Drama unfolds on the ice

2 Asiad champions prompt reflection on educational approaches, parenting styles

Victory is a virus. This metaphor held true for two Korean figure skaters at the 2025 Asian Winter Games, which wrapped up its weeklong competition in Harbin, China, on Friday.

Korea’s figure skating sensation, Cha Jun-hwan, mesmerized the crowd with his flawless and artistic performance in the free program, pulling off an upset against Japan’s gold medal favorite, Yuma Kagiyama. Cha clinched the gold medal a day after Kim Chae-yeon’s epic triumph against Japan’s reigning three-time world champion, Kaori Sakamoto.

Cha, 24, and Kim, 19, share more than just victory — both entered the competition as underdogs. The two skaters finished second in their respective men’s and women’s singles but secured their wins with near-perfect free programs. Kagiyama, who had rarely made mistakes in previous competitions, faltered with several errors in his jumps. Meanwhile, Sakamoto fell while attempting a triple flip — a costly mistake.

The Korean skaters stood out for their artistry, while their Japanese rivals showcased powerful skating skills.

Cha and Kim made history, marking the first time Korean figure skaters claimed gold in both the men’s and women’s singles at the same Asian Games. Cha became the first male Korean skater to win a medal at the Asiad — and notably, the first to win gold. Kim became the second Korean woman to win gold in figure skating at the Asian Games, following Choi Da-bin, who claimed gold at the 2017 Asian Games in Sapporo, Japan. Kim’s dramatic upset became the talk of the town, largely because she triumphed in fierce competition against reigning champion Sakamoto, a gold medal favorite for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.

Their success has since led to reflections on issues plaguing Korean society. One such example is Korean parents' overwhelming obsession with medical school, a phenomenon that has distorted the country’s educational priorities. Every year, top students fiercely compete for spots in medical schools, with some willing to take a gap year to retake the exams and improve their scores if they don’t make the cut. Meanwhile, science and engineering departments are grappling with the fallout, facing a significant brain drain. A society that prioritizes medicine over other fields risks its future.

In the age of artificial intelligence, Korea needs more talented scientists and engineers. A shortage in these fields could eventually cause the country to fall behind in the fierce global race to become a leader in innovation and technology.

The culture of intrusive parenting is one of the factors contributing to Korea's brain drain in science and engineering. Parents often exert disproportionate influence over their children’s career decisions, with many pushing them toward medicine due to the belief that doctors are well-paid and highly respected. The problem is that what parents think is best for their children isn't always what's truly best for them.

A two-pronged approach is needed to resolve the brain drain in science and engineering. First, efforts must begin at the family level, particularly in how parents raise and support their children. Equally important is the role of the government. Education authorities should work to foster an awareness that no profession is superior to another, and all careers deserve respect. Once these conditions are in place, children will understand that passion and talent should guide their career choices, rather than the perception of what is considered prestigious by society.

Cha and Kim are outliers — self-motivated young people who knew what they wanted to do with their careers from a young age and followed their hearts. Unlike many parents who push their children toward medical school regardless of aptitude, the parents of these two skaters respected and fully supported their children's choices, helping them turn their dreams into reality.

In an interview, Kim shared that her passion for figure skating began when she was in fourth grade. It was love at first sight, she recalled. However, her mother initially opposed her desire to become a figure skater due to the financial burden it would place on the family. Figure skating was, and still is, an expensive sport, and Kim’s mother felt that the family couldn’t afford it. However, with her natural talent, Kim was persistent and eventually convinced her mother to support her. To save money, Kim’s mother even made her figure skating dresses by hand. Kim expressed pride in her mother’s handmade dresses, seeing them as a symbol of her mother’s dedication.

The stories of these two Asiad gold medalists stand in stark contrast to Korea's obsession with medical careers, highlighting two different parenting approaches: the strict, controlling style versus the more hands-off approach, which gives children the freedom to explore their options and choose their own career paths.

It’s clear which style of parenting benefits children more. Children raised under a laissez-faire approach — like Cha and Kim — have a better chance of succeeding in their chosen fields.

Let children, not parents, decide what is best for them.