--- title: Yuna Kim: 5 Things to Know About Olympic Cauldron Lighter description: South Korea's Yuna Kim was chosen to light the Olympic cauldron at the 2018 Winter Olympics. Here's what you should know about her canonical: https://time.com/5141402/yuna-kim-olympics-2018/ author: Flora Carr article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-02-09T16:11:42.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-01-15T18:57:07.000Z article:section: Sports og:title: 5 Things to Know About Yuna Kim, Lighter of the Olympic Cauldron og:description: She's known as "Queen Yuna" in South Korea og:url: https://time.com/5141402/yuna-kim-olympics-2018/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc4bd7778cc57ca60/698926e10a4a22230a9d1b3d/yuna-kim.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: 2018 Winter Olympic Games - Opening Ceremony og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 5 Things to Know About Yuna Kim, Lighter of the Olympic Cauldron twitter:description: She's known as "Queen Yuna" in South Korea twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc4bd7778cc57ca60/698926e10a4a22230a9d1b3d/yuna-kim.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # 5 Things to Know About Yuna Kim, Lighter of the Olympic Cauldron > Sponsored content. 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Terms and conditions apply. * Savings buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Savings Account. * No ATM fees from Ally Bank at Allpoint and Moneypass ATMs plus we reimburse for fees charged by other ATM owners nationwide up to $10 per statement cycle. * Early direct deposit offers eligible direct deposits up to two days sooner. * Spending buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Spending Account. by [Flora Carr](https://time.com/author/flora-carr/) ## Flora Carr Updated: Jan 15, 2026 6:57 PM UTCPublished: Feb 9, 2018 4:11 PM UTC  Kim Yu-na, South Korean Figure Skater lights the cauldron during the Opening Ceremony of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at PyeongChang Olympic Stadium on February 9, 2018 in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea. Kim Yu-na, South Korean Figure Skater lights the cauldron during the Opening Ceremony of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at PyeongChang Olympic Stadium on February 9, 2018 in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea.Dean Mouhtaropoulos—Getty Images by [Flora Carr](https://time.com/author/flora-carr/) ## Flora Carr Updated: Jan 15, 2026 6:57 PM UTCPublished: Feb 9, 2018 4:11 PM UTC It’s the highest honor bestowed during an [Olympic opening ceremony](http://time.com/5141412/winter-olympics-mike-pence-kim-jong-un-sister/). Every four years, a competitor from the host nation is chosen to light the Olympic cauldron, the climax of the entire ceremony. For [the 2018 Winter Olympics](http://time.com/money/5136248/pyeongchang-opening-ceremony-2018-watch-online-free/) in PyeongChang, South Korea, the athlete chosen was figure skater Yuna Kim, a hugely popular figure known in South Korea as “Queen Yuna.” On Friday, Kim performed a short skating routine for the crowd before she was handed the torch, with viewers praising Kim for appearing on skates. So, who is Yuna Kim? Here’s what you should know about her. ## 1\. Yuna Kim, 27, is a champion figure skater  Kim Yuna of South Korea celebrates winning the gold medal in the Ladies Free Skating during the medal ceremony on day 14 of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics at Pacific Coliseum on February 25, 2010 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) Cameron Spencer—Getty Images Kim is a household name in South Korea. [Kim won the gold medal at the Vancouver Games in 2010](http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1968296,00.html), before winning silver in Sochi in 2014. Kim’s[ performance in 2010](http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1958645%5F1958459%5F1958444,00.html), when she became the first South Korean skater to win gold, followed a dramatic showdown between herself and longtime rival, Japan’s Mao Asada. After making the sign of the cross, Yuna Kim delivered a record-making routine set to Gershwin’s “Concerto in F.” The performance earned Kim the highest point total of any woman so far under the current scoring system, in place since 2006, despite Asada performing two high-scoring triple Axel jumps. > [](https://twitter.com/Yunaaaa/status/874823694954020864) ## 2\. Yuna Kim’s silver medal in 2014 was a source of controversy  Silver medalist Yuna Kim of South Korea, Gold medalist Adelina Sotnikova of Russia and Bronze medalist Carolina Kostner of Italy celebrate during the medal ceremony for the Women's Free Figure Skating on day fourteen of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Medals Plaza on February 21, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by John Berry/Getty Images) John Berry—Getty Images Whispers circulated that Russian [Adelina Sotnikova](http://time.com/8932/sochi-2014-winter-olympics-figure-skating-yulia-lipnitskaya/)‘s gold medal score had been inflated. Kim announced her retirement from the sport shortly after. ## 3\. “Queen Yuna” has landed lucrative contracts  Pedestrians walk past Seoul City Hall, which is covered with a billboard showing a picture of Olympic figure skating gold medalist Kim Yuna, for the Group of 20 (G-20) summit in Seoul, South Korea, on Saturday, Oct. 30, 2010\. Photographer: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images Bloomberg—Bloomberg via Getty Images Yuna Kim is well known for her balletic moves, while her wholesome, girl-next-door public persona has led to lucrative deals and endorsements; Yuna Kim has appeared in various commercials on Korean television. She was also featured on Forbes’ list of the world’s highest-earning female athletes. > [](https://twitter.com/CBCOlympics/status/961951734133223431) ## 4\. Other figure skaters love her  Olympic athletes Yuna Kim, Apolo Ono and Michelle Kwan attend the Special Olympics LA 2015 World Games press conference at Staples Center on September 14, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/WireImage) Jordan Strauss—WireImage [Yuna Kim was profiled for the TIME 100](http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1984685%5F1984949%5F1985220,00.html) in 2010 by [U.S. skater Michelle Kwan](http://time.com/money/5005197/michelle-kwan-career-advice/), the most decorated figure skater in U.S. history. “Kim’s inspiring performances in Vancouver changed the face of figure skating forever,” Kwan said. “Those 6½ minutes on the ice left not only a mark in the record book but also an indelible impression on millions of young girls around the world.” On Friday, Kwan expressed on Twitter her delight at seeing Kim light the Olympic torch. She also posted an image of the pair skating on Instagram. > [](https://twitter.com/MichelleWKwan/status/961952515444092928) ## 5\. Yuna Kim is also a philanthropist  Kim Yuna, South Korean Figure Skater lights the cauldron during the Opening Ceremony of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at PyeongChang Olympic Stadium on February 9, 2018 in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea. (Photo by Pool - Frank Fife/Getty Images) Pool—Getty Images Yuna Kim was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2010, and has participated in relief efforts in Haiti, Japan, and the Philippines. In May 2011, Kim donated her silver prize money of $27,000 from the World Figure Skating Championships to victims of [the Japanese earthquake](http://time.com/3726563/japan-earthquake-anniversary/).  Kim Yuna, South Korean Figure Skater prepares to light the cauldron during the Opening Ceremony of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at PyeongChang Olympic Stadium on February 9, 2018 in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea. (Photo by Pool - David J. 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