World Figure Skating Championship in March of that year, she took home silver.

Despite the accolades, she struggled with certain elements, from the incorrect usage of her edges to under-rotations in her jumps, occasionally receiving partial point deductions.

The following season proved fruitless. She failed to reach the podium in major international competitions, including the Grand Prix series and the World Championship.

That disappointment, however, was overshadowed by allegations that threatened to derail the career of the rising star, who had just become an adult.

Lee Hae-in performs to the original soundtrack of "KPop Demon Hunters" (2025) at the Gala Exhibition during the ISU Four Continents Championships 2026 at the National Indoor Stadium in Beijing on Jan. 25. [EPA/YONHAP]

In early June 2024, Lee faced accusations that she drank with fellow female skater Yu Young during overseas training in Italy a month prior. About ten days later, media coverage reported that she engaged in intimate behavior with a male skater.

The backlash came fast and strong. People on the internet scrambled to identify the skater in question as initial reports concealed their identity and used terms such as "sexual harassment."

On June 20 of that year, the Korea Skating Union stripped Lee of her national athlete title and imposed a three-year suspension on charges of drinking and sexual harassment. Six days later, Lee admitted to the drinking claims.

Addressing the relationship, Lee claimed that she had been dating the younger male skater since her high school years. While she said that the interaction was consensual, the male skater's legal team accused her of shameful conduct.

Lee Hae-in speaks to reporters before attending a deliberation about her suspension from national qualification at the Olympic Center in southern Seoul on August 29, 2024. [YONHAP]

Lee apologized for drinking multiple times in interviews and on social media. At the same time, she filed an appeal with the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee and the Seoul Eastern District Court.

In the meantime, the ex-boyfriend's legal team continued its offense against Lee. The team said the male skater was in therapy and struggling to skate as usual because of the shock caused by Lee questioning his account.

A statement Lee's ex-boyfriend said that Lee left a mark on his neck, which startled the young male skater and caused him to flee. However, according to messages between Lee and her ex-boyfriend in May of that year and disclosed by Lee in August, the boyfriend apologized, and Lee said, "I should not have done it even though you asked me to."

Lee Hae-in speaks during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo in Sangam-dong, western Seoul, on May 21, 2025. [JANG JIN-YOUNG]

Although the committee upheld the skating union’s decision, the district court — having greater authority — sided with Lee in November, terminating the union’s suspension.

“Sexual harassment refers to an infringement of an individual’s sexual autonomy […] which causes humiliation or aversion,” the court said. “The instance of an adult showing affectionate behavior to an adolescent aged under 16 does not, by itself, constitute ‘harassment.’”

Before the court's decision, Lee was barred from competing. Once she was legally cleared of wrongdoing, she returned to the rink and recovered her status as a national team athlete.

After about ten months away from the ice against her will, Lee returned to the ice determined as ever. At the World Championships held in Boston in May last year, Lee and another Korean female skater, Kim Chae-yeon, finished ninth and tenth, respectively. Their combined results earned the country two Olympic spots.

Lee Hae-in performs her free skate program during national qualifiers for the Olympics at Mokdong Ice Rink in western Seoul on Jan. 4. [NEWS1]

The fateful day arrived on Jan. 4 — the final day of the two rounds of domestic qualifying competition. In a short black dress with dark red accents, she delivered an energetic performance to the fast tango tempo of Georges Bizet's “Carmen Suite No. 1” with applause rippling around the arena throughout her program. She even put extra effort into minor details with beguiling smiles when gliding in front of the panel of judges before putting on a determined face as the beat changed.

Once her free program ended, Lee collapsed onto the ice and sobbed. Her past struggles and endeavors flashed before her eyes, Lee later told reporters.

She finished in second place, securing an Olympic spot.

“Misfortune is never permanent, nor is happiness,” Lee said. “I shall gratefully accept the happiness when it comes. And, I will do my utmost best to deliver the best performance at the Olympics.”