I used to want Yuna to come back and skate professionally again, but after watching this interview I am glad she decided not to. I dont believe for a second that it was because of David or Orser or anyone else for that matter that Yuna skated to two World champions and an Olympic gold. And I am so glad that in the end she skated on her terms and not what was put on her because someone was unwilling to be more open minded and accepting. David you had the privilege of working with a legend, and yet you sit there and try to take some cheap shots at her because she dumped you. In Sochi, Yuna skated the way she wanted, and she did an amazing job. Everyone knows that the Gold should have been awarded to her because she skated best. What we saw in Sochi was truly Yuna. Her short program said it all. She did what she loved and was best at. I am just glad to know that finally did it her way.
Yuna can't skate professionally anymore because she destroyed her back going for gold at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. . She competed with shots of painkillers in her back. Her body is broken. That's what sport does: Destroys bodies.
Very illuminating interview. But like others have mentioned below, I think David was trying to pin his hopes and dreams through Yuna, hoping Yuna would be the one to carry these dreams to fruition. But I think it's unfair not to consider what Yuna wants. The amount of pressure she carried was astronomical; she carried a country's hopes on her shoulders. She is the first person from Korea to excel at this level in figure skating. Perfection was constantly expected out of her, and if I were her, I would definitely want out: I would have broken down from the stress. Some peace and quiet would be great. I thought it was funny how David was saying that in Asian culture, the individual is put last while other things like family is put first. But isn't he doing the same thing by placing his expectations onto Yuna, expecting her to serve the ice-skating community while sacrificing her needs? I'm a little disillusioned with David, but ultimately still have a fan of his work. I think we should all be grateful for what Yuna has done for the skating community. My only hope is that Yuna does what makes her happy, whatever that may be.
+Brian Tsai This!!! She had so much pressure. And you know, just because she was exceptional and talented does not mean she owes anyone anything, least of all the people she paid (as someone else pointed out) and the sport itself. Her contributions are already immeasurable, anything extra would be nice and we as fans would love it but if she's done, she is done. I'd rather her quit skating altogether than see her unhappy on the ice skating in pro shows. Not to mention she IS doing a hell of a lot for the junior winter olympics and the next winter games in South Korea.
From the interview it sounds like he really misses her. He's upset because they could have gone on to create beautiful projects and had a lot of fun together. Understandable to be sad when your protege doesn't share your vision.
Yeah. I love a lot of David's work still. He is clearly super talented at what he is doing. And he's probably not a bad man either. But man, does he love making generalizations of an entire culture due to bitterness from his own experience. . He did the same thing with Yuzuru in a TSL talk. Where when discussing Yuzu's decision to switch from him to Shae-Lynn, he went on and on about this whole "Japanese people like to shop around" thing, which honestly can't be applied to Yuzu who has had two coaches and three choreographer in total since his Junior years. I am honestly not even the biggest fan of Yuna, but still feel like David shouldn't talk like that. It's pretty offensive, and as an Asian myself, I definitely feel pretty offended.
I almost sense a slight... Bitterness? Like how he mentioned that she makes however many millions of dollars a year and to not think that she'd be doing that if he hadn't taught her how to be a performer. And then how he mentions how he didn't get any glory out of it or any interviews or whatever but follows it up with "not that that's why I do it." Then why mention it? Not to take anything away from David, because he and Yuna's team absolutely had major contributions to her success, there is no denying that. I just think when he says "I/we made her a star," it almost takes something away from Yuna and her work and all the pressure she had as an elite athlete. Of, course it takes a village as they say, and Yuna obviously felt he contributed to her success considering she asked him to choreograph all of her programs even after 2010 and her split from Brian. I just think it's very presumptuous to assume that she wouldn't have been so successful without him. Maybe that's true, but I just don't think it's very tasteful the way he commented on it and phrased it. Of course, he did praise her many times and complimented her a lot, her work ethic, and how receptive she was to his teaching. And he may have been disappointed, but she really didn't owe anyone anything. She put in the work and the years and she was tired. You could tell she was relieved that she was done after her free skate in Sochi. She obviously felt the pressure of her fans and her country and the skating critics and you really felt that. And I don't think she has an obligation to give back just because she is exceptional and talented. That's bull. She gave back to the skating community by being a phenom and never placing off the podium her entire skating career and giving us many memorable performances, and I think that's enough. Regardless, great interview. Even if I don't like certain things he said, the candor is appreciated.
