It is not that unusual that siblings compete in Figure Skating. There are many successful brother-and-sister-teams in Ice Dance or Pair Skating, sometimes they are even twins. Some of these teams have also made it to the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final or ISU Grand Prix Final. But it had happened only once before that a pair of siblings competed in the Final the same season in Single Skating – Mao and Mai Asada were in the ISU Grand Prix Final and Junior Grand Prix Final in 2005/06 (held separately at the time). The Kim twins Yujae and Yuseong of Korea just got both into the Junior Final this season, proving that they are a real double power.

The delicate looking young skaters are building quickly a fan base thanks to their beautiful performances, their courage and their success.  

Yujae Kim (KOR)  is six minutes older than her twin sister © ISU

Yujae is six minutes older than her fraternal twin Yuseong. They started skating when they were eight years old. “We took a special winter vacation class, and it was so much fun that we naturally began lessons after that. It just kept going from there, and eventually we started our careers as competitive skaters,” they said. 

Not surprisingly, they did it together. As they do most things: The sisters share some hobbies such as knitting, reading, playing with their dog. However, each has her own personality and they have some different interests as well. Yujae likes listening to pop music and singing along, while Yuseong likes listening to K-pop and dancing to it. Yujae is more easygoing and tends to act quickly. Yuseong is more careful and takes things a bit slower. Yujae often rushes ahead and drops or leaves things behind, and Yuseong follows and picks them up. “But our emotions and tastes are pretty similar, so we understand each other really well,” Yuseong noted.

Figure skating fascinates them for several reasons. “It’s the beautiful moments that can only happen on the ice,” Yujae said. “I’m really fascinated by how elements like jumps and spins can shine even more when they’re combined with music and emotion. I also love the thrill you feel when I land a difficult element successfully.”

Yuseong agreed, adding: “And I really enjoy the speed I feel in the rink —the movement of the air, the sound of the blades on the ice… I love all of that.”

Yuseong Kim (KOR) loves the feeling of being on the ice © ISU

Stronger together 

The 16-year-old twins feel stronger together. 

“Figure skating is an individual sport, so the psychological pressure during training can be pretty heavy,” Yujae observed. “But having the person who understands me best right next to me gives me emotional strength to hold on.”

“Because we train together all the time, we know each other’s styles really well, so we can give very detailed feedback like, ‘your timing was a little late there.’ That’s a big advantage,” Yuseong shared. “Being together makes us feel secure and supported. A lot of the time we can tell how the other feels just from her facial expression, tone of voice, or routine,” she continued.

“When one of us looks like she’s having a hard time, just being next to her is already enough,” Yujae pointed out. “Even without saying anything, we can sense each other’s feelings, and simply being together makes things feel lighter.”

Yujae Kim (KOR) feels that her twin sister Yuseong is her best teammate © ISU

The twins feel that they are competing with each other but not against each other. 

“We’re each other’s best teammates—and sometimes each other’s biggest motivation,” Yujae  said. “But it’s not really about wanting to beat each other. It’s more like a kind of competition that pushes us both upward.”

Yuseong agreed: “Since we train together every day, the basic feeling we share is, ‘We want to do well together.’ So it’s a rivalry that gives each other strength.”

Triple Axel twins 

The sisters have a lot in common and look very much alike. They also share something special: both have landed the triple Axel in competition. They are only the second and third Korean female skaters to have done that – the only other one is Young You. Yujae was the first of the twins to attempt the triple Axel and then she helped her sister to learn it.

Yuseong Kim (KOR) qualified for the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final three times already © ISU

The Kim twins are very supportive of each other. When Yuseong qualified for the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final in Beijing in 2023, Yujae went with her to China to cheer for her. She did the same when Yuseong competed in the Youth Olympic Games in 2024 in Gangwon in their home country. 

Interestingly, the siblings competed against each other for the first time internationally at the 2024 ISU World Junior Championships. 

“It is very special to be here with my twin sister,” Yuseong said at the time. “It’s a great support and we enjoy being here in Taipei together.” 

When Yuseong qualified for the ISU Junior Final in 2023, Yujae travelled with her to Beijing to support her  © ISU

Going to the Junior Grand Prix Final together 

While Yuseong has been to the ISU Junior Final two times and qualified for her third consecutive Final this season, Yujae made it into the Final for the first time this year. On the other hand, Yujae has competed three times at Junior Worlds 2023 to 2025 while her twin sister was selected once in 2024. 

Yujae this season was the first to qualify with a gold and silver medal from her two ISU Junior Grand Prix, celebrating her first win on the circuit. Yuesong, however, had to wait until the last event to find out whether she makes it or not as she finished fifth in her first competition in Riga before winning her second assignment in Baku.

Yujae Kim (KOR) qualified for the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final for the first time with gold and silver from her two events © ISU

Now the twins are very excited to travel to Nagoya in Japan for the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final. This event is going to be another special moment for the sisters to enjoy and it is another big step forward in their careers that they are taking together. 

“It feels like, ‘Wow, we finally made it here together,” Yuseong noted. 

“I’m not sure if we’ll get a moment like this again, so it feels very special and emotional,” Yujae said. “It means a lot to be able to compete alongside the best skaters, and we really want to do our absolute best and perform well.”

Obviously, the twins dream of competing at the Olympic Games one day. Together, of course.

Yuseong Kim (KOR) is looking forward to compete together with her twin sister in Nagoya at the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final © ISU