Choi Da-bin

Choi Da-bin (Hangul: 최다빈; born January 19, 2000) is a South Korean figure skater. She is the 2017 Asian Winter Games champion and a 5-time South Korean national medalist (three silver, two bronze). She has placed in the top ten at the 2018 Winter Olympics, the 2017 World Championships, the Four Continents Championships (2016, 2017, 2018). Earlier in her career, she won two bronze medals during the 2015–16 ISU Junior Grand Prix series in Austria and Latvia. She has placed in the top ten at the World Junior Championships (2014, 2015).

Choi Da-bin
Choi at the 2018 Winter Olympics
Personal information
Native name	최다빈
Country represented	South Korea
Born	(2000-01-19) January 19, 2000 (age 23) Seoul, South Korea
Home town	Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
Residence	Seoul, South Korea
Height	1.55 m (5 ft 1 in)
Coach	Shin Hea-sook
Former coach	Lee Eun-hee, Christa Fassi, Ghisland Briand, Chi Hyun-jung
Choreographer	Kenji Miyamoto
Former choreographer	Tetsuya Nakajima, Nikita Mikhailov, David Wilson, Pasquale Camerlengo
Training locations	Taeneung, South Korea
Began skating	2004
Season's bests	18 (2017–18)^[1] 24 (2016–17)^[2] 33 (2015–16)^[3] 40 (2014–15)^[4] 41 (2013–14)^[5]
ISU personal best scores
Combined total	199.26 2018 Winter Olympics
Short program	67.77 2018 Winter Olympics
Free skate	131.49 2018 Winter Olympics
Medal record Representing  South Korea Figure skating: Ladies' singles Asian Winter Games 2017 Sapporo Ladies' singles

Choi Da-bin
Hangul	최다빈
Hanja	崔 多彬
Revised Romanization	Choe Dabin
McCune–Reischauer	Ch'oe Tabin

In this Korean name, the family name is Choi.

Personal life

Choi was born on January 19, 2000, in Seoul.^[6] She attended Suri High School as a student, same as fellow skater Kim Yuna .^[7]

Choi's mother died on June 26, 2017, while battling cancer.^[8] Choi has said that her mother was her biggest supporter and fan. Her 2017-18 season short program 'Papa Can You Hear Me?' is dedicated to her.

Career

Early years

As a nine-year-old, Choi won the novice silver medal at the 2010 South Korean Nationals. Competing on the senior level, she won bronze medals at the 2012 and 2013 Nationals.

2013–2014 season: Junior international debut

In the 2013–14 season, Choi debuted on the ISU Junior Grand Prix series, finishing fourth and fifth at her two events. At the 2014 World Junior Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, she placed ninth in the short program, sixth in the free skate, and sixth overall, setting a new personal best score of 162.35 points.

2014–2015 season

 

Choi at the 2015 Junior World Championships.

In the 2014–15 season, Choi finished fourth and fifth at her JGP events in France and Japan. At the 2015 South Korean Nationals, she placed second in both programs to win silver behind Park So-youn. At the 2015 World Junior Championships, she placed ninth in both programs and ninth overall, thus securing two spots for her country at the 2016 edition.

2015–2016 season: Two JGP medals and senior international debut

 

Choi at the 2016 Four Continents Championships.

In the 2015–16 season, Choi won her first JGP medals, taking bronze in Riga, Latvia, and Linz, Austria. Making her senior international debut, Choi finished eighth at the 2015 CS Tallinn Trophy. At the 2015 KSU President Cup Ranking Competition, she won her first gold medal at a national competition. At the 2016 Four Continents Championships in Taipei, Taiwan, she placed 8th with personal bests in the free skate and total scores.

2016–2017 season: Winter Asian Games champion

Making her senior Grand Prix debut, Choi placed 7th at the 2016 Skate Canada International and 8th at the 2016 NHK Trophy. She placed fourth at the 2017 South Korean Championships. She changed her short program music from Qué rico el mambo into Steven Universe and La La Land in the middle of the season.^[9] She also changed coaches, deciding to join Lee Eun-hee.^[7] She placed fifth at the 2017 Four Continents Championships in Gangneung, South Korea, improving her personal best scores in all categories.