+RDG This sums up my feelings exactly. He felt bitter. It's such a shame, because he's a genius, and any true figure skating fan knows that. So there was no need to make such a big deal about himself. His accomplishments shone through irrespective of media coverage. But for me his image is now overshadowed by this resentful attitude. It's so sad. I wished for an interview like this, and now I regret it. He just gave the Russians the ammunition they needed to argue that Yuna didn't deserve to win Gold, which any rational person knows is blatantly false.
+RDG Yeah, I was like, what???? when he said "I/we made her a star." Yes , it did take something away from Yuna and her hard work. I mean, she was already a star before joining the team, and she made the Cricket club, Orser, and Wilson famous, rather than they made her a star. I'm quite shock to hear him saying things like that.
Has he considered Yuna's point of view? Just recently in 2018. I read and watched some interviews of her. She is currently happy because finally she can experience life like many others. She is now trying all the teenager stuff and she is not at a teenager age. She is learning to drive, testing and trying drinking, testing her drinking limits, going out and trying to make friends her age, going out to cafés to hang out, all of which she said she hardly or never had the opportunity to do. Imagine if she was still skating, plus her strict skating schedule and parents enforcement, imagine she would skate till her late 30s. How would she get to experience these experiences freely or start a family since females have a biological clock. Think from her point of view David.
Hui-Ling Chang yeah and even he said, she was not a happy skater. I think Yuna have a a real gift and she is really talentos, but even being a fan of her and her performances, figure skating Never seemed to be her passion. It’s was almost like thats have been all her life, sonhe she was a kid, because she was very talented, like if she had got tired of it.
It's not that I don't give him any credit, don't get me wrong, but Yuna was excellent before as well. 2006~07 tango was proof of that. Even if she is introvert, she was expressive and dominating in competition. It's just he didn't know until he saw her in competition. And I don't really buy someone HAD to transform her into something she is not. Like he said, what makes Yuna so special is that she can take choreographer's words by heart. She can deliver programme as it should be and beyond. She already had that quality. You know, she suffered persistent back and ankle injuries. There were also problems of her boots which almost made her quit skating. Such a difficult time for her. Of course, she wouldn't smile on training. It literally HURT her to skate. But, she sticked to it; came alive in competitions, setting world records even. Without great love for skating, I think it is impossible to do what she have done, especially through all that. Bottom line, I feel bad on people asking her for everything. What obligation does she have? Some people might not realise it, but she shouldn't be taken for granted. Is it easy for a girl to leave home and be in a country where she can't communicate in her mother tongue? Would it have been easy for her to endure injuries and more importantly, unfairness in judgment? She devoted much to skating and anyone near her would know it; probably witnessed her going through hardships on individual level and system-wise. For someone who criticise whole Asia for individuals coming at last, you sure ask alot of her. She does not owe anything. And she certainly, does owe some skating shows. Did she not bring glories during her reign in figure skating? Making it look like an art; making it look like more than just a sports. She even created an ideal fantasy for people to believe that there is fair game in figure skating; that best of talents wins. But the truth is, you would have to have "best nationality" as well. It is naive and even cruel to fault an individual without reflection on the system. She devoted much to skating since young and still does. Just because she doesn't do shows, just because she does not endure unfairness anymore, you can't call out on her. It is not just unfair, but cruel to do so. She is not some kind of an ultimate sacrifice given freely by God. No one owns her. No one but herself.
As a Chinese myself, I do admit that the Asian culture has very different values from the western countries. That said, it's just CULTURE. No one should be judgemental about it. Also, people do have different life choices. That I have some talent doesn't mean I have to live on it. I feel Davis is imposing his values and ways of living.
A bit shocked by some things he said. First off, no matter what David thinks, he was her choreographer. He was paid to do what he did, and to expect her to do something for him in return is ludicrous. This is his job that had to do with her CAREER. Not her LIFE. Her desires after her competitive career were to improve skating in Korea, as well as becoming involved with the IOC. She helps out with young skaters in her country and is currently in school. That is what she wants to do and perhaps for the first time in her life, no one is pushing her. If David Wilson truly understood that, he wouldn't have said what he said. Additionally, figure skating will never be the same. And to bring back those glory days are David's dreams. She's not his show pony for him and this sport to make money. Even if she decided to, the horrible rigging in the competitive aspect of this sport won't change, and that will cause figure skating to stay where it is. So no, David, she couldn't have brought change despite her name value and talent.
Yuna likes skating if she can win medals. Yuna likes competition and winning, more than she loves skating. It's the reason she hasn't had an AWESOME professional skating career.
