Lim Eun-soo

In this Korean name, the family name is Lim.

Lim Eun-soo
Lim at the 2019 CS Autumn Classic
Native name	임은수
Born	(2003-02-26) February 26, 2003 (age 21) Seoul, South Korea
Hometown	Gyeonggi Province, South Korea
Height	1.64 m (5 ft 4+1⁄2 in)
Figure skating career
Country	South Korea
Began skating	2009
Retired	2023

Lim Eun-soo (Korean: 임은수; born February 26, 2003) is a retired South Korean figure skater. She is the 2018 Rostelecom Cup bronze medalist, the two-time CS Asian Open champion (2018, 2019), the 2018 CS U.S. Classic silver medalist, and the 2017 South Korean national champion. She has finished within the top ten at three senior ISU Championships.

Earlier in her career, Lim won two medals on the ISU Junior Grand Prix series (bronze at the 2016 JGP Germany and silver at the 2017 JGP Austria). She has finished within the top five at the World Junior Championships for two consecutive years (2017, 2018).

Career

Early years

Lim was born on 26 February 2003 in Seoul, South Korea.^[7] Lim began skating in 2009.^[8] She started training with Chi Hyun-jung as her coach in 2014.^[7]

Nationally, Lim started competing at the senior level during the 2014–15 figure skating season. She obtained the bronze medal at the 2016 South Korean Championships, finishing behind You Young and Choi Da-bin.

2016–2017 season: Junior international debut and national title

Lim at the 2017 World Junior Championships.

Lim debuted on the Junior Grand Prix (JGP) series in September 2016, placing fourth in Ljubljana, Slovenia. In October, she received the bronze medal at a JGP event in Dresden, Germany. In January 2017, she won her first senior national title.^[9] In March, Lim placed fourth overall at the 2017 World Junior Championships, scoring personal bests in every segment of the competition in her ISU championship debut.^[10]

2017–2018 season: Second JGP medal

Lim started the season with a silver medal at the Asian Open Trophy in August. In September, she received the silver medal at JGP Salzburg, Austria, with a score of 186.34. She surpassed her old record, with a difference of almost six points. In her next JGP event, in Gdańsk, she received a score of 58.60 after struggling on the first spin of her program and an edge warning on her opening combination, a triple flip-triple toe loop. In the free skate, she received another unclear edge in her flip jump and popped a triple toe loop in her double axel, triple toe loop combination. Lim later suffered a fall on a triple Salchow, along with a jump repetition violation on her double axel, double toe loop combination near the end of her program, after doing it again halfway through her program. With a final score of 162.58, she placed fourth overall, losing her chance of making it to the Junior Grand Prix Final.

Lim announced at the beginning of December that she was diagnosed with a fracture on her right big toe.^[11]

In January, she placed third at the national championships. Lim was subsequently named as part of Korea's team to the 2018 World Junior Championships. She would place fifth in the short program and 6th in the free skate to finish fifth overall.

On April 18, it was reported that she would be moving to the United States to train with Rafael Arutyunyan at his California camp.^[12]

2018–2019 season: Senior international debut

Lim started the 2018–2019 season with a win at the 2018 CS Asian Open Trophy, placing first in the short program and second in the free. She obtained a personal best in the short with a score of 68.09. Lim's second competition was the 2018 CS U.S. International Figure Skating Classic. At the event, she won a silver medal behind Satoko Miyahara of Japan and ahead of Kim Ye-lim, her Korean teammate.

About a month later, at the 2018 NHK Trophy, Lim earned a personal best of 69.78 in the short program, placing fourth. However, she struggled in the free program, receiving a score of 126.53. She finished the competition in sixth place with a score of 196.31.