Called up to replace the injured Park So-youn at the 2017 Asian Winter Games in Sapporo, Japan, Choi won her country's first-ever figure skating gold medal at the event.^[9][10] South Korea also selected Choi to replace the injured Kim Na-hyun at the 2017 World Championships in Helsinki, Finland.^[10] She would place tenth in Finland, allowing her country to send two ladies' single skaters to the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang and 2018 World Championships in Milan.

2017–2018 season: 2018 Winter Olympics

 

Choi at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Choi began the season competing at the 2017 CS Ondrej Nepela Trophy, placing fourth. At the first of her two assignments on the 2017-18 Grand Prix circuit, the 2017 Cup of China, she placed a disappointing ninth, hampered by a foot injury. She subsequently withdrew from her second Grand Prix event at the 2017 Skate America as a result of the injury.^[11]

Choi and Kim Ha-nul were selected to compete at both the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, and the 2018 World Figure Skating Championships in Milan, Italy. They were joined by Park So-youn for the 2018 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Taipei, Taiwan.

At the Four Continents Championships, Choi missed the podium, coming in fourth just behind Japan's Satoko Miyahara. Choi reverted to her Doctor Zhivago free skate program for this and all subsequent competitions for the season, citing the difficulty in performing its replacement to the standard she desired.^[12]

Choi received a standing ovation for her short program at the Olympics, including from South Korea's Yuna Kim. She set personal bests in both the short program and free skate and finished seventh overall.^[13] Her short program for the season, set to "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" was dedicated to her mother, who had died shortly before the South Korean qualifying event. Choi commented following her performance in the team event: "I am very thankful to my mother, who is watching me from Heaven."^[14]

After skating the short program at the 2018 World Championships, Choi was compelled to withdraw due to equipment failure.^[15]

Programs

 

Choi performing her gala program "Jeongseon Arirang Rapsody" at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

 

Choi performing a Biellmann spin during her free skate "Andante spianato" at the 2015 World Junior Figure Skating Championships.

Season	Short program	Free skating	Exhibition
2022-2023 ^[16]	Tu Sei by Vittorio Grigolo choreo. by Kenji Miyamoto Le Corsaire by Adolphe Adam, Ludwig Minkus choreo. by Kenji Miyamoto	Legends of the Fall by James Horner choreo. by Kenji Miyamoto	Tu Sei by Vittorio Grigolo choreo. by Kenji Miyamoto
2019–2020	Tu Sei by Vittorio Grigolo choreo. by Kenji Miyamoto	Love Story by Francis Lai choreo. by Kenji Miyamoto	Tu Sei by Vittorio Grigolo choreo. by Kenji Miyamoto
2018–2019 ^[17]	Don't Cry for Me Argentina by Andrew Lloyd Webber choreo. by Kenji Miyamoto	Carmen by Georges Bizet choreo. by Kenji Miyamoto	Sparkling Diamonds^[18] from Moulin Rouge! rearranged by Baz Luhrmann choreo. by Kenji Miyamoto^[19] The Godfather^[20] (soundtrack) by Nino Rota
2017–2018 ^[21]^[22]	Papa, Can You Hear Me? by Michel Legrand choreo. by Kenji Miyamoto	Doctor Zhivago by Maurice Jarre choreo. by Pasquale Camerlengo Gypsy Songs by Antonín Dvořák choreo. by David Wilson I Feel Pretty Maria from West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein choreo. by Nikita Mikhailov	Sparkling Diamonds^[18] from Moulin Rouge! rearranged by Baz Luhrmann choreo. by Kenji Miyamoto^[19] The Godfather^[20] (soundtrack) by Nino Rota Por una Cabeza from Scent of a Woman by Carlos Gardel, Alfredo Le Pera choreo. by Kenji Miyamoto^[20] Jeongseon Arirang Rapsody^[23] It's Over, Isn't It? (from Steven Universe) performed by Deedee Magno Hall Someone in the Crowd (from La La Land) by Justin Hurwitz choreo. by Nikita Mikhailov
2016–2017 ^[6]^[9]^[24]^[25]	It's Over, Isn't It? (from Steven Universe) performed by Deedee Magno Hall Someone in the Crowd (from La La Land) by Justin Hurwitz choreo. by Nikita Mikhailov Qué rico el mambo by Perez Prado choreo. by Pasquale Camerlengo	Doctor Zhivago by Maurice Jarre choreo. by Pasquale Camerlengo	Candyman by Christina Aguilera
2015–2016 ^[26]	Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now (from Hairspray) by Marc Shaiman choreo. by Pasquale Camerlengo	Les Misérables by Claude-Michel Schönberg performed by Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra choreo. by Pasquale Camerlengo	Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend (from Moulin Rouge!) performed by Nicole Kidman
2014–2015 ^[27]	Invierno Porteno by Astor Piazzolla	Andante spianato et grande polonaise brillante op. 22 by Frederic Chopin	Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend (from Moulin Rouge!) performed by Nicole Kidman
2013–2014 ^[28]	Kalinka by Ivan Larionov	Coppélia by Léo Delibes	Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend (from Moulin Rouge!) performed by Nicole Kidman
2012–2013	Annie by Charles Strouse	Waltz by Johann Strauss II
2011–2012	Sing, Sing, Sing by Louis Prima	Mack and Mabel by Jerry Herman
2010–2011	unknown	Don Quixote by Ludwig Minkus