@@JosedeJezeus Hey, for someone who dislikes her so much, you seem very obsessed with her. I see you talking ill of Yuna on almost every single video of her.
I love this! David Wilson's genuine insights while also being animated is very David! hehehe. One thing I highly disagree on David though was when he mentioned Yuna's LP at Sochi with that mid triple-lutz, because though there was a slight flinch there but that wouldn't matter at all in her overall scores because of the QUALITY of all of her elements. Yuna essentially did not make a mistake. And hey how bout the Short Program, anyone??! In the SP, Yuna & Adelina were almost tied in their scores. How laughable, the was fix was totally in right from the get-go! Jeeeez. Also, Sotnikova being a Russian skater, in Russia, with a Russian crowd, so of course Sotnikova brought the 'house down'. haha! But oh man, 47 mins of talk about Yuna Kim is not enough because I really just... I... miss... Yuna. *sob
I think David has to be careful of what he says about judges since he is still choreographing for other skaters. It was a rip-off and everyone knows it, but not everyone can say it.
Not sure what you disagree with exactly? Wilson stated himself that Yuna wasn't penalised for the shaky lutz, and insinuated Sotnikova's scores were being inflated.
@Adaneth What single Lutz? She did have a single lutz, I think you are confused. Or do you mean the 3lutz that wasn't on combo? (When you said single it seems like she popped it but she didn't) but she was penalized because she didn't got the GOE that she usually got with a good Lutz. That was not the kind of mistake that you punish with negative GOE, like Sotnikova's two foot landing for example, THAT is a mayor mistake.
Love the interview, love David's choreos, but a bit disillusioned with him right now, which is really depressing, because I had waited for this for a long time. I think in general, whether your student is the best or the worst, once they retire, you should tell them you're proud, not that in the end they were a disapointment. And definitely a teacher shouldn't say that on a public platform. This is not a random critic who's entitled to his opinion irrespective of anything. He was Yuna's choreographer for so many years, and from the sound of it, a friend. I think it's a really cruel thing to say. Just because someone is good at something doesn't mean they owe anything to anyone.
+Michael Panayi Also, I'm not from the Asian continent, but I find it very hard to believe that every single country in Asia has the same driving value, not to mention every single family. Certainly we'd all be up in arms if someone said that ''All Europeans are......'' or ''All Americans are.....''. Generally better to be prudent when making generalisations.
+Michael Panayi I guess David doesn't really know how much Yuna is actually giving back by supporting tons of young skaters. People have different ways of giving back, and Yuna's way is supporting young generation, not performing on the shows.
+uutuber431 You're obviously not a Korean - That generation is quite over; and Yuna quitted FS for a few times when she was young, and then came back on her own will.
Guys it's an important part of so many cultures, including the country I come from. But generalising all these things is stupid. Not all Koreans are expressionless and introverted, and not all Americans are fat. Generalisations are hurtful regardless of what form they come in.
+Sally Greenfield Agreed. America particularly has quite an individualist culture, even for the Western countries. I notice it when I visit and I'm not from Asia or Eastern Europe where it is most predominant. There are good points and bad points of both.
what an incredibly unguarded, unfiltered interview, with a very emotional talented passionate man. He could have been more diplomatic in his phrases and there is lots to digest. I understand his professional frustration with the lack of recognition choreographers get, but whether he knows it or not he and Yu Na have been a huge part of that change (Lori Nichol, Sandra Bezic, Shay-lynn Bourne, Tom Dickson, Chris Dean are all so well known now). Now everyone wants to know who choreographed what routine. He is way more famous that he thinks he is, and respected for his work for sure. Of course one can be frustrated and sad Yu Na is not skating more but imho, that is her decision. Yes, she may have felt obligated to country, to family, to skating, but we don't know just how painful it was for her to skate, maybe she wants to live a different life, goodness knows female skaters can go through hell with body image, food issues and just so much pressure... she has had the weight of expectation on her shoulders from so so young, NO ONE can really walk a mile in her shoes, and maybe she just craves privacy and a normal life? She has given so much of herself already. THANK YOU TSL again, amazing work.
D D Jay Are you fro korea??Please respond.. Reason I asking you where you are from is I saw japanese youtuber uploaded sick pathetic video of yuna and I appreciate very much for your comments toward pathetic japanese. So I am wondering you are Korean or not and how much foreigners insist a huge interruptions from japanese that yuna gets. That's why I ask your your nationality. So can you tell me where you are from??
