The daily lives of Kim Yuna, the legendary ‘Figure Queen’, recently caught the attention of a Japanese media outlet. However, rather than simply reporting on her recent activities, the article featured provocative expressions emphasizing changes in her appearance, sparking criticism that it was an unnecessary and unwarranted evaluation of her looks.
On the 19th, the Japanese outlet Nishi-Sports Web published an article with the sensational headline, ‘I can’t recognize who she is anymore… Did her face change? Surprised by the Queen’s daily life’, introducing Kim Yuna’s recent social media photos. The outlet highlighted her shared daily moments by stating, ‘Attention is focused on the recent status of former South Korean figure skater Kim Yuna.’
In the released photos, Kim Yuna is seen wearing a white cardigan with her hair neatly tied back, looking into a mirror and applying lipstick. In another photo, she holds a lipstick with a playful expression. Instead of glamorous stage costumes, she showcased natural charm in comfortable everyday attire.
However, the way the Japanese media presented this was somewhat provocative. They used phrases like, ‘The powerful image from her active days is gone’, and introduced reader reactions such as ‘Did her face change?’ and ‘I don’t know who she is anymore.’ Especially with headlines questioning whether her face changed or if she was unrecognizable, critics pointed out that ordinary daily photos were being consumed as targets for appearance scrutiny. This prompted reactions from Korean fans shouting, ‘Don’t touch Yuna Queen.’
Naturally, it is understandable for overseas media to show interest in the recent updates of a world-class sports star. Given her immense popularity in Japan during her active years, her daily life after retirement remains a subject of ongoing curiosity.
Yet, interest and appearance evaluation are entirely separate matters. Kim Yuna was simply applying lipstick and making expressions in front of the camera in the photos. Opinions may vary on whether it is appropriate to use expressions like ‘her face changed’ or ‘she is unrecognizable’ in response. On one hand, some interpret it as simple admiration for a changed atmosphere after a long time. On the other hand, critics argue that attaching headlines emphasizing appearance changes to ordinary daily photos can encourage unnecessary criticism.
Japanese media interest in Kim Yuna has continued long after her retirement from competition. Her high recognition is evident as everything from her athletic career and marriage to her daily life and social media posts becomes news material. However, being a global star does not mean that every single casual photo should become a subject of physical evaluation. The reality where even a natural daily life is packaged with sensational headlines makes people ponder the boundaries of attention public figures must endure.
Meanwhile, Kim Yuna married Forestella member Ko Woo-rim in 2022.