At the 2018 Rostelecom Cup, Lim placed sixth in the short, missing her opening combination and stepping out on both her double axel and triple flip. However, she rebounded in the free program, skating cleanly and scoring a personal best in the free program, finishing third and winning her first senior medal on the Grand Prix circuit. She commented: "I have to skate better in my next competition, but overall I am satisfied. This season is really important for me because it is my first senior season."^[13]

After winning the silver medal at South Korea's national championships, finishing behind You Young, and was assigned to the Four Continents Championships, and as South Korea's lone ladies' entry to the 2019 World Championships. At Four Continents, Lim placed fourth in the short program, with what would have been a new personal best score but for a one-point deduction for a time violation.^[14] The free skate proved a disappointment by comparison, with several bad landings dropping her to eighth place overall. Discussing her performance afterward, she said, "I felt like everything is not working today. It’s just an experience. I don’t think today I had any part that’s good."^[15]

Lim went on to finish tenth at the 2019 World Championships, qualifying two spots for South Korea for the 2020 World Championships.^[16] Lim's World Championship debut was overshadowed by controversy when accusations were made that Lim had been deliberately injured in practice by American skater Mariah Bell, who also trained with Rafael Arutyunyan. Lim had been skating slowly near the right-side boards of the rink and Bell struck Lim’s calf with her skate toe pick while making a turn during her run-through. Lim had to immediately stop her practice session to receive urgent medical treatment from the on-site medical staff outside the rink. Her left calf had swelled up as a result of the incident. An investigation by the ISU subsequently found "no evidence" to support the allegation.^{[17][18][19][20]}

In 2023, Lim spoke up regarding the incident, saying, “It was an issue between the two of us, and there were conflicts. I cannot prove whether the incident (collision) was intentional or not. Only she knows.”

2019–2020 season

Following the controversy at the World Championships, Lim departed Arutyunyan's camp and returned to Korea for training with her former coaches. Lim began her season with her new coach at 2019 CS Autumn Classic International, where she ranked fifth in the short program and third in the free, winning the bronze medal.^[21] She won a second bronze medal at the 2019 Shanghai Trophy.

Beginning the Grand Prix at 2019 Skate America, Lim was eighth in the short program following multiple jump errors.^[22] She rose to fifth place overall in the free skate.^[23] Lim continued with struggles at the 2019 NHK Trophy, her second Grand Prix. In the short program, she had errors on her triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination, and in her free skate, she had multiple falls and numerous under rotations leading her to finish seventh overall. She was seventh as well at the 2020 South Korean Championships, but as several of the skaters ahead of her were senior-ineligible, she was sent to the 2020 Four Continents Championships, held that year in Seoul. She finished eighth at Four Continents, saying, " I couldn't be fully satisfied. So what I can do is practice hard and show good performances next year."^[24]

2020–2021 season

With the COVID-19 pandemic greatly curtailing international opportunities for Korean skaters, Lim competed first at the 2021 South Korean Championships, placing sixth.^[25]

2021–2022 season

Returning to international competition, Lim's first Grand Prix assignment was initially the 2021 Cup of China, but following that event's cancellation, she was reassigned to the 2021 Gran Premio d'Italia in Turin.^[26] She finished in sixth place at the event.^[27] The following week, she competed at her second event, 2021 NHK Trophy, where she was fifth in the short program. In the free skate, she aborted the takeoff on her planned triple flip and did not replace it, ending up with only six jumping passes instead of the allowed seven and ending up sixth in that segment, but remained in fifth overall.^[28]

At the 2022 Korean Championships, Lim placed sixth in the short program but ninth in the free skate, dropping to ninth-place overall.^[29]

2022–2023 season

Although assigned to compete at 2022 Skate Canada, Lim withdrew and opted to sit out of the 2022–23 figure skating season.^[30]

On July 11, 2023, Lim announced her retirement from competitive figure skating.^[31][20]

Post-competitive career

Since retiring from competitive figure skating, Lim began choreographing for former coach, Choi Hyung-kyung's students. Her clients have included Kim Chae-yeon and Lee Jae-keun.^[32][33][34]

