Enhypen's Sunghoon realized his childhood Olympic dream as a torchbearer at the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics, transitioning from figure skating to K-pop. Arriving in Milan, he was mobbed by fans at the airport alongside the South Korean figure skating team. As a goodwill ambassador, he highlighted the bridge between his athletic past and musical present.
Sunghoon's Olympic Journey
The arrival hall at Milan Malpensa Airport erupted into frenzy on Thursday, February 6, 2026, as K-pop star Sunghoon landed ahead of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. The 23-year-old Enhypen member, arriving with South Korea's national figure skating team, was swarmed by dozens of local fans clamoring for photos and autographs in a chaotic yet celebratory scene.
Sunghoon's visit bridges his past as a competitive figure skater and his current career as a pop idol. As a boy, he dreamed of skating at the Winter Olympics. He secured consecutive silver medals in junior men's singles at the Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy in 2016 and 2017, and competed in two International Skating Union Junior Grand Prix events. His skating career ended in 2020, but since May 2025, he has served as a goodwill ambassador for the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC).
His role is more than symbolic: Sunghoon was selected as an official torchbearer, joining BTS's Jin as one of only two K-pop artists chosen for an Olympic torch relay outside Korea. Enhypen's track 'SHOUT OUT' was named the official cheer song for Team Korea. At a press conference after the Korea House opening ceremony, Sunghoon said, "My first dream was to skate at an Olympics, but I have chosen to pursue my second dream as a pop idol. Even though I am in a different career now, I feel like I've realized my dream."
He added, "I've been able to come here because of what I did in the past (as a figure skater), and I've received so much help along the way. It's a huge honor to be able to come to an Olympic Games and help promote Korean sports."
Sunghoon, who trained alongside South Korea's current male singles skaters Cha Jun-hwan, 24, and Kim Hyun-gyeom, 19, plans to watch their short program on Tuesday. "It feels like only yesterday we were training together. It is so great to see them now at the Olympics after all these years," he said. "I saw how hard they worked all the time and I know they will do really well here. I will be cheering for them."
On his relationship with Cha, Sunghoon smiled and noted, "I wouldn't say we were rivals. Jun-hwan was so much better. I always learned so much from him both as a figure skater and an older brother figure. He was a complete athlete who did everything well."
Cha Jun-hwan, greeted warmly by fans at the airport, said, "I am grateful that so many fans welcomed and cheered for me. I will use this support to show my best performance." This marks Cha's third Olympics, following 15th place in PyeongChang 2018 and a career-best fifth in Beijing 2022. He aims to build momentum in the team and individual events.
Sunghoon's participation underscores the intersection of sports and entertainment, promoting Korean athletics on a global stage.
