Former Figure Skater Sunghoon Fulfills Olympic Dream as ENHYPEN Member Carries Torch in Milan
MILAN - A decade-long journey came full circle for ENHYPEN's Sunghoon when he carried the Olympic flame through Milan's streets Wednesday, transforming a childhood athletic dream into reality through an unexpected path.
The K-pop idol completed his 20-minute torch relay segment near Bolivar Station on February 5, greeted by thousands of fans who had gathered hours earlier. Many waved South Korean flags and held Korean-language signs supporting the 23-year-old performer who once trained alongside Korea's current Olympic figure skating team.
"Coming to the Olympic stage was my first dream as an athlete," Sunghoon told reporters after the relay. "I chose a different path as an idol, but being here still feels like realizing that dream."
Athletic Background Shaped Current Career
Sunghoon competed as a figure skater for a decade before retiring in early 2020. His competitive achievements included silver medals at the 2014 Korea Figure Skating Championships (junior division) and consecutive podium finishes at the Asian Figure Skating Trophy in 2016 and 2017. He represented South Korea at ISU Junior Grand Prix events in Estonia and Poland.
The former national reserve team member trained alongside Cha Jun-hwan and Kim Hyun-gyeom, both competing for South Korea at these Games. "It feels like only yesterday we were training together," Sunghoon said. "I saw how hard they worked all the time and I know they will do really well here."
Samsung Electronics recommended Sunghoon as torchbearer for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, which open Friday with ceremonies at San Siro Stadium. He's the second K-pop artist to carry an Olympic torch overseas, following BTS member Jin at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.
Dual Role Connects Sports and Entertainment
Sunghoon has served as Korean Sport & Olympic Committee promotional ambassador since May 2025, bridging his athletic background with his music career. The role influenced both his torch relay selection and ENHYPEN's broader Olympic involvement.
The seven-member group's song "SHOUT OUT" from 2022's MANIFESTO: DAY 1 serves as Team Korea's official cheer anthem for the Games. The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee launched a challenge campaign using the track, featuring Sunghoon in Korea's national team awards jacket.
His torch relay appearance generated over 600,000 social media mentions and 2.4 million engagements within hours of completion, according to fan tracking data.
ENHYPEN Charts Commercial Success
The Olympic spotlight arrives during ENHYPEN's strong commercial performance. Their seventh mini-album THE SIN: VANISH debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 in January with 122,400 equivalent album units, marking their fifth consecutive top-five entry. First-week sales exceeded 2 million copies.
Sunghoon debuted with ENHYPEN in November 2020 after placing sixth on Mnet's survival program I-LAND. The group consists of members Jungwon, Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, and Ni-ki.
The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics run through February 23, featuring approximately 3,500 athletes competing for 116 gold medals. Team Korea includes 71 athletes across six sports.