In August 2024, Lim starred as the lead role in a South Korean musical ice show, titled, "G-SHOW: THE LUNA."^{[35][36][37][38]}

Programs

Lim at the 2018 World Junior Championships

Season	Short program	Free skating	Exhibition
2021–2022 [39]	El Tango de Roxanne (from Moulin Rouge!) by Ewan McGregor, Jacek Koman, & Jose Feliciano choreo. by Shin Yea-ji	East of Eden by Lee Holdridge choreo. by Jeffrey Buttle
2020–2021 [40]	Capriccio Espagnol by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov choreo. by David Wilson
2019–2020 [41][42]	Somewhere in Time by John Barry choreo. by Jeffrey Buttle Capriccio Espagnol by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov choreo. by David Wilson	Sabrina by John Williams choreo. by David Wilson	Is That Alright? by Lady Gaga choreo. by Shin Yea-ji
2018–2019 [43][44]	Somewhere in Time by John Barry choreo. by Jeffrey Buttle	Roxie performed by Renée Zellweger Nowadays / Hot Honey Rag performed by Renée Zellweger & Catherine Zeta-Jones (from Chicago) by John Kander & Fred Ebb choreo. by Akiko Suzuki	Is That Alright? [45] by Lady Gaga choreo. by Shin Yea-ji Make Me Feel[45] by Janelle Monáe choreo. by Shin Yea-ji Havana[46] by Camila Cabello feat. Young Thug choreo. by Jeffrey Buttle[47]
2017–2018 [48][49]	Rich Man's Frug (from Sweet Charity) by Cy Coleman, Dorothy Fields choreo. by Scott Brown	Grand Guignol by Bajofondo Oblivion Libertango by Astor Piazzolla choreo. by Cindy Stuart	Havana[50] by Camila Cabello feat. Young Thug choreo. by Jeffrey Buttle[47] Swish Swish[51][52] by Katy Perry choreo. by Misha Ge
2016–2017 [8]	Besame Mucho by Thalía choreo. by Shin Yea-ji	Miss Saigon by Claude-Michel Schönberg choreo. by Alex Chang	Let's Have a Kiki covered by the Glee cast feat. Sarah Jessica Parker Besame Mucho by Thalía choreo. by Shin Yea-ji
2015–2016	Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi composed by Salim–Sulaiman choreo. by Kenji Miyamoto	The Artist by Ludovic Bource choreo. by Cindy Stuart	Let's Have a Kiki covered by the Glee cast feat. Sarah Jessica Parker
2014–2015		The Pink Panther composed by Henry Mancini choreo. by Shin Yea-ji
2013–2014	Evita by Andrew Lloyd Webber choreo. by Shin Yea-ji
2012–2013		Kung Fu Panda by Hans Zimmer choreo. by Shin Yea-ji
2011–2012

Competitive highlights

GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

2016–17 to present

International[53]
Event	16–17	17–18	18–19	19–20	20–21	21–22	22–23
Worlds			10th
Four Continents			7th	8th
GP Cup of China						C
GP Italy						8th
GP NHK Trophy			6th	7th		5th
GP Rostelecom Cup			3rd
GP Skate America				5th
GP Skate Canada							WD
CS Asian Open			1st	1st		WD
CS Autumn Classic				3rd
CS U.S. Classic			2nd
Shanghai Trophy				3rd
International: Junior[53]
Junior Worlds	4th	5th
JGP Austria		2nd
JGP Germany	3rd
JGP Poland		4th
JGP Slovenia	4th
Asian Open	3rd	2nd
National[53]
South Korean	1st	3rd	2nd	7th	6th	9th
TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew

Pre-international debut

International: Basic Novice[53]
Event	12–13	13–14	14–15	15–16
Asian Open		1st
National[53]
South Korean Champ.	4th N	4th J	9th	3rd
Levels: N = Novice; J = Junior

