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Yuna Kim claims that Japanese figure skaters ruined her practice jumps

March 18th, 2009 by James

Yuna Kim

On March 14th, South Korean figure skater Yuna Kim said some bad things about her Japanese rivals during an interview with Korean TV network SBS. Kim claimed that other figure skaters have repeatedly disturbed her practice jumps when they have shared ice rink space for pre-competition work-outs. According to SBS, only Japanese skaters would get in her way, and it really got on her nerves.

The Japanese press has picked up the story and clips of TV news programs covering Yuna’s statements have shot to the top of the most-viewed ranking on YouTube Japan. Here’s one clip of a morning news program commenting on a Nikkan Gendai article (using the amusing photograph included in this post):


Quoted in the article is former Olympic skater Emi Watanabe, who says that any intentional attempts to interfere with the practice jumps of those skaters would have been spotted by judges who monitor the situation. The report also mentions a blog post Yuna Kim made in 2005 that publicly stated her wish that her greatest rival – Japanese skater Mao Asada – should have fallen down while skating at a competition.

Another video
, allegedly showing Yuna Kim interrupting the practice jumps of Japanese skater Miki Mirai, has made its way to the top of YouTube rankings as well. As one might respect, the comment sections of all the videos involved are full of angry comments about Korea.



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Figure skater Mao Asada at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club: Let’s ask her about Abe’s history views!

Punch me in the face! Come on!

Nationalism and the Winter Olympics


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64 Comments »

Comment by BY
2009-03-18 11:55:14

Anyone who was living in Korea during the Apollo
Ohno incident, won’t be surprised by this at all…
I guess pretty soon, some K-Pop guy will come out
with a remake of the old F*CKING AMERICA song,
“F*cking Japan”…
This oughta be fun to watch…

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Comment by Vonskippy
2009-03-18 12:06:51

Remember kiddies – if you can’t win, whine!

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Comment by TheGeek
2009-03-18 12:20:57

Well she could always higher some guy to kneecap he arch rival.

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Comment by Jay
2009-03-18 12:35:40

THAT is how you do it, Yuna! You whine and talk trash about your rivals behind their back. That is what I called real sportsmanship.

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Comment by Mister M
2009-03-18 13:49:21

That is regreetable that Kim did. I would not expect it from her. Assada Mao has a great personality and character and she had a lot prizes because she made her best to deserve such thing. So Kim had not the right to criticize Mao and other Japanese.

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Comment by Rosaline
2009-03-22 14:32:51

Are you friends with Mao? How do you know she has a great personality and character?

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Comment by Donna
2009-03-29 15:12:27

Yes to that Rosaline, how do you know that Asada Mao doesn’t curse or talk crap about others? I know that Kim didn’t do a right thing there… but Mister M, or Mister Mitsubishi, don’t try to cover that Asada is always correct and Kim is not because you are Japanese.

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Comment by mao
2009-03-18 18:36:34
 
Comment by AM
2009-03-18 22:27:02

People should stop complaining about others and concentrate on themselves.

In this case, Yuna Kim, rather than to waste your own time whining you should consider putting that effort into your own practice…so maybe that one day you COULD win something.

You know what is a common theme as well? People tend to blame OTHERS before pointing their finger at themselves. Maybe if this could be reduced, we wouldn’t have as many controversies that are pretty pointless and stupid.

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Comment by hello
2009-03-28 11:10:52

kay, there’s few things that i wanna tell you

first of all, Yuna Kim didn’t blame anyone and wasn’t ‘whining’. In fact, she wasn’t blaming at anything and i don’t know where you heard that from.
All she said during an interview was that she felt that some skaters were in her way when she was practicing her jumps. She didnt mention any specific name or the country of the player or anything.

secondly, Yuna Kim DID WIN SOMETHING, if you didn’t notice. She one the 4continents 2009 with a WORLD RECORD. Also, she one 2009 World Figure Skating Competition 2009, with another world record.

I just don’t get why you would think that Yuna Kim was whining and blaming others. She prectices as much as other skaters do, or even more.

