Lim Eun-soo (Hangul: 임은수; born February 26, 2003) is a retired South Korean figure skater. She is the 2018 Rostelecom Cup bronze medalist, the two-time CS Asian Open champion (2018, 2019), the 2018 CS U.S. Classic silver medalist, and the 2017 South Korean national champion. She has finished within the top ten at three senior ISU Championships.

Earlier in her career, Lim won two medals on the ISU Junior Grand Prix series (bronze at the 2016 JGP Germany and silver at the 2017 JGP Austria). She has finished within the top five at the World Junior Championships for two consecutive years (2017, 2018).

She is currently the tenth highest ranked ladies' singles skater in the world by the International Skating Union following the 2020-21 figure skating season.

Career

Early years 
Lim was born on 26 February 2003 in Seoul, South Korea. Lim began skating in 2009. She started training with Chi Hyun-jung as her coach in 2014.

Nationally, Lim started competing at the senior level during the 2014–15 figure skating season. She obtained the bronze medal at the 2016 South Korean Championships, finishing behind You Young and Choi Da-bin.

2016–2017 season: Junior international debut and national title 

Lim debuted on the Junior Grand Prix (JGP) series in September 2016, placing fourth in Ljubljana, Slovenia. In October, she received the bronze medal at a JGP event in Dresden, Germany. In January 2017, she won her first senior national title. In March, Lim placed fourth overall at the 2017 World Junior Championships, scoring personal bests in every segment of the competition in her ISU championship debut.

2017–2018 season: Second JGP medal 
Lim started the season with a silver medal at the Asian Open Trophy in August. In September, she received the silver medal at JGP Salzburg, Austria, with a score of 186.34. She surpassed her old record, with a difference of almost six points. In her next JGP event, in Gdańsk, she received a score of 58.60 after struggling on the first spin of her program and an edge warning on her opening combination, a triple flip-triple toe loop. In the free skate, she received another unclear edge in her flip jump and popped a triple toe loop in her double axel, triple toe loop combination. Lim later suffered a fall on a triple Salchow, along with a jump repetition violation on her double axel, double toe loop combination near the end of her program, after doing it again halfway through her program. With a final score of 162.58, she placed fourth overall, losing her chance of making it to the Junior Grand Prix Final.

Lim announced at the beginning of December that she was diagnosed with a fracture on her right big toe.

In January, she placed third at the national championships. Lim was subsequently named as part of Korea's team to the 2018 World Junior Championships. She would place fifth in the short program and 6th in the free skate to finish fifth overall.

On April 18, it was reported that she would be moving to the United States to train with Rafael Arutyunyan at his California camp.

2018–2019 season: Senior international debut 
Lim started the 2018–2019 season with a win at the 2018 CS Asian Open Trophy, placing first in the short program and second in the free. She obtained a personal best in the short with a score of 68.09. Lim's second competition was the 2018 CS U.S. International Figure Skating Classic. At the event, she won a silver medal behind Satoko Miyahara of Japan and ahead of Kim Ye-lim, her Korean teammate.

About a month later, at the 2018 NHK Trophy, Lim earned a personal best of 69.78 in the short program, placing fourth. However, she struggled in the free program, receiving a score of 126.53. She finished the competition in sixth place with a score of 196.31.

At the 2018 Rostelecom Cup, Lim placed sixth in the short, missing her opening combination and stepping out on both her double axel and triple flip. However, she rebounded in the free program, skating cleanly and scoring a personal best in the free program, finishing third and winning her first senior medal on the Grand Prix circuit.  She commented:  "I have to skate better in my next competition, but overall I am satisfied. This season is really important for me because it is my first senior season."

After winning the silver medal at South Korea's national championships, finishing behind You Young, and was assigned to the Four Continents Championships, and as South Korea's lone ladies' entry to the 2019 World Championships.  At Four Continents, Lim placed fourth in the short program, with what would have been a new personal best score but for a one-point deduction for a time violation.  The free skate proved a disappointment by comparison, with several bad landings dropping her to eighth place overall.  Discussing her performance afterward, she said, "I felt like everything is not working today.  It’s just an experience. I don’t think today I had any part that’s good."

Lim went on to finish tenth at the 2019 World Championships, qualifying two spots for South Korea for the 2020 World Championships.  Lim's World Championship debut was overshadowed by controversy when accusations were made that Lim had been deliberately injured in practice by American skater Mariah Bell, who also trained with Rafael Arutyunyan. Lim had been skating slowly near the right-side boards of the rink and Bell struck Lim’s calf with her skate toe pick while making a turn during her run-through. Lim had to immediately stop her practice session to receive urgent medical treatment from the on-site medical staff outside the rink. Her left calf had swelled up as a result of the incident. An investigation by the ISU subsequently found "no evidence" to support the allegation.

In 2023, Lim spoke up regarding the incident, saying, “It was an issue between the two of us, and there were conflicts. I cannot prove whether the incident (collision) was intentional or not. Only she knows.”