Competitive highlights

2013–14 to present

GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

International^[29]
Event	13–14	14–15	15–16	16–17	17–18	18–19	19–20	22–23
Olympics					7th
Worlds			14th	10th	WD
Four Continents			8th	5th	4th
GP Skate America					WD
GP Skate Canada				7th		WD
GP Cup of China					9th
GP NHK Trophy				9th		WD
CS Denis Ten Memorial								3rd
CS Finlandia					9th
CS Ice Challenge								18th
CS Nebelhorn							7th
CS Ondrej Nepela				4th	4th	WD
CS Tallinn Trophy			8th
CS U.S. Classic				4th
CS Warsaw Cup							12th
Asian Games				1st
Asian Trophy				2nd
Denis Ten MC							4th
University Games								6th
International: Junior^[29]
Junior Worlds	6th	9th
JGP Austria			3rd
JGP Belarus	4th
JGP France		5th
JGP Japan		4th
JGP Latvia			3rd
JGP Mexico	5th
Asian Trophy	3rd	2nd
Triglav Trophy		1st
National^[29]
South Korea	4th	2nd	2nd	4th	2nd		WD	14th
Team events
Olympics					9th T 6th P
Levels: J = Junior TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew T = Team result; P = Personal result.

2007–08 to 2012–13: Pre-junior international debut

International: Novice^[29]
Event	07–08	08–09	09–10	10–11	11–12	12–13
Asian Trophy					1st N	1st N
National^[29]
South Korean	16th N	8th N	2nd N	12th J	3rd	3rd
Levels: J = Junior; N = Novice

Detailed results

Senior level

 

Choi at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

At team events, medals are awarded for team results only.