Detailed results

Senior level

2021–22 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
January 7–9, 2022	2022 South Korean Championships	6 66.04	9 121.41	9 187.45
November 12–14, 2021	2021 NHK Trophy	5 65.23	6 121.45	5 186.68
November 5–7, 2021	2021 Gran Premio d'Italia	6 67.03	8 112.55	8 179.58
2020–21 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
February 24–26, 2021	2021 South Korean Championships	4 67.25	9 111.81	6 179.06
2019–20 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
February 4–9, 2020	2020 Four Continents Championships	6 68.40	7 132.19	8 200.59
January 3–5, 2020	2020 South Korean Championships	4 63.95	7 118.63	7 182.58
November 22–24, 2019	2019 NHK Trophy	6 65.28	10 107.19	7 172.47
October 30 - November 3	2019 CS Asian Open	1 66.84	1 130.79	1 197.63
October 18–20, 2019	2019 Skate America	8 63.96	5 120.54	5 184.50
October 3–5, 2019	2019 Shanghai Trophy	3 62.87	1 121.77	3 184.64
September 12–14, 2019	2019 Autumn Classic International	5 56.31	3 128.07	3 184.38
2018–19 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
March 18–24, 2019	2019 World Championships	5 72.91	10 132.66	10 205.57
February 7–10, 2019	2019 Four Continents Championships	4 69.14	8 122.71	7 191.85
January 11–13, 2018	2019 South Korean Championships	2 67.14	2 127.06	2 194.20
November 16–18, 2018	2018 Rostelecom Cup	6 57.76	3 127.91	3 185.67
November 9–11, 2018	2018 NHK Trophy	4 69.78	6 126.53	6 196.31
September 12–16, 2018	2018 CS U.S. International Classic	2 64.85	2 122.45	2 187.30
August 1–5, 2018	2018 CS Asian Open Trophy	1 68.09	2 116.24	1 184.33

Junior level

Lim at the 2017 World Junior Championships.

Lim at the 2018 World Junior Championships

2017–18 season
Date	Event	Level	SP	FS	Total
March 5–11, 2018	2018 World Junior Championships	Junior	5 62.96	6 122.16	5 185.12
January 5–7, 2018	2018 South Korean Championships	Senior	2 66.10	4 119.78	3 185.88
October 4–7, 2017	2017 JGP Poland	Junior	4 58.60	5 103.98	4 162.58
August 31–September 2, 2017	2017 JGP Austria	Junior	2 64.79	2 121.55	2 186.34
August 2–5, 2017	2017 Asian Open Trophy	Junior	3 58.43	2 118.82	2 177.25
2016–17 season
Date	Event	Level	SP	FS	Total
March 15–19, 2017	2017 World Junior Championships	Junior	4 64.78	4 116.03	4 180.81
January 6–8, 2017	2017 South Korean Championships	Senior	1 64.53	1 127.45	1 191.98
October 5–9, 2016	2016 JGP Germany	Junior	2 63.83	5 109.38	3 173.21
September 21–25, 2016	2016 JGP Slovenia	Junior	6 55.88	3 111.03	4 166.91
August 4–5, 2016	2016 Asian Open Trophy	Junior	2 60.61	3 108.44	3 169.05
2015–16 season
Date	Event	Level	SP	FS	Total
January 8–10, 2016	2016 South Korean Championships	Senior	4 59.33	3 116.64	3 175.97
2014–15 season
January 7–9, 2015	2015 South Korean Championships	Senior	8 51.10	10 89.53	9 140.63
2013–14 season
January 3–5, 2014	2014 South Korean Championships	Junior	1 48.90	6 82.46	4 131.36
August 8–11, 2013	2013 Asian Open Trophy	Novice		1 41.97	1 41.97
2012–13 season
January 4–6, 2013	2013 South Korean Championships	Novice	7 27.20	3 50.32	4 77.52

• Personal best highlighted in bold.

