Korea's ice dance duo to represent new country with flair from homeland
Published: 04 Feb. 2026, 19:06
Updated: 05 Feb. 2026, 16:06
![Korean ice dance national team members Quan Ye, left, and Hannah Lim, pose for a photo during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at Mokdong Ice Rink in Yangcheon District, western Seoul, on Jan. 4. [KIM SEONG-RYONG]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/02/05/d988dddd-3dde-4b78-a1e5-86eda04a06de.jpg)
Korean ice dance national team members Quan Ye, left, and Hannah Lim, pose for a photo during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at Mokdong Ice Rink in Yangcheon District, western Seoul, on Jan. 4. [KIM SEONG-RYONG]
Two athletes dressed in hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) recently stood before cameras at the Mokdong Ice Rink in Yangcheon District, western Seoul. As they adjusted the silk folds of their outfits and smiled brightly, their conversation flowed in an unusual yet lively rhythm, blending English, increasingly fluent Korean and faint traces of a French accent.
Ice dance national team members Quan Ye and Hannah Lim, who are preparing to compete in the team event at the 2026 Milan Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics, embody the changing face of Korea today.
Their partnership is a product of what could be called global synchronization.
Lim, a second-generation Korean immigrant who grew up in Toronto, carries Korean character traits that derive from both her father and her upbringing in Canada.
Quan, meanwhile, was born in Iceland to a family of Chinese descent and raised in Montreal. He, too, blends his family's culture with that of his childhood home.
When Lim and Quan first met in July 2019, they were unfamiliar with each other, as much because of their contrasting personalities — Lim being outgoing and Quan more reserved — as their different backgrounds.
![Korean ice dance national team members Quan Ye, left, and Hannah Lim perform at the 80th National Figure Skating Championships at Mokdong Ice Rink in Yangcheon District, western Seoul, on Jan. 4. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/02/05/f92c8793-28be-4e61-be1d-cbadd56ae877.jpg)
Korean ice dance national team members Quan Ye, left, and Hannah Lim perform at the 80th National Figure Skating Championships at Mokdong Ice Rink in Yangcheon District, western Seoul, on Jan. 4. [NEWS1]
Ice dance, however, is an event that turns such gaps into harmony. Unlike disciplines focused on high-difficulty jumps, ice dance emphasizes the pair’s delicate coordination through steps, turns and lifts. In that context, their differing backgrounds became a source of depth rather than division.
Competing at the Olympics had been Lim’s biggest goal since childhood, and she said being able to stand on that stage together brought her happiness.
The duo's harmony has already been proven internationally. During the 2021–22 season, they won the first medal in Korean ice dance history at the Junior Grand Prix. The following season, they became the first Asian team to claim victory, surprising the global skating community.
“Making an effort to understand the partner improved our performance,” Quan said, adding with a smile that Lim usually leads during training while he adjusts.
Their journey to the Olympic stage also meant overcoming legal barriers.
![Korean ice dance national team members Quan Ye, right, and Hannah Lim, pose for a photo during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at Mokdong Ice Rink in Yangcheon District, western Seoul, on Jan. 4. [KIM SEONG-RYONG]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/02/05/4bfe6ba1-fa66-400a-b852-bccdee0c7d57.jpg)
Korean ice dance national team members Quan Ye, right, and Hannah Lim, pose for a photo during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at Mokdong Ice Rink in Yangcheon District, western Seoul, on Jan. 4. [KIM SEONG-RYONG]
While competitions organized by the International Skating Union allow participation if only one athlete holds the nationality, the Olympics require both athletes to be citizens of the country they are representing.
To meet that requirement, Quan underwent a special naturalization process through the Ministry of Justice in 2023, choosing the Korean surname Kwon, derived from the Korean pronunciation of the Chinese character for his last name.
After studying the Korean language and culture for a year and a half, Quan can now sing all four verses of the national anthem flawlessly, cries while watching the Netflix drama series “When Life Gives You Tangerines” (2025) and enjoys sundae (blood sausage) soup.
Although certain Korean words remain challenging, Quan has grown comfortable with the language and culture.
He said that watching many Korean dramas led to becoming a fan of singer-actor IU after seeing “Hotel Del Luna” (2019) and added that “When Life Gives You Tangerines,” filmed on Jeju Island, brought tears to his eyes.
“I love sundae soup so much that I want it every day, but finding that the versions in Canada do not taste the same as in Korea was disappointing,” the ice dancer said.
Changes in nationality have become increasingly common in Korean sports. In the past, naturalized athletes sometimes faced resistance rooted in nationalist perspectives, but public attitudes have shifted.
![Korean ice dance national team members Quan Ye, right, and Hannah Lim train at the Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 3. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/02/05/52fb29b9-901d-48b7-9e76-c4321fd1ab5f.jpg)
Korean ice dance national team members Quan Ye, right, and Hannah Lim train at the Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 3. [YONHAP]
Alongside Quan and Lim, biathlete Ekaterina Avvakumova, originally from Russia, represents Korea and is competing in her third consecutive Olympics. At the same time, athletes who were once Korean have chosen other nationalities to compete on the ice.
Short track skaters Lin Xiaojun, known in Korea as Lim Hyo-jun, and Moon Won-jun, as well as speed skater Kim Min-seok, who now competes for Hungary, are notable examples.
National sports teams, too, are evolving, gathering talent from different backgrounds to achieve peak competitiveness under the name Team Korea.
![Korean ice dance national team members Quan Ye, left, and Hannah Lim train at the Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 3. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/02/05/46d391ce-785e-4d00-8580-b58edfa679e4.jpg)
Korean ice dance national team members Quan Ye, left, and Hannah Lim train at the Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 3. [YONHAP]
Quan and Lim are a prime example.
Embracing their Korean identity, the duo uses songs by singers Psy, Rosé and Hwasa for their gala programs, presenting a modern take on K-ice dance to audiences around the world.
![Korean ice dance national team members Quan Ye, right, and Hannah Lim train at the Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 3. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/02/05/e6990b37-f257-4aed-a6b3-f9677046787b.jpg)
Korean ice dance national team members Quan Ye, right, and Hannah Lim train at the Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 3. [YONHAP]
Lim said that because they initially communicated in English, the Korean term 〈i style="font-size: inherit;"〉oppa, the Korean word girls and women use to refer to a "big brother" that is also used as an affectionate term for close male friends, has never been used.
The pair are preparing performances in Milan that aim to be both deeply Korean and unmistakably global.
“Wearing the Korean flag on the chest is a profound honor,” Qaun said in Korean.
“The Olympic spirit is not about where someone is born but about whom they skate for,” said Quan. “We also hope to watch short track and other Korean events in person. We also thank those who supported us. I wish everyone a happy New Year, and thank you to fans for their encouragement.”
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM HYO-KYOUNG, KO BONG-JUN [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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