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Comment by Alex
2009-03-28 11:56:36

Yuna Kim didn’t say anything about Japanese skaters getting in her way intentionally. SBS did. And then the Japanese media picked up on the SBS story and it all went to hell from there.

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Comment by justin
2009-03-29 06:53:30

and she is going to win it..
whining? it’s more like, “sharing”.
you guys are the ones that are “whining”
btw, i like japan and stuff, i like korea too
if you guys don’t know whats happening behind the scenes and are just putting up stupid videos and calling it proofs,
then shut up because it’s very corny. same goes for korea’s internet fans, i hate all this i hate japan i hate korea bullshit. it’s so damn immature.

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Comment by SWater
2009-03-29 10:38:11

Yuna kim “suggested” (see below) that Japanese skaters intentionally obstructed her warm-ups, and SBS publicized it dramatically. Then, although the Korean Skating Federation announced that Yuna Kim didn’t mention any specific country, the Korean zealots spread the video clips of SBS on YouTube and accused Japanese skaters of intentionally impending Yuna Kim’s warm up, where we can find full of racist comments against Mao Asada.

Now, Korean Americans in New York successfully convinced the New York Times reporter, Juliet Macur, to write: “At Four Continents, when she suggested that Japanese skaters intentionally stymied her warm-ups, her fans rallied to her defense. The Japan Skating Federation said there was no intentional obstruction. But Kim’s compatriots steamed,” as if it was true that Japanese skaters obstructed her warm-ups unintentionally, to say the least.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/27/sports/othersports/27skate.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=yuna%20kim%20japan%20&st=cse

I am amazed that the Koreans are very strong in an information war like this (or what Alex called “image control”). The possible problem is, so long as the Koreans spread this kind of lies about Japan all over the world, the Japanese will never ever get along with the Koreans, though that’s not a problem at all for most Japanese.

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Comment by JimmyIshikawa
2009-11-05 23:42:10

I believe Japan is equality to blame for how this incident became such a big deal. First of all, some skaters did obstruct Yuna’s practice intentionally. Why would the sorry mass of Japan even deny that. Why on earth would any skater complain about it if such incidents didn’t happen? To the point that her team felt it needed to be addressed. Her coach is Canadian by the way, not even a Korean and it has nothing to do with nationality. Of course the reporters had to see who this was. And I blame the reporters for blowing it out of proportion, jumping to conclusion and plastering it all over the news, evenif I do believe it was the Japanese skaters (and there are so many Japanese skaters by the way) that did obstruct her practice in purpose.

But then, Japanese media, piles on with multiple voracity, posting sly, vile pictures and accusation that Yuna Kim is doing this on purpose when there was no obstruction at all to begin with.

Typical of Japanese, they don’t acknowledge their wrong AT ALL. It started with Japan. Yet, they again turn it around and abuse and demise others for calling out the truth.

That’s the true picture of Japan. And that’s why all of Asia HATES JAPAN!

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Comment by R.
2009-03-19 01:05:04

First off, off topic:

to the blogger, james whatever. I know you can do whatever you want to your blog. But can you stop posting articles that might offend others as you do often like posting semi-naked dudes?

And to the article:

As I said before, always exaggeration by Japanese media when it comes to Koreans, here’s truth about the incident:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WR-H9BaVHrg&feature=related

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Comment by helical
2009-03-19 07:15:33

OK, so when the Korean media reports it, it’s the “truth”, and when the Japanese media reports it, it’s an “exaggeration”.
Roger that.

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Comment by R.
2009-03-19 01:06:31

Also look at the ugly picture they printed on newspaper. Very unprofessional.

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Comment by AIB
2009-03-19 12:01:03

The one thing 二刊ゲンダイ has never been accused of is professionalism – it’s a tabloid rag…and a fun read to boot!

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Comment by AIB
2009-03-19 12:02:00

sorry – 日刊ゲンダイ 

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Comment by William
2009-03-19 23:00:27

sigh, this is sad.. well, this isn’t i encountered korean news telling the “truth”. i remember few years ago, BBC had a documentary about koreans eating dogs.. the reporter of BBC had to eat dogs but he changed his mind, but in the korean tv news, they showed that he enjoyed eating the dogs.

maybe koreans really like making up stories.

