Figure skater Cha Jun-hwan hints at acting career: 'Acting is life'

Figure skating star Cha Jun-hwan has hinted at his potential as an actor, stepping beyond the boundaries of being just an athlete. Having earned acclaim for his brilliant technique and artistic expression, he is now drawing attention by sharing his thoughts on a new realm: not just performing on the ice, but true 'acting.'

On the 30th, Cha appeared on the YouTube channel 'Jo Hyun Ah's Ordinary Thursday Night' to share stories with Jo. During the broadcast, he caught viewers' attention by revealing his honest thoughts regarding his current ice show preparations and his interest in acting.

When Jo asked, "Have you been skating a lot lately?" Cha replied, "I've been skating a lot because I'm preparing for an ice show," mentioning 'Solo Leveling on ICE.'

In this performance, which reinterprets the popular web novel into an ice show, Cha is set to play the lead role of Seong Jin-woo and will also participate directly in the choreography. It is a new challenge that requires expressing a character's emotions and narrative rather than simply showcasing technical skills.

Cha explained that the performance differs from traditional ice shows, noting, "There are lines to deliver and songs to sing." As the production combines the movements of figure skaters with the performance style of musical actors, expressive power and acting ability will be crucial elements.

In response, Jo asked Cha if he had a specific goal he wanted to achieve as an actor, a question that recalled his experience working as a child actor during his youth.

Cha gave a meaningful response, stating, "Acting is closely related to life." Although brief, the comment carried significant weight, raising expectations for his future endeavors.

In fact, Cha's connection to acting began long ago. Born in 2001, he began his entertainment career at a young age after being selected as a model for various advertisements in 2007. To cultivate his potential as an actor, he built his expressive capabilities through various disciplines, including ballet, Taekwondo, violin, and piano.

His life's direction shifted when he became fascinated by figure skating. Since then, growing into a leading figure in Korean men's figure skating, Cha has been described as a 'performing skater' due to his outstanding technique, musical interpretation, and delicate emotional expression.

Figure skating is more than just a sport of jumps and spins; it is a comprehensive art form that conveys stories through music, movement, and emotion. In that sense, Cha's expressive power and stage experience provide a natural bridge to the challenge of acting.

As Cha has spent years portraying various characters on the ice, attention is now focused on whether he can translate that storytelling to the camera and the stage. Expectations are high to see if the next chapter for Cha Jun-hwan will indeed be as an actor.