Awards and recognition

Year	Awards
2017	Harper's Bazaar: January Issue Model

References

1. "Eunsoo LIM". International Skating Union.
2. "ISU World Standings for Single & Pair Skating and Ice Dance : Ladies". International Skating Union.
3. "Season Best Score 2019/2020". International Skating Union.
4. "Season Best Score 2018/2019". International Skating Union.
5. "Seasons Best Score 2017/2018". International Skating Union.
6. "Seasons Best Score 2016/2017". International Skating Union.
7. 조, 영준 (May 3, 2016). [피플人 인터뷰] '피겨 유망주' 임은수, "2022년 베이징올림픽 金이 꿈" [Eunsoo Lim said "My goal is the gold medal at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics] (in Korean). Spotv News.
8. "Eunsoo LIM: 2016/2017". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on January 10, 2017.
9. Lee, Soon-heung (January 9, 2017). "Teen Figure Skaters Lay Claim to Kim Yu-na's Laurels". The Chosun Ilbo.
10. Flade, Tatjana (30 August 2017). "Eun-soo Lim aims for JGP Final". Golden Skate.
11. Lim, Eunsoo (December 3, 2017). "저는 이번 시합 2주전 운동중 오른쪽 엄지발가락에 골절판정을 받게 되었습니다 " (Instagram). Archived from the original on 2021-12-24.
12. Hersh, Philip (April 18, 2018). "Fresh faces: Arutunian set to welcome new pupils". IceNetwork. Archived from the original on April 19, 2018.
13. Slater, Paula (November 17, 2018). "Zagitova pockets another gold at Rostelecom Cup". Golden Skate.
14. Slater, Paula (February 7, 2019). "Bradie Tennell takes slight lead in Anaheim". Golden Skate.
15. Slater, Paula (February 9, 2019). "Kihira captures gold in Anaheim in debut at Four Continents". Golden Skate.
16. Slater, Paula (March 22, 2019). "Zagitova pounces on World gold in Saitama". Golden Skate.
17. "'No evidence' American figure-skater Mariah Bell deliberately slashed Lim Eun-soo of South Korea". The Washington Post. March 21, 2019.
18. "US figure skater accused of deliberately 'stabbing' Korean rival". The Independent. 2019-03-21. Archived from the original on 2022-06-14. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
19. "ISU finds 'no evidence' that American skater deliberately injured Korean rival". CBC Sports. March 21, 2019.
20. "Eunsoo Lim shared that not getting to the Olympics and parting with the team of Rafael Arutyunyan impacted her decision to retire". FS Gossips. FS Gossips. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
21. Jiwani, Rory (13 September 2019). "RIKA KIHIRA TAKES AUTUMN CLASSIC INTERNATIONAL VICTORY". Olympic Channel.
22. Slater, Paula (October 19, 2019). "USA's Bradie Tennell leads at 2019 Skate America". Golden Skate.
23. Slater, Paula (October 20, 2019). "Shcherbakova of Russia captures gold at Skate America in Grand Prix debut". Golden Skate.
24. Slater, Paula (February 8, 2020). "Kihira defends title at Four Continents". Golden Skate.
25. Goh, ZK (26 February 2021). "Cha Jun-hwan and Kim Ye-lim win South Korean figure skating nationals". Olympic Channel.
26. "Third ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating event moves from Chongqing (CHN) to Torino (ITA)". International Skating Union. August 27, 2021.
27. Slater, Paula (November 6, 2021). "Shcherbakova snags Gran Premio d'Italia title". Golden Skate.
28. Slater, Paula (November 13, 2021). "Japan's Sakamoto delivers at 2021 NHK Trophy". Golden Skate.
29. "Day 3 - Results". Korean Skating Union. Korean Skating Union. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
30. "ISU GP Skate Canada International 2022 Women Entries". International Skating Union. International Skating Union. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