Wow… watching this video, I slowly understand what Yuna had to deal with. I have been watching her performance since she was like 12. When she started to work with Orser and Wilson, she was already almost *perfect*. I/we made her a star? 😱 …… The sublime and dignity that she showed throughout her career/even after is nothing close to this shallowness. She was/is a sportsmanship to me. She is just another level in MANY WAYS as a sport player and a human being so please put some weight on your words, Wilson.
I am Korean and listening to this interview makes me so sad. First of all, David, you are a brilliant choreographer and so appreciated by all of us Koreans. As you already know what makes Yuna separate from all other competitors most was how artistic she performed on ice with her text book techniques and I personally get your frustration and feel sorry for you and yuna too. Because cultural differences between the West and the east create so much frustration and misunderstandings. And as you spotted yuna was not a happy skater when you met her and you worked so hard to change things around and succeed as much as you could. Unfortunately you cannot change a person in a different culture that’s almost like changing your sexuality.Its so hardwired in our DNA. I love to see yuna become more than just a celebrity who sells products and I don’t believe she is happy with that either. The Korean culture somehow encourages personal achievements only through struggles rather than joyous process therefore people with great achievements can no longer find motivation at times.But let’s give yuna a chance to find her own way to her life.She is still so young and bright.
I am very glad that Yuna doesn't train with him any more because it obvious that he looks down upon Yuna's culture background and ignores Yuna's talent to her wins. He doesn't care about she wants. He wants to make a star that shines glory on himself. Very sad to hear all this from a well respected skating person.
I agree, I can sense a bit of bitterness. I think David wanted to make this grandios project of going on tours, choreographing for Yuna Kim and making her into a giant star. But the thing is, Yuna Kim expressed that actually she wants to live like the average person now, hanging out with friends and watching movies you know?
+이승준 It was < and not only that, it received positive GOE, despite the swingy landing. She barely held onto it. Her score would have been about 3 points lower if she had been scored correctly. Ironically, with correct scoring for everyone, Carolina Kostner would have won.
+zeiters20 She had a 3-3 in her short program. Her lack of a 3-3 in the long wouldn't have matter if the two other skaters had been called on their under-rotations. It's all in the way the points add up, not in whether there is a particular jump combination. Her PCS was never going to be a 6 at Sochi, with the overall inflation of PCS. I also disagree that she deserved a low TR mark.
the second lutz was NOT underroated. It was within the 1/4 leeway on the landing, thank you very much. Carolina had shaky landing on couple jumps and she barely has any transitions before and after jumps. idolfan9495
Literally the opposite. They wanted to make Yuna's career legendary, and you know in figure skating that also means longevity, basically what they later did with Yuzuru Hanyu. She decided to make more money by doing commercials in South Korea, i mean it's a choice but given the talent i think she should have kept working with professionals, not self coached at home.
@@simtopia2334 Well Yuna was already legendary even with her anticlimactic retirement. It's disrespectful to say that she decided to make more money by doing commercial. She was heavily injured and couldn't even execute a Biellmann spin during Sochi. So why should she be a people pleaser and kept working with her team when she couldn't anymore? She is so much happier in gala shows without having to land triple after triple. Unlike Yuna, Yuzuru doesn't have a permanent injury holding him back from achieving his legend status. Of course, he has suffered from injuries, but not like Yuna. Yuna's injury was holding her back from executing every single elements in figure skating. I wonder if Yuna had known that David talked about her like this behind her back, would she still work with him again for her gala show in 2018? So inconsiderate of him.
It seems like David Wilson don't want to acknowledge Yuna's great achievement after 2010 Olympics like Brian Orser or Tracy Wilson. They just want to flatter themselves. GRACELESS and FRIVOLOUS.
I can't speak for Yuna. But take myself as an example. I am Chinese, 27. All the 27 years I spent were on "making a living" "success""achievement". For that, I never had a time in my life where I could enjoy pure peace, simple happiness with family, and chill out with friends. I was always up for something, something people think are important, like success. I achieved quite a lot. But the older I become, the more I want is actually a simple, peaceful, happy life----being helpful to others. That's all. I guess for people like David, they have lived their lives in a pretty happy way, back from childhood. Of course, they will have the psychological energy to devote themselves to something larger than themselves, like pushing forward a sport. But for people like me, perhaps Yuna too (imagine she has a very strict mother and quite tough teen), what we want may be just a normal, happy life.
