1. She's the First South Korean Figure Skater to Take Home Gold
Yuna broke records as the first South Korean woman to bring home Gold in figure skating at the Vancouver Olympic Games in 2010. That performance also got her the highest score since the new scoring system that was put in place in 2006. She then won Silver in the Sochi 2014 Games, which caused a lot of controversy. The controversy was due to the fact that many believed the judged raised Russian skater, Adelina Sotnikova's scores higher in order to help her win Gold. She was also named one of the Times 100 in 2010 by fellow skater Michelle Kwan for being a hero in the figure skating word and changing history, while inspiring and impressing million with her skills on the ice.
2. She is a Philanthropist
She was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2010 and has done charity work in many different countries, such as Japan, Haiti, and the Philippines. After winning her Silver Medal at the World Figure Skating Championships she also donated her winnings of $27,000 to help victims of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. In 2012, Yuna has also paid thousands of dollars to the organization Salesian of Don Bosco, which builds Catholic schools in war torn South Sudan. She has personally gone to Africa in 2011 and said she "felt the need to help out children there," and went on to say she wanted "to offer what little support I can" to those in need.
3. She was the 7th Highest Paid Female Athlete in the World
As of 2018 she was worth 21 million and made 9 million alone in 2010, the year she won Gold in Vancouver. According to Forbes, in 2013 she was listed #7 in the top 10 richest female athletes. She was the only winter Olympian on the list, with the majority of the others high on the list being tennis players, such as Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova. She has endorsement deals with a multitudes of companies, such as Samsung Electronics, Korean Ari, and KB Financial.
4. She Helped Bring the Olympics to PyeongChang
Becoming a world champion in 2009 and then winning Gold in 2010 helped win the bid they needed to have order to host the Olympic games. She became a celebrity in Korean and Forbes named her the # 1 celebrity in Korean due to her income, influence, professionalism, and popularity. Taking advantage of her popularity, Korea had her speak in Durban, South Africa to help them win against Munich, Germany and Annecy, France, who were the two competitors vying for the hosting opportunity. During her speech, her charm and representation of a New Korea helped them win and bring the Olympic Games to PyeongChang in 2018.
5. She's a Devout Catholic
She is always seen wearing a Rosary Ring on her during her skating routines, as well as at many functions and events outside of skating. She also has been seen to do the symbol of the cross prior to any skate and did it before skating her performance that won her Gold in 2010. Her faith stems from a catholic doctor she had to helped her with knee injuries she had. She was baptized in 2008 alongside her mother and took the name “Stella”. She has also donated to many catholic organizations, hospitals, and universities, while also being a spokesperson for many catholic orphanages in Korea.
