Cha Jun-hwan once again proved his presence on the ice. This time the evaluation included not only results but also looks and star power.
Vogue Hong Kong on the 7th (Korean time) selected and introduced 13 male athletes competing at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics who combined both looks and skill. Among them, Cha Jun-hwan was chosen as the No. 1 most handsome skater. Vogue, which covers fashion and culture broadly, turned its attention to the Olympic stage, and Cha Jun-hwan stood at its center.
Vogue Hong Kong described Cha Jun-hwan as a skater known as Korea's prince of ice, saying he gives a clear and calm impression as if filtered. It added that the moment he steps onto the ice he erases his surroundings and creates his own world, and that his experience as a child actor has made him comfortable in front of the camera, giving him exceptional expressive completeness. That means he is a skater who has not only looks but also stage presence.
For Cha Jun-hwan, this Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Olympics is his third Olympic appearance. He set the record as the youngest male singles competitor at age 16 years and 4 months at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, finishing 15th. At the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics he achieved the best finish ever for a Korean male singles skater, placing fifth, showing a clear growth trajectory.
Vogue Hong Kong paid attention to Cha Jun-hwan's evolution ahead of this competition. The outlet said interest is focused on whether Cha Jun-hwan can raise both technique and emotional line another level at this Olympics, and that it expects purer and bolder skating. The evaluation is whether he can present a program that delivers both artistry and aggression, beyond merely stable performance.
The athletes following Cha Jun-hwan are also glamorous names. Johannes Haeb8ekhoven? (Note: ensure correct rendering) symbol of Norway cross-country skiing Johannes Haeb8ekhoven?, Japan's snowboarding icon Ayumu Hirano, and China's short-track ace Liu Shaoang ranked high. They were followed by Austria's ski jumping powerhouse Stefan Kraft, Swiss alpine skiing representative Marco Odermatt, and the American figure skating rising star Ilia Malinin.
The title of most handsome may be secondary. But for Cha Jun-hwan, it is also the result of once again confirming his recognition and star power on the international stage. At his third Olympics and on the road to the peak of his career, Cha Jun-hwan embraces both competitiveness and symbolism. Now eyes turn again to the ice. Whether he can capture technique, artistry and results all together, Cha Jun-hwan's Milan is already drawing attention.
[OSEN]