By Margareth Theresia
Video = Park Dae Jin

Public interest in Team Korea and key points of interest have appeared ahead of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy, a competition that starts on Feb. 6.

Expectations are high over Korea's potential to win medals in snow events in addition to those of ice skating, the country's traditional strength.

To run from Feb. 6-22 in Milan and Cortina, Italy, the tournament will see some 2,900 athletes from 90 countries vie for 116 gold medals in eight events.

Korea's squad of about 70 athletes will compete in the biathlon, bobsleigh and skeleton, curling, luge, ice skating (figure, speed and short track), and skiing and snowboarding. The goal is to finish 10th in the overall medal count.

This year's contingent features short track superstars Choi Minjeong and Hwang Daeheon, both of whom struck gold at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, and Lee Chaeun (snowboard halfpipe), Lee Yoon Seung (freestyle skiing) and Kim Hyun-gyeom (figure skating), all of whom won gold two years ago at the Winter Youth Olympics in Gangwon-do Province.

Short track superstars Choi Minjeong (third from front) and Rim Jong-un (second from front) on Jan. 7 train at Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, Chungcheongbuk-do Province, ahead of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy. (Yonhap News)

Korea has shown long-standing dominance in short track with 26 golds at the Winter Olympics through Beijing 2022. Rising dynamo Rim Jong-un and up-and-coming ace Kim Gilli will join the team of Choi and Hwang to lead the race for medals. The Korean record for Olympic medals is six, something Choi can break with two wins in Italy.

Figure skater Cha Jun-hwan is another medal hopeful. On Jan. 25, he won the silver at the International Skating Union Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Beijing, missing the gold by just 0.11 point.

In 2022, Cha in Beijing became the first Korean male figure skater to place fifth in a Winter Olympics.

The most anticipated aspect of the national team is its snow sports contingent. Snowboard halfpipe wunderkind Choi Gaon entered Italy fresh off three straight FIS World Cup wins, and could bring home Korea's first gold in an Olympic snow event.

Lee Chaeun (center) on Jan. 25, 2024, stands on the winners' podium after taking the gold in the men's snowboard slopestyle at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics at Welli Helli Park Ski Resort in Hoengseong-gun County, Gangwon-do Province. (Olympic Information Service/IOC)

Lee Chaeun (snowboard halfpipe), Lee Yoon Seung (freestyle skiing) and Kim Hyun-gyeom (figure skating), all three of whom won golds at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics in Gangwon-do Province, will compete as adults in Italy.

Finishing 18th in his Olympic debut in Beijing four years ago, Lee Chaeun has gone on to impress by winning the men's halfpipe at the 2023 FIS World Championships and the slopestyle at last year's Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China.

Lee Yoon Seung won the inaugural gold in men's dual moguls at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics. He also teamed up with Yun Shin-Ee to claim Korea's first silver in mixed dual moguls.

At the World Junior Championships in January last year, he won the bronze.

margareth@korea.kr