2019–2020 season 
Following the controversy at the World Championships, Lim departed Arutyunyan's camp and returned to Korea for training with her former coaches.  Lim began her season with her new coach at 2019 CS Autumn Classic International, where she ranked fifth in the short program and third in the free, winning the bronze medal.  She won a second bronze medal at the 2019 Shanghai Trophy.

Beginning the Grand Prix at 2019 Skate America, Lim was eighth in the short program following multiple jump errors.  She rose to fifth place overall in the free skate. Lim continued with struggles at the 2019 NHK Trophy, her second Grand Prix. In the short program, she had errors on her triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination, and in her free skate, she had multiple falls and numerous under rotations leading her to finish seventh overall.  She was seventh as well at the 2020 South Korean Championships, but as several of the skaters ahead of her were senior-ineligible, she was sent to the 2020 Four Continents Championships, held that year in Seoul.  She finished eighth at Four Continents, saying, " I couldn't be fully satisfied. So what I can do is practice hard and show good performances next year."

2020–2021 season 
With the COVID-19 pandemic greatly curtailing international opportunities for Korean skaters, Lim competed first at the 2021 South Korean Championships, placing sixth.

2021–2022 season 
Returning to international competition, Lim's first Grand Prix assignment was initially the 2021 Cup of China, but following that event's cancellation, she was reassigned to the 2021 Gran Premio d'Italia in Turin. She finished in sixth place at the event. The following week, she competed at her second event, 2021 NHK Trophy, where she was fifth in the short program. In the free skate, she aborted the takeoff on her planned triple flip and did not replace it, ending up with only six jumping passes instead of the allowed seven and ending up sixth in that segment, but remained in fifth overall.

At the 2022 Korean Championships, Lim placed sixth in the short program but ninth in the free skate, dropping to ninth-place overall.

2022–2023 season 
Although assigned to compete at 2022 Skate Canada, Lim withdrew and opted to sit out of the 2022–23 figure skating season.

On July 11, 2023, Lim announced her retirement from competitive figure skating. She expressed interest in potentially becoming a coach and choreographer.

Programs

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

2016–17 to present

Pre-international debut

Detailed results

Senior level

Junior level 

 Personal best highlighted in bold.

Awards and recognition

References

Further reading
 2016 ISU JGP Germany Ladies Results
 2016 ISU JGP Slovenia Ladies Results
 2017 Asian Open Trophy Results
 2016 Asian Open Trophy Results
 2013 Asian Open Trophy Results

External links

 

! colspan="3" style="border-top: 5px solid #78FF78;" |World Record Holders

2003 births
Living people
South Korean female single skaters
Medalists at International Skating Union championships
Female sports medalists
Figure skaters from Seoul
임은수(2003년 2월 26일 ~ )는 대한민국의 피겨스케이팅 선수이다. 2017년 한국 피겨 종합선수권 우승자이며, 2016년과 2018년에는 동메달을 차지했다. 2016년 주니어 그랑프리 독일 대회 동메달리스트이자, 2017년 주니어 그랑프리 오스트리아 대회 은메달리스트다. 2017년 주니어 피겨 세계선수권에선 4위, 2018년 주니어 피겨 세계선수권에선 5위를 차지해 2년 연속 top5에 이름을 올렸다. 2018년 ISU 공인 챌린저 대회인 아시안 오픈 트로피에서 우승을 차지하면서, 김연아 이후로는 처음으로 ISU 공인 대회에서 우승을 차지한 선수가 되었다.

출신 학교 
 고려대학교 세종캠퍼스 재학
 신현고등학교 졸업
 한강중학교 졸업
 응봉초등학교 졸업

경력

데뷔 초기 
2009년 피겨스케이팅을 처음 시작했고, 2014년 전임 코치인 지현정의 지도 아래 본격적으로 선수 생활을 시작했다. 2016년 피겨 종합선수권에선 유영과 최다빈에 이어 3위를 차지했다.

2016–2017 시즌 
2016-2017시즌 ISU 주관 주니어 그랑프리 대회에 처음으로 초청되었다. 2016년 주니어 그랑프리 슬로베니아 (류블라냐) 대회에서 4위로 데뷔 경기를 치뤘고 이어진 주니어 그랑프리 독일 (드레스덴) 대회에서 동메달을 차지하며 대한민국 피겨 여자 싱글 선수 중 5번째로 메달을 획득한 선수에 이름을 올렸다. (이전은 김연아, 김해진, 박소연, 최다빈) 2017년 1월 시니어 부문에 참가한 한국 피겨 종합선수권 대회에선 쟁쟁한 경쟁자들을 물리치고 1위를 차지하며 처음으로 종합선수권대회 챔피언에 올랐다. 3월에 열린 주니어 피겨 세계선수권 대회에선 자신의 개인 기록을 경신하며 4위에 마크되었는데 이는 김연아 이후 최고기록이다.