2022–23 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
January 13–15, 2022	2023 Winter Universiade	TBD	TBD	TBD
November 9–13, 2022	2022 CS Ice Challenge	19 44.78	18 87.88	18 132.66
October 26–29, 2022	2022 CS Denis Ten Memorial Challenge	3 49.76	2 95.30	3 145.06
2019–20 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
November 14–17, 2019	2019 CS Warsaw Cup	10 54.89	14 97.79	12 152.68
October 9–12, 2019	2019 Denis Ten Memorial	4 54.65	5 105.93	4 160.58
September 25–28, 2019	2019 CS Nebelhorn Trophy	8 53.91	7 103.27	7 157.18
2018–19 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
November 9–11, 2018	2018 NHK Trophy	WD	WD	WD
October 26–28, 2018	2018 Skate Canada International	WD	WD	WD
2017–18 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
March 19–25, 2018	2018 World Championships	21 55.30	WD	WD
February 14–23, 2018	2018 Winter Olympics (ladies' singles)	8 67.77	8 131.49	7 199.26
February 9–12, 2018	2018 Winter Olympics (team event)	6 65.73	–	9^T
January 22–28, 2018	2018 Four Continents Championships	5 62.30	4 127.93	4 190.23
January 5–7, 2018	2018 South Korean Championships	4 64.11	2 126.01	2 190.12
November 3–5, 2017	2017 Cup of China	9 53.90	9 112.09	9 165.99
October 6–8, 2017	2017 CS Finlandia Trophy	10 52.06	9 106.47	9 158.53
September 21–23, 2017	2017 CS Ondrej Nepela Trophy	4 56.62	3 122.31	4 178.93
2016–17 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
March 27–April 2, 2017	2017 World Championships	11 62.66	7 128.45	10 191.11
February 23–26, 2017	2017 Asian Winter Games	1 61.30	1 126.24	1 187.54
February 15–19, 2017	2017 Four Continents Championships	6 61.62	4 120.79	5 182.41
January 6–8, 2017	2017 South Korean Championships	4 60.19	3 121.29	4 181.48
November 25–27, 2016	2016 NHK Trophy	11 51.06	9 114.57	9 165.63
October 28–30, 2016	2016 Skate Canada	8 53.29	6 112.49	7 165.78
September 28–October 2, 2016	2016 CS Ondrej Nepela Memorial	10 48.01	2 112.61	4 160.62
September 14–18, 2016	2016 CS U.S. Classic	3 58.70	5 94.29	4 152.99
August 4–7, 2016	2016 Asian Open Trophy	2 51.71	1 108.56	2 160.27
2015–16 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
March 28 – April 3, 2016	2016 World Championships	16 56.02	15 103.90	14 159.92
February 16–21, 2016	2016 Four Continents Championships	10 56.79	6 116.92	8 173.71
January 8–10, 2016	2016 South Korean Championships	2 60.32	2 116.97	2 177.29
November 17–22, 2015	2015 CS Tallinn Trophy	13 43.74	7 102.18	8 145.92

Junior level

 

Choi at the 2015 World Junior Figure Skating Championships.

2015–16 season
Date	Event	Level	SP	FS	Total
September 9–13, 2015	2015 JGP Austria	Junior	4 57.27	3 115.11	3 172.38
August 26–30, 2015	2015 JGP Latvia	Junior	4 57.21	3 111.08	3 168.29
2014–15 season
Date	Event	Level	SP	FS	Total
April 15–19, 2015	2015 Triglav Trophy	Junior	1 56.61	1 109.39	1 166.00
March 2–8, 2015	2015 World Junior Championships	Junior	9 54.32	9 102.06	9 156.38
January 5–9, 2015	2015 South Korean Championships	Senior	2 54.04	2 106.76	2 160.80
September 17–21, 2014	2014 JGP Japan	Junior	7 52.66	3 105.94	4 158.60
August 20–24, 2014	2014 JGP France	Junior	7 46.04	5 91.47	5 137.51
August 6–10, 2014	2014 Asian Open Trophy	Junior	3 55.55	2 101.40	2 156.95
2013–14 season
Date	Event	Level	SP	FS	Total
March 10–16, 2014	2014 World Junior Championships	Junior	9 53.69	6 108.66	6 162.35
January 1–5, 2014	2014 South Korean Championships	Senior	10 50.38	3 108.26	4 158.64
September 25–29, 2013	2013 JGP Belarus	Junior	11 45.18	2 98.51	4 143.69
September 4–8, 2013	2013 JGP Mexico	Junior	7 47.48	5 94.75	5 142.23
August 8–11, 2013	2013 Asian Open Trophy	Junior	3 48.68	3 92.40	3 141.08
2012–13 season
Date	Event	Level	SP	FS	Total
January 2–6, 2013	2013 South Korean Championships	Senior	2 53.21	3 99.88	3 153.09
August 7–12, 2012	2012 Asian Open Trophy	Novice	2 42.52	1 70.29	1 112.81
2011–12 season
Date	Event	Level	SP	FS	Total
January 12–16, 2012	2012 South Korean Championships	Senior	4 44.20	2 97.26	3 141.46
August 22–26, 2011	2011 Asian Open Trophy	Novice	1 39.50	3 48.70	1 88.20

• Personal bests highlighted in bold.