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Comment by R.
2009-03-20 00:49:33

?

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Comment by William
2009-03-20 22:09:52

my point is, koreans like to make up stories.

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Comment by leitmotiv
2009-03-20 23:59:41

LOL…not that that could be construed in any way as an unfair generalization.

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Comment by -
2009-03-28 11:12:09

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WR-H9BaVHrg&feature=related

I would like you to see this video and say if Koreans were making up stories.

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Comment by hae
2009-11-01 00:09:20

are you sure only Koreans in general like to make up stories??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLC4yfspGHc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loCkn8VJmL8
at least, Koreans don’t make these stories, and I think this is just fights between media, I think both, Korean and Japanese media is just making up stories so that they can get attention from people!

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Comment by Eugene
2009-03-20 09:40:28

Yuna never mentioned a certain country during her interview.
Mr. James should have been more careful about what he writes if his intention was to give acutual facts.

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Comment by Eugene
2009-03-20 09:50:52

She did win. So I do not understand the “If you can’t win, whine” remark. Also, Yuna did not mention any name or country during her interview. Before writing such things about a person,One should gather actual facts, if his or her intentions are to let the people know the ‘truth’. I

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Comment by ponta
2009-03-20 10:55:15

I think James is just telling what Japanese media was saying.And Japanese media was supposed to be saying what SBS was telling.
Kim didn’t mention any names on SBS , Japanese media says.
But rival skaters have disturbed her practice just before the competition, reported SBS.
SBS says that her coach even protested Japanese skaters and other skaters get in the way when Kim tried to jump. The skaters were always Japanese.
Do you have a transcript of what SBS reported on this? That might show which media was misleading.

「日本のライバルが練習妨害」キムヨナ選手主張と韓国TV
 【ソウル=前田泰広】韓国のテレビ局SBSは14日夜、フィギュアスケートの浅田真央選手の最大のライバルとして知られる韓国の金妍児(キムヨナ)選手が、「競争相手の選手に試合直前の練習を妨害された」などと話したと報じた。

 選手名は挙げていないが、SBSは、金選手のコーチが日本人選手の妨害行為に抗議したこともあるとしている。金選手の批判が日本人選手に向けられたものだとすれば、物議を醸しそうだ。

 SBSは、金選手が試合直前にジャンプを練習しようとすると、「進路に他の選手が入り込んだ。いつも日本人選手だった」と指摘。金選手は2月にカナダで行われた四大陸選手権に触れ、「(妨害が)ひどいと感じた」と批判した
(2009年3月15日 読売新聞

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Comment by SweetWater
2009-03-20 12:14:20

FYI, on March 19 the Japan Skating Federation sent an official request to its Korean counterpart to investigate the alleged interferences made by the Japanese figure skaters and to release the findings before the World Figure Skating Championship next week. You’ll see the ‘truth’ you are eager to know.

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Comment by Aki
2009-03-20 17:05:04

Yuna’s statement may suggest that she intentionally obstructed the run-throughs of Ando Miki and Yukari Nakano.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2aojwXEmnY

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Comment by Alex
2009-03-21 00:30:51

Other skaters block Kim Yuna, Kim Yuna blocks other skaters – What else would you expect in an event where young girls compete to outshine each other? It’s not a team event – It’s all about “me”.

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Comment by Aki
2009-03-21 03:13:47

My comment above was a bit too sarcastic. I don’t think that skaters intentionally obstruct the run-throughs of other skaters. Even in the run-through time for one skater, other skaters are there in the rink. They don’t know what course the rehearsing skater will take. In such a situation, near-contact would be a commonplace. I think the blame should go to SBS that delivered the exaggerated report.

In a figure skating blog, Required Element, a commenter, Jane, posted several informative comments. They are worth taking a look at. The following is from one of her comments.