2017–2018 시즌 
8월에 열린 아시안 오픈 트로피에서 은메달을 차지하며 시즌을 시작했다. 2017년 주니어 그랑프리 오스트리아 (잘츠부르크) 대회에서 은메달을 차지하며 작년 시즌보다 한 단계 더 성장했고 자신이 최고 점수인 186.34점을 마크했다. 그러나 이어진 주니어 그랑프리 폴란드 (그단스크) 대회에선 스핀의 실수, 명확하지 않은 엣지를 지적받으며 쇼트에서 58.60이란 저조한 점수에 머물렀고 프리스케이팅에서 역시 플립 점프의 엣지 문제를 지적 받음과 동시에 더블 악셀+트리플 토룹에서의 실수, 트리플 살코의 넘어짐 등 전반적으로 안좋은 경기를 펼쳐 자신의 종합점수에 24점 가까이 모자라는 162.58로 대회를 마무리했다. 주니어 그랑프리 파이널 진출도 기대하고 있었으나 폴란드 대회의 결과로 결국 진출이 무산되었다.
12월에는 오른쪽 엄지 발가락에 부상이 생겨 출전하기로 했던 동계체전에 기권하는 등 어려움을 겪었다.
1월 전년우승자의 자격으로 출전한 한국 피겨 종합선수권 대회에서 유영과 최다빈에 이어 3위를 마크했다. 3월 유영과 함께 나선 주니어 피겨 세계선수권 대회에서 쇼트 5위, 프리 6위를 차지하며 종합 5위에 올랐다. 2년 연속으로 주니어 세계선수권 대회 TOP5에 오르며 출전권 2장을 획득하는데 기여했다.
4월 18일 지현정 코치를 떠나 캘리포니아에서 라파엘 아르투니안의 지도를 받는다고 공식 발표했다.

2018-2019 시즌 
8월 1일 소속사를 통해 쇼트 음악은 <Somewhere in time>, 프리 음악은 <시카고>의 OST임을 발표했다. 시니어 첫 데뷔 무대로 선택한 아시안 오픈 트로피에서 쇼트는 자신의 최고점을 경신하며 68.09로 1위를 차지했다. 프리에선 잦은 실수가 나와 116.24점으로 2위를 했지만 종합 점수 184.33으로 2위 선수와 11점 가량의 차이로 우승을 거머쥐었다. ISU가 공인한 대회에서 우승을 차지한 건 김연아 이후 임은수가 두 번째이다. 이후 US 인터내셔널 클래식 대회에 출전하여 준우승하였다. 시즌 초에 시니어 그랑프리 대회는 5차 <로스텔레콤 컵> 한 곳에 배정받았으나 최다빈 선수가 부츠문제로 인해 출전 예정이었던 4차 <NHK 트로피>대회를 기권하게 되어 그 자리에 추가 배정 받아 4,5차 대회를 연달아 출전하여 4차 <NHK 트로피>에서는 개인 쇼트, 프리, 총점 최고점을 경신하여 6위를 차지하였다.

2019-2020 

새 시즌은 쇼트 프로그램은 <스페인 기상곡> 프리 프로그램은 <사브리나OST>이며, 챌린저 시리즈인 <어텀클래식>과 <상하이 트로피> 에 출전해 동메달을 땄다. 또 그랑프리 1차 대회인 <스케이트 아메리카>에 출전하여 5위를 차지했다. 이어 챌린저 시리즈인 <아시안 트로피>에 출전하였고 쇼트프로그램을 전 시즌 프로그램이었던 <some where in time>을 다시 들고 나왔다.

프로그램

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

주요 대회 세부 기록

Senior level 

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="background-color: #ffdead;" colspan=5 align=center | 2018–19 season
|-
! 날짜
! 대회
! 쇼트프로그램
! 프리스케이팅
! 총점
|-
| 2018년 11월 16일-18일
| 2018 그랑프리 5차 로스텔레콤 컵
| align=center | 6
57.76
| align=center |  3
127.91
| align=center bgcolor=cc9966 |  3
185.67
|-
|2018년 11월 9일-11일
|2018 그랑프리 4차 NHK 트로피
| align=center | 469.78| align=center | 6
126.53
| align=center | 6196.31|-
| 2018년 9월 12일-16일
| 2018 U.S 인터내셔널 클래식
| align="center" | 2
64.85
| align="center" | 2
122.45
| align="center" bgcolor=silver| 2
187.30

|-
| 2018년 8월 1일-5일
| 2018 아시안 오픈 트로피 (시니어)
| align=center | 1  68.09
| align=center | 2  116.24
| align=center bgcolor=gold | 1  184.33
|-
|}

 Junior level 

 Personal best highlighted in bold'''.

수상 기록

각주

추가 문헌 
 2016 ISU JGP Germany Ladies Results
 2016 ISU JGP Slovenia Ladies Results
 2017 Asian Open Trophy Results
 2016 Asian Open Trophy Results
 2013 Asian Open Trophy Results

외부 링크 
 
 
 

2003년 출생
살아있는 사람
대한민국의 피겨스케이팅 선수
20세기 대한민국 사람
21세기 대한민국 사람