References

1. "Seasons Best Score 2017/2018". International Skating Union.
2. "Seasons Best Score 2016/2017". International Skating Union.
3. "Seasons Best Score 2015/2016". International Skating Union.
4. "Seasons Best Score 2014/2015". International Skating Union.
5. "Seasons Best Score 2013/2014". International Skating Union.
6. "Da Bin CHOI: 2016/2017". International Skating Union. from the original on March 1, 2017.
7. Park, So-young; Kang, Yoo-rim (February 27, 2017). "With a bit of luck and lot of hard work, Choi Da-bin rises to the top". Korea JoongAng Daily. from the original on March 1, 2017.
8. [부고] 최다빈(피겨스케이팅 선수) 모친상 [[Mourning notice] Figure Skater Choi Da-bin's Mother Passed Away]. Sports Naver (in Korean). June 27, 2017.
9. Kang, Hyun-kyung (February 27, 2017). "Underdog skater achieves stunning victory". The Korea Times. from the original on March 1, 2017.
10. Yoon, Hyung-jun (February 27, 2017). "Figure Skating Has a New Star in Choi Da-bin". The Chosun Ilbo.
11. Baek, Byung-yeul (November 30, 2017). "Korean figure skater Choi Da-bin vows to rebound after injury". Korea Times.
12. Slater, Paula (January 26, 2018). "Sakamoto leads ladies to Japanese sweep at Four Continents". Golden Skate.
13. Slater, Paula (February 23, 2018). "Zagitova edges out Medvedeva for Olympic gold". Golden Skate.
14. Lies, Elaine (February 11, 2018). "Figure skating: My mother is watching me from Heaven, says South Korea's Choi". Reuters.
15. Communication No. 28 from ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2018
16. "Dabin Choi". ISU Results. ISU. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
17. 피겨 최다빈, 새 시즌 프로그램 공개…첫 탱고 음악 사용 (in Korean). Yonhap. August 1, 2018.
18. . All That Sports. Archived from the original on May 18, 2018. Retrieved May 18, 2018.
19. [김연아 아이스쇼] 최다빈 - 물랑루즈 OST (Television production) (in Korean). Seoul Broadcasting System. May 22, 2018. Event occurs at 30 sec.
20. [김연아 아이스쇼] 최다빈 - 대부 OST (Television production) (in Korean). Seoul Broadcasting System. May 22, 2018.
21. 이, 석무 (July 20, 2017). "최다빈, 새 프로그램 공개...'쇼트는 애절, 프리는 다양함'". Sports Naver (in Korean).
22. "피겨 최다빈, 새 프리프로그램으로 시즌 첫 국제대회 출격". KBS (in Korean). September 4, 2017.
23. AbsoluteSkating [@absoluteskating] (February 24, 2018). "#PyeongChang2018 #FigureSkating Olympic gala timing and music selections" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
24. . International Skating Union. Archived from the original on November 2, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
25. Никита Михайлов/Nikita Mikhaylov*Official group (March 9, 2017). "Среди участниц Мария Сотскова и корейская фигуристка Dabin Choi (Дабин Чой), которым Никита Михайлов поставил короткие программы" [Among the participants Maria Sotskova and Korean skater Dabin Choi, for whom Nikita Mikhaylov made the short program] (VK) (in Russian).
26. . International Skating Union. Archived from the original on April 17, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
27. . International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 22, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
28. . International Skating Union. Archived from the original on March 24, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
29. "Competition Results: Da Bin CHOI". International Skating Union.

Further reading

• 주, 미희 (December 6, 2015). 최다빈, 피겨 랭킹대회 첫우승..차준환 男 최고점(종합) [Choi Da-bin won the KSU President Cup, Cha Jun-hwan recorded new record among Korean male skaters] (in Korean). Newsen.
• 2011 Asian Figure Skating Trophy Results
• (in Korean and English). Korean Skating Union. Archived from the original on 2013-10-29.
• (in Korean and English). Korean Skating Union. Archived from the original on 2013-10-29.
• (in Korean and English). Korean Skating Union. Archived from the original on 2013-10-29.
• (in Korean and English). Korean Skating Union. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24.
• (in Korean and English). Korean Skating Union. Archived from the original on 2013-10-29.
• "2008 South Korean Figure Skating Championships Results and Protocols(2)" (in Korean and English). Korean Skating Union.
• "2008 South Korean Figure Skating Championships Results and Protocols(1)" (in Korean and English). Korean Skating Union.

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Choi Da-bin.

• Choi Da-bin on Instagram (in Korean)
• Choi Da-bin's Facebook (in Korean)
• Dabin CHOI at the International Skating Union