SBS is the TV station in Korea in control of all the broadcasts on figure skating. They used a quote from Yuna, twisted it around, and used her to further a charge against Japanese skaters. Yuna DID NOT say anything specific about Japanese skaters. We also do not know what context her answer is taken from because the question which proceeded her answer was not even displayed or shown or heard. SBS took a quote from Yuna and fabricated a story against Japanese skaters.

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Comment by dobokun
2009-03-21 09:25:23

No , this article is categorized as anti-Japan (which sort of makes sense because this is a J blog, but at the end it seems to be anti Korea also, with the unscrupulous pic of Kim taken by the paper, the キミユナ name they can use her kanji name 「金姸兒」 and the bad Korea comments on that last vid youtube. I just wish Japan and Korea wouldn’t take things so personally and have things grow. I mean they are neighbors and should really push for respect Koreans and Japanese and when talking about any people. Western media and social additude have been friendly and objective now for quite some time towards all countries, and if Japan and Korea want to move past racism tension, they should have genuine relations shown to each other and try to include in media. Thanks for posting this story Jame.

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Comment by Richard
2009-03-29 13:24:56

Yes, Yuna said it. I don’t think she’s imagining things. She just won the World Championship in LA; she can’t be “seeing” things that’s not there.

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Comment by ponta
2009-03-29 13:34:57

She just won the World Championship in LA;

Congratulations!
BTW Yuna said what?

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Comment by sasha
2009-04-03 18:25:16

Im so sick of all the Japanese racism on youtube towards koreans , japanese making fake IDs with horrible korean racial slurs. Yuna never mentioned Japan yet Japan freaks out. seems a bit like the tell tale heart. if you bother to watch the entire warmups, it happened numerous times by ALL the Japanese skaters,theyd watch her from the corner of their eye and get in her way..a few times, one Japanese skater wizzed so close to her they almost collided. At my local skating rink, there are coaches (european ) that have seen it as well and they are VERY disappointed with the japanese skaters. VERY UNPROFESSIONAL. i wanted korea and japan to be great friends and rivals but it seems japans racism still runs VERY DEEP>horrible.

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Comment by reno
2009-05-08 22:36:56

sasha,you really sound korean
koreans always deny after something happened and blame japan.
i see this a lot on youtube.

i have been reading what people were saying here and i couldn’t stand any more.

yuna kim clearly claimed that japanese skaters ruined her practice!if she didnt mention “japanese skaters”,why is it such controversial in japan?
yuna didnt expect that japan figure skating association was gonna complain and this issue was gonna be such a big mess.

i can easily guess that the canadian coach is brainwashed that japanese are evil because he lives in korea.

sasha, if you guys really wanna be friend with japan, why don’t you stop anti-japanese education?
do you think 2 would be great friends if one kills national bird like that way??????
it doesnt make sense.

every time i watch TV,koreans burn japanese flag.
how come yuna or korea admits that she made a mistake,then japanese dont have to get angry.
a lot of korean people get on youtube and blame japan for anything!!im so sick of it!

i do know that if two countries can be best friends ,nothing would be better.
but it seems korea loves to hate japan,
im not trying to be offensive but korea should grow up and learn true history and nationalism instead of lying and hating.

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Comment by abbie
2009-12-08 15:44:25

Korea loves to hate Japan and Japan likes to stick their noses in the air and assert their superiority. I’m not Korean but I can totally relate to Korea’s bitterness. Most of the blame isn’t without basis. Their nationalism is extreme, but their history books are definitely closer to truth that Japan’s watered down one. I went on an exchange trip to Japan and their history book are heavily watered down compared to the ones we read even in Australia. Japan like to draw themselves as the victims of WWII that they seem to try and draw away their own atrocities.

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Comment by Anon
2010-03-05 07:02:21

I totally agree. . . There are alot of Korean haters in this blog. They are all apt to point fingers and call koreans liars and how they make up stories. I feel like its not exclusive to koreans. . come on! There is a reason all of Asia hates Japan, its not just koreans. Europeans and Americans are simply obsessed with the Japanese and think everyone else is a hater. Their textbooks barely mention anything of the terrible things they did including enslaving korean women during war to service their soldiers “comfort women”. They refuse to apologize or even acknowledge that this took place. Also, there is alot of mistrust and bitterness towards the U.S too. Afterall. . .because of the Japanese colonization and then the US and Soviet dividing korea. Coulda woulda shoulda huh?

