Naturalized Russian skater Viktor An to return to Korean variety shows

Naturalized Russian skater Viktor An will return to Korean variety television as a "hidden coach" on the sports reality program 'Speed Queen' starting on the 25th. This marks his first appearance on a Korean variety show in approximately seven years following his 2019 appearance on 'Real Men 300'.

Viktor An (41, Korean name Ahn Hyun-soo), a legend of Korean short track who became a center of controversy in the domestic ice skating community due to his naturalization as a Russian citizen, is returning to Korean variety shows after seven years. Having renounced his South Korean nationality to wear the Russian national team uniform, he will now meet Korean viewers again as a coach on a sports reality program centered on national team selection trials. As he returns in a new role as an entertainment coach—rather than as an athlete or a professional team leader—public attention is focused on the reaction to his broadcast appearance.

TV CHOSUN announced on the 10th that Viktor An will join the coaching staff for the sports reality variety show 'Speed Queen'. This marks his first appearance on a Korean variety program in approximately seven years since MBC's 'Real Men 300', which ended in January 2019. 'Speed Queen', which premieres on the 25th, captures the process of Olympic medalists and former national athletes challenging themselves once again in the short track national team selection trials. Viktor An will participate as a "hidden coach" following a proposal from head director Chun Lee-kyung, and will support the training and challenges of the participants alongside coach Kim A-lang and manager Lee Yu-ri.

Viktor An is one of the athletes who symbolizes the golden age of Korean short track. He established himself as a world-class athlete by winning three gold medals at the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics while representing the South Korean national team. However, at the peak of his athletic career, he faced injuries, the dissolution of his professional team, and failure to pass national team selection trials, eventually renouncing his South Korean nationality and naturalizing as a Russian in 2011. The change of nationality by an athlete who was a symbolic figure in Korean ice skating caused significant shock within the domestic sports community.

His performance remained steady even after obtaining Russian nationality. He made his mark in Olympic history by winning three gold medals again at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics as a member of the Russian national team, essentially recreating the glory he built in Korea under the name of Russia. However, these achievements reignited debates regarding his naturalization. The controversy surrounding the reasons for the short track legend's choice of foreign nationality and the legitimacy of that choice has persisted since.

The complex environment of the domestic ice skating community at the time played a role in the background of Viktor An's naturalization. After undergoing surgery and rehabilitation for a knee injury in 2008, he lost his team when the Seongnam City Hall ice skating team was disbanded in 2010. The following year, he had to seek new paths as an athlete after failing the national team selection trials. He explained that he decided to naturalize considering the proposal from Russia, the training environment, and national support. The interpretation of the background of his naturalization became even more complex as it coincided with factional controversies within the domestic ice skating community at the time.

The fact that he received his Olympic medal pension as a lump sum during the nationality change process also became a subject of controversy. Regarding this, Viktor An explained that when applying for a coaching position for the Seongnam City Hall ice skating team in 2023, he had considered moving to Russia believing dual citizenship was possible, but later learned that he could not maintain his South Korean nationality. He also stated that he decided to naturalize in consideration of the training environment and support in Russia, and that he donated the entire amount of the pension received as a lump sum to children in need of heart surgery and junior athletes undergoing rehabilitation.

After finishing his athletic career, Viktor An turned toward the path of a leader. Since retiring in 2020, he has worked as a coach, and in 2022, he joined the coaching staff of the Chinese short track national team for the Beijing Winter Olympics. His career—growing as an athlete in Korea, reaching the top of the Olympics as a member of the Russian national team, and then serving as a coach for the Chinese national team—is evaluated as an example showing how complex the relationship between a nation and an individual can be on the international sports stage.

The debate surrounding his return to Korea has already materialized once. Viktor An applied for a coaching position for the Seongnam City Hall ice skating team in 2023 but was not included in the final shortlist of double the number of candidates. At the time, opinions were sharply divided on whether his return to the country was appropriate, citing his Russian naturalization and his career as a coach for the Chinese national team. Within the sports community, various opinions were raised regarding how far an individual's choice and nationality issues can be separated in evaluation, and what criteria should be used to judge the return of an athlete who contributed to the development of Korean ice skating.

This appearance on 'Speed Queen' is particularly meaningful as it is the first news of his domestic activities in about three years following such debates. The fact that a short track legend is taking on a role to help the challenges of junior athletes in a program covering national team selection trials could serve as an opportunity to utilize his expertise and experience again. At the same time, as past controversies surrounding his Russian naturalization and coaching for the Chinese national team are still remembered, the broadcast appearance itself has the potential to trigger renewed public evaluation.

After renouncing his South Korean nationality to win three Olympic gold medals with the Russian national team, serving as a coach for the Chinese national team, and now appearing on Korean television again, Viktor An's return carries symbolism beyond a simple variety show appearance. As questions regarding an athlete's choice of nationality, national identity, individual career, and social responsibility remain valid, attention is focused on how Viktor An will face viewers in 'Speed Queen'.

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