31. 조, 영준. "[피플 人터뷰] 그 시절, 우리가 좋아했던 '리틀 연아' 임은수 "즐겁게 타는 스케이팅 보여 드릴게요"". Naver News (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2023-07-13. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
32. "Chaeyeon Kim worked with Eunsoo Lim on her expressiveness before Grand Prix Espoo aiming for a splendid performance without thinking about the Final". FS Gossips. FS Gossips. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
33. "eunsoo choreography and siwon's old costume 🥹🥹 there's something really sweet about the older korean skaters helping chaeyeon over the summer and seeing the fruition of their work with her". X. X. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
34. "Jaekeun LEE: 2024/2025". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on August 31, 2024.
35. "[ⓓ인터뷰] "노래하며, 악.셀.점.프"…'피겨' 임은수, 빙판의 뮤지컬". Nate. Nate. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
36. "𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐜𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰 <𝐆-𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐖 : 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐔𝐍𝐀>🌙". Instagram. Instagram. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
37. "국가대표의 위엄+감탄연발 라이브 .. 😭✨💖". Instagram. Instagram. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
38. "아름다운 판타지와 화려한 아이스쇼, 뮤지컬로 태어나다!". Instagram. Instagram. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
39. "Eunsoo LIM: 2021/2022". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on October 31, 2021.
40. 이, 성필 (February 18, 2021). "女 피겨 에이스 임은수-김예림-이해인, 새 프로그램으로 종합선수권 준비". SPOTV NEWS (in Korean).
41. 피겨 임은수·김예림 새 프로그램 발표…시니어 무대 출격 (in Korean). Yonhap. September 2, 2019.
42. "Eunsoo LIM: 2019/2020". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on September 12, 2019.
43. 피겨 최다빈, 새 시즌 프로그램 공개…첫 탱고 음악 사용 (in Korean). Yonhap. August 1, 2018.
44. "Eunsoo LIM: 2018/2019". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on March 31, 2019.
45. 이, 영호 (May 16, 2019). "임은수, 새 갈라프로그램 공개 '이즈 잇 올라잇?·메이크 미 필'". Maeil Business Newspaper. Yonhap.
46. NHK Trophy 2018 Gala Exhibition (Television production). Eurosport. November 11, 2018.
47. [김연아 아이스쇼] 제프리 버틀 - Gotta Get Thru This (Television production) (in Korean). Seoul Broadcasting System. May 22, 2018. Event occurs at 4 min 15 sec.
48. 김, 경윤 (July 25, 2017). "임은수·김예림·유영, 28일 피겨 대회서 새 프로그램 공개". Yonhap.
49. "Eunsoo LIM: 2017/2018". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 29, 2018.
50. "All That Skate 2018". All That Sports. Archived from the original on May 18, 2018. Retrieved May 18, 2018.
51. 2017 Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy - Exhibition - Junior Ladies - 2nd: Eun Soo LIM[KOR] (YouTube). Hong Kong: Mega Ice Hong Kong (Official channel). August 5, 2017.
52. Ge, Misha (June 23, 2017). "As a Korean tradition "Be Cute and Peace to the camera" #NewChoreo #EunsooLim #SwishSwish" (Instagram). Archived from the original on 2021-12-24.
53. "Competition Results: Eunsoo LIM". International Skating Union.

Further reading

• 2016 ISU JGP Germany Ladies Results
• 2016 ISU JGP Slovenia Ladies Results
• 2017 Asian Open Trophy Results
• 2016 Asian Open Trophy Results
• 2013 Asian Open Trophy Results

External links

• Eunsoo LIM at the International Skating Union

World Record Holders
Preceded by —	Ladies' Short Program 4 August 2018 – 23 August 2018	Succeeded by Anna Shcherbakova
Preceded by —	Ladies' Total Score 5 August 2018 – 25 August 2018	Succeeded by Anna Shcherbakova