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Comment by j
2009-10-17 18:03:35

It appears there many immature Japanese folks who like to blame Korean for their mistakes and denies history… Oh wait, perhaps their “supreme” national pride must been squashed because all japan skaters and sponsored money can not beat one Korean skater. Ouch, did that hurt that bad???

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Comment by Blood Rose
2009-10-18 07:50:36

Kim Yuna never said that even though alot of people think Mao and Yuna hate each other in real life they are buddies.

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Comment by J
2009-10-18 14:12:41

yuna never mentioned particularly about japanese skater during the interview, although she said she was bothered, it was the japanese skating association themselves who said they were offended before anyone ever said anything.. and that picture.. it shows how this person is so respectful toward other nations and now you are talking about sportmanship? please.. and today, Yuna had established the new world record in paris and the result clearly showed that she wasn’t ‘whining’ after all. so please lets be respectful and admit the fault.

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Comment by JimmyIshikawa
2009-11-05 23:54:00

I can’t believe how low and vile Japanese people are like. I’m not Asian so please do not try to turn this around to a specific country. I am just a skating fan.

But I believe Japan is equality to blame for how this incident became such a big deal. First of all, some skaters did obstruct Yuna Kim’s practice intentionally. It appalls me to see how Japan tries everything in its power to not even acknowlege that fact. That fact that there were annoying amount of obstruction happening during the practice is completely being ignored. Why on earth would any skater complain about it if such incidents didn’t happen? To the point that her team felt it needed to be addressed officially. Her coach is Canadian by the way, not even a Korean and it has nothing to do with nationality. Of course the reporters had to see who this was. And I blame the reporters for blowing it out of proportion, jumping to conclusion and plastering it all over the news, even if I do believe it was the Japanese skaters (and there are so many Japanese skaters by the way) that did obstruct her practice in purpose.

But then, Japanese media, piles on with multiple voracity, posting sly, vile pictures and accusation that Yuna Kim is doing this on purpose when there was no obstruction at all to begin with.

Typical of Japanese, they don’t acknowledge their wrong AT ALL. It started with Japan. Yet, they again turn it around and abuse and demise others for calling out the truth. (remember WWII?)

I have heard and seen in many incident how vicious Japanese can be. I don’t need to live in Asia to hear and learn of Japan’s personality. Japan like to torture and belittle people to utmost vicious level. I have heard of many incidents where Japanese students drives their own follow classmates to suicide by viciously bullying and belittling them. I can see this happening with Yuna’s incident too. It is sad to see such inhuman actions Japanese pursue but doesn’t even know they are being such an embarrassment. They care so much about their image yet, they have no idea they are destroying it by trying to viciously protect it.

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Comment by helical
2009-11-06 00:22:41

You don’t want to turn this into something accusing a specific country … except for your viscous and unrelated historical accusations against Japan, from a standpoint which you go out of your way to tell people isn’t Korean Asian and hence, supposed to be taken as being objective. Wonderful.

So Kim Yuna suggests some skaters from an unnamed country blocked her, reporters jumped to conclusions, but you believe it to be Japanese skaters, and now it’s the truth denied?
And now Japan as a whole is in the wrong for the media not acknowledging a transgression on their skating team that is, regardless of whatever you believe personally, still only an unverified accusation, and offering their own speculation as to why she would have said those things.
The leaps and jumps aren’t restricted to the skating rink it seems.

And since you cite the third-party nationality of the coach as reason for the objectiveness of the original claim (which wasn’t against Japanese skaters any ways), I suppose that means you’re implicitly stating if it were Koreans, then they would be liable to giving slanted views in contrast.

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Comment by helical
2009-11-06 13:29:52

vicious … not viscous.

