A `more mature` Kim Yu-na returns to Korea for training

Figure skating superstar Kim Yu-na showed up in a black jacket with a checkered muffler and started training as soon as she got on the ice.

Instead of using “Giselle,” the music for her short program, she circled the rink with five other skaters with Korean pop songs. Kim performed a few spins, turns and spirals but stopped her motion before jumps.

As if she had not fully adapted to the ice, she stumbled once when she was too close to the wall but continued to practice. After 15 minutes, she stopped training and said, “I returned to Korea after a long time and I`m glad I did my first training with other younger skaters. I showed you a little of my short program.”

○ More mature than last year

Though skating for a short time in practice, she looked as healthy as she did when she won the gold medal at the Vancouver Winter Olympics last year. Other experts agreed.

After watching her video clip, International Skating Union judge Lee Ji-hee and James Jeon, a dance professor at Korea National Sport University, expressed high expectations for her.

“I see no big difference from last year,” Lee said. “She seems more natural as she moves her body, head and arms when she steps. Other skaters cannot achieve the right balance of their body, head and arms when they step, but Kim Yu-na makes the perfect balance.”

“Her emotional expression has gotten much better. She looks more mature than last year and her ability to express emotion correctly is outstanding. It`s good to see her enjoy training probably because she doesn`t feel pressured.”

On her lack of jumps in her training session, Lee said, “I don’t know because I didn’t see her jumps but the key is whether she maintains the quality of her jumps as she did last year. Her other performances went well except for jumps and she’s gotten better in many ways.”

On Kim`s prospects in the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in April and May, Lee said, “Since there`s no notable skater this season, Kim Yu-na can expect to win the championship again if she can maintain her condition as she did last year.”

Professor Jeon, who is close to the Canadian choreographer of "Giselle" for Kim, also praised her performance.

creating@donga.com