Shock at Grand Prix: Cha Jun-hwan's Jump Failures Lead to 7th Place in Short Program

Cha Jun-hwan’s Challenging Short Program at the 2025 Grand Prix

At the 2025-2026 ISU Grand Prix 2nd event held in Chongqing, China, Korea’s leading male figure skater Cha Jun-hwan struggled with jump consistency, finishing 7th in the men’s short program. Despite choreographing his new program to Etzio Bosso’s Rain, in your black eyes, his jumping errors overshadowed his otherwise strong performance. Cha’s attempt at a quad Salchow-triple toe combination failed after an unstable landing on the first jump, and his single quad toe loop received a 0 score because he landed it as a single jump. These jump errors significantly impacted his Technical Element Score, leading to a total score of 75.61 points compared to the event’s top scorer, Japan's Sato Shun, with 94.13 points.

Fans and experts noted that despite these setbacks, Cha executed his flying camel spin, change foot sit spin, step sequence, and change foot combination spin at the highest level 4 difficulty, showing resilience and technical skill beyond the jumps. His final jump, a clean triple Axel, brought some redemption with a positive Grade of Execution score.

Cultural Context and Fan Reactions

Cha Jun-hwan holds a historic place in Korean figure skating as the first male skater to secure a World Championship medal and break ground with an Asian Games gold medal. His performances carry national pride and the weight of Olympic medal hopes, which amplify the scrutiny from both domestic and international fans. Online Korean communities show a mixture of encouragement and palpable disappointment, reflecting the high expectations placed on him as Korea’s men's figure skating representative. Comments express sympathy for the challenge of managing pressure at major events while rallying support for a comeback.

Furthermore, the Korean figure skating community deeply values clean execution and artistry, but jump consistency remains a critical factor in international success. The difficult balance between high technical difficulty and performance quality poses ongoing challenges to skaters like Cha, especially with rising competition from global peers.

Looking Ahead: Olympic Aspirations and Season Goals

Despite the disappointing short program performance at the Grand Prix, Cha Jun-hwan’s season is far from over. He has demonstrated the potential to challenge the world’s best and is targeting his long-sought Olympic medal. Reflecting on past successes—including 5th place at Beijing 2022 Olympics and a silver at 2023 World Championships—fans remain hopeful for his ability to recover and improve in upcoming events this Olympic season.

Experts and commentators suggest that focusing on jump consistency while maintaining his artistic strengths will be key for Cha's success. His upcoming competitions mark crucial opportunities to refine his programs, build confidence, and secure the podium spots Korean figure skating fans dream of seeing him claim.