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Comment by vikkihelena
2009-11-06 12:56:19

With all your speaking about Hitler, you’re lumping EVERYONE in JAPAN in one group as if everyone has the same personality. If you believe it is wrong, as you say, why are you perpetuating it?

You say the Japanese are bullies…of course the students who commit suicide are also Japanese, presumably shy, and not bullies…

Ugly, vicious comments are everywhere. I was bullied myself, in America, as a little Caucasian girl. The whole world has ugly things in it if you look for them, but the racist way you generalize Japan is as ugly as the behaviors you talk about.

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Comment by britneyboy
2009-11-28 14:34:32

what the heck. you guys are all stupid.
leave Britney alone.
she didn’t do anything.
all she cared about was her hair and how she dressed.
she ain’t do nothing to bother you so leave her alone.
sob. sob

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Comment by danny
2009-12-09 02:25:54

Yuna Kim is hot.

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Comment by phil
2009-12-04 18:10:46

japanese girls are hot.

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Comment by YUNA
2009-12-09 02:29:18

the thing is, yuna kim doesn’t give a shit about it

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Comment by lacrimosa
2009-12-09 03:04:24

Sports and media shenanigans don’t mix well in every part of the globe. I really want to enjoy watching sports as art forms, not as issues raised by the mass media.

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Comment by Intermarz
2010-02-02 00:30:23

^^;; how did you make dis kinda poto of yuna..what a trash news it is. it makes me to hate japan more and more..but still like mao though..

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Comment by R.Kim
2010-02-10 00:13:50

okay-
It’s really immature of fans of boths sides to point fingers at each other and say f**** you and etc. Interference during practice happens, and although people shouldn’t complain, they still have a right to.

And the fact that on both sides, the media is constantly bringing up this stuff, divides Koreans and Japanese even more. People, start thinking for yourselves, not necessarily what the media is telling you.

I believe Mao and Yuna were pretty friendly (judging from past photos). The atmosphere has gotten tense since the Olympics are right around the corner. But I think Mao is one of the sweetest people. I saw her in an interview on a Korean station one time, and she was absolutely charming and very sweet.

Whatever happens, the playing field at the Olympics needs to be equal, level, and fair. Only in that case, would the best athlete win. Don’t we all want to see only the best win? Whether it be Mao Asada, Yuna Kim, Miki Ando, etc.

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Comment by YunaNotAtFault!
2010-02-12 15:20:45

I am neither japanese or korean, but i watched the video where there have been many instances of disturbances to yuna. It’s weird that they say they share the ice for practice, but there have been many things done intentionally. Everytime someone comes near her, she would escape where the other skater just skates away like nothing happened. There was one skater that even came from behind and was one inch away from yuna, they almost collided, but yuna moved quickly. It’s some bullshit when the japanese tries to blame yuna when they were obviously at fault. They were obviously targeting her, i saw it, and im not dumb, they were in her way many times when they knew she was going to jump.

Japanese are so fucking delusional. And she wasnt whining, she won, so there was nothing to whine about. Ruining her practice isnt going to keep her from winning. Japan always tries to blame others, when they are at fault, just like WWII.

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Comment by Joseph
2010-02-27 19:31:57

here goes those japanese people. always whining after a loss. how unfortunate. suck it up sore losers. Mao NEVER HAD A CHANCE :)

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Comment by  
2010-03-03 13:54:18

kim breaks Olympics rule ?
The Olympics rule prohibits advertising.

She weared earrings when she got a gold medal.
korean Company that sells the Pierced earring advertises
“kim yu-na wears earings when got a gold medal ! ”

if this conclude against the rules , disqualify a gold medal .

Company that sells the Pierced earring
http://www.jestina.com/data/rental/board/pds/KNEditor2_Pds/100225_yuna_12(1).jpg
http://www.jestina.com/goods/detail.asp?num=103571&big=1&middle=4

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Comment by Anon
2010-03-05 07:10:19

Just because Mao did her triple jumps doesnt mean she should have won. Mao may have landed her triples without incident but she failed to do all that well in other aspects…like messing up on a less difficult jump and mistepping randomly as she skates. She knows she didnt do her best and she admitted that. . .so why is everyone making a big deal about Yuna winning? She deserved it. People always see what they want to see and if they are going to construe and contort every comment and apply it as omg they hate eachother. . i hate her or her. I keep running across some japanese blog with them criticizing every aspect of Yuna’s jumps and how shes not even that good. Sounds a bit sore

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Comment by Sylvia
2010-03-05 07:53:11

Ok this is twisting the truth a bit. Kim Yuna never specifically attacked the Japanese in the interview; she said that some skaters were interfering with her warm ups, which looked rather intentional if you’ve seen some of her warm ups. She never said a particular skater and she didn’t say anything about Japan.

I’ve also seen the video where Yuna interferes with Mirai and Yuna definitely could have collided with Mirai while she was going backwards but it didn’t seem like it would have been an intentional collision. Also when Mirai was spinning, the angle of the camera makes it look like Yuna came too close but in reality she was at least five feet away (if you look at the ice distance instead of the people).I don’t care much for the rivalry between Japan and Korea (even though I am a Korean American). All I’m trying to say is that accidents can happen in the rink, but Kim Yuna looked bullied and I’m not blaming the Japanese. I’m blaming those specific skaters with bad conduct, regardless of their country. No skater should be hindered in the rink by bully skaters.

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Comment by Tim
2010-03-10 09:47:07

I’ve followed these vicious attacks on Yuna from japanese including japanese media. They just don’t like her winning over their own athletes no matter what she does. Likewise, Korean media and haters have similar attitude towards Mao.

As for this “story”, Yuna said some japanese skater obstructed her because she felt that way. whether it is true or not. I think that’s possiblity because there are almost always three or four japanese skaters while she’s practicing. And Yuna mentioned it to local reporter as a simple comment. And then japanese media/haters got what they wanted – the reason for them to hate her and to justify their “hate” activities.

For example, during Olympics, 50-60% of Videos about Yuna Kim on Youtube was Japanese’s hate videos. Unlike other hate videos, these videos were well-organized so they can pollute Youtube in long time enough.

Of course, I don’t defend Korean counterparts because they’ve done nothing less than what japanese haters did. And Korean media also gave them motives as well.

At the end, Yuna won Gold and Mao got Silver. And Korean/Japanese media got what they wanted – something to write in order to sell their product and ad. Who do you think real loser(s) here is? Mao? I don’t think so. Although she got silver, she impressed ISU enough to change some of scoring system. So Mao will be just fine whether Yuna will be retired or not after Worlds.

Real losers are the haters in my opinion. Even after olympics, thanks to the corresponding media’s shameful work, there are so much things for haters to do in order to attack Yuna or Mao, of course, without any rewards. Then maybe that’s the way the haters really wanted. I think this Mao/Yuna hate story gets one of the stupidest things so many people are involved in modern society.

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Comment by Orchid64
2010-03-13 18:56:28

The context of the Japan/Korea rivalry is sadly absent from this piece. The Japanese have been incredibly petty about Yuna’s victory and have been talking trash about her since she won the gold. This includes saying she wasn’t qualified to even be an Olympic athlete because she took an endorsement from a jewelry company and saying that the judges were bribed to give her a higher score than her Japanese rival. When she won with such an excellent score, the Japanese commentators and media displayed sour grapes by saying that at her age, her life would be destroyed by a victory at this stage and she would see a degradation in her life from this point forward and that Mao will win in the next Olympics and it will be “the right time” for a woman to win as she will be able to handle the fame and fortune at the age of 24. In other words, they said they’re glad Mao didn’t win too young as Yuna did because it is certain to be destructive for Yuna.

It’s all so petty and pathetic. The Japanese could at least display some grace about their taking second place rather than take shots at the first place winner, but they have to show how threatened they are by losing to a Korean.

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Comment by Man
2010-03-16 21:41:40

hey!! lol..

it seems that u guys r telling lie..
kim yu na didnt say such bad about japan. in other way maybe japan was one whose making up stories to blame korea.. (maybe,,)
but this kind of thing doesnt matter because kim is winner.. lol

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