+路昌 I am in love with this comment. That's exactly how I feel too, which is why it was horrible of him to say he was disappointed with her. Sometimes we deserve a bit of peace and quiet, without having to feel guilty about it.
Thank you for good comment. Can i fix minor thing among your words? Yuna's mom is not just strict. She is very wise mom and teacher. The lady never have forced her daughter to go her tough way. They are almost friends. Yuna tried eagerly for her own dream, her mom helped her sincerely.
Beautiful comment no one has to leave to fulfill others demands dreams and expectations. Yuna has the right to rest and have some peace in her life to!
Watching this interview, I was disappointed and even felt sad. Please stop pushing Yuna to sacrifice her life for the whole skating world, which has always been literally cold as ice to her to the last moment. Everything she has-the fame, money, and some other things- has been achieved by more than anyone but herself. Yes, coaches, choreographers and her parents did help her and no one denies it. They've all been well recognized for their help in some ways. Some became famous, some got paid. Why be so greedy for more credit?
If he had cared enough for Yuna, he would have known what she has been doing for 2 years after Sochi. She's been trying her best to boost this sport she loves in her own ways, which is in my opinion far more beautiful than starring in as many shows as one can. Yuna's been busy promoting the Youth Olympic and 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic event. No need to mention that she inspires young Korean figure skaters and support them financially.
+Sally Greenfield, I think you bring up some valid points. I think he was disappointed in her lack of desire to continue with the sport and to love the sport like others before her. But in many ways the interview came across as him whining about how his own dreams had not been fulfilled because she left the sport too early. But in reality, she hasn't left the sport. She currently is supporting the younger generation of Korean skaters and I hear even doing some coaching. Wilson also makes the argument that Kim's millions comes in large part to his work in bringing her out of her "Asian" shell....Yea, because all Asians are introverts and don't know how to communicate except through K-Pop...how thoughtless and demeaning of an entire culture. Did Wilson have a positive affect on Kim...I'm sure he did...But to suggest that her millions is largely due to his work is egocentric. He didn't give her any credit for taking his advice and exploring the artistic side of herself, for the business acumen she has, for the enormous amount of love the Korean people had for her, and it showed a lack of understanding of how the Korean entertainment industry operates. Finally, I also do not like how the media constantly perpetuates the idea that Asia is this monolithic place ...in where China, Japan, Korea, ("those Asian countries") all have the same attitude and demeanor. This reductive and essentialist approach to culture is harmful and ignores the vast diversity between these cultures and even within these cultures. (BTW, I know plenty of white parents who were hard on their kids and just as controlling as the "tiger" moms but nobody groups them together creating parental stereotypes about the white population...so frustrating.
+Am I Korean? 나는 한국사람인가 Not to mention that Asia also includes Southern Asian countries like India, Singapore, Myanmar, Indonesia, and so on. I get disgusted when people lump them together and say Asians blah blah blah.
How do you think Westerner's feel when they're called Western? Double standards much? Being called Asian is the equivalence of that, it's only insulting if you make it so.
Thank you David Wilson for being so generous in sharing his thoughts with us. I love watching Yuna skate and really hope that she comes back to do shows after the pressure of hosting Pyeongchang is over. I agree with David that she is really someone who could make the sport popular again in the world. I don't believe that she doesn't want to give back to the sport - she has said in the media a number of times that she wants to help the juniors in Korea and that she wants to do something related to skating in the future because that is what she is good at. But I also hope that she finds the joy in performing again!! There are so many role models of former competitors who are still giving fans so much joy years after competing - Kurt, Katia Gordeeva and Jeffrey are just a few examples. At 25 however Yuna can't possibly be a disappointment - she has time to find a way to push the sport forward. I hope she rests well and comes back soon in some capacity!!
I respect that David Wilson choreographed Yuna Kim's programs and I thank him for making her the figure skating legend she is. However, I don't like it that David Wilson wants her to keep on skating even though she's helping young Korean skaters develop their talents. She has different goals than David Wilson and he doesn't appreciate Yuna after she retired.
Now I finally understand the opening of Yuna's program Danse Macabre, she was acting like a gargoyle coming back to life. It makes so much sense now! I used to think it looks awkward but now I love it!
Disappointments only come if David really cared and loved Yuna. It's like your child who has become Olympic Gold Medalist end up telling you that he always hated what you forced him to do. It would suck.
He also seemed to genuinely love working in that team. And to have the dissolved with no explanation or reason would have been incredibly hard for him.
Origami S Not always, there's people who just want more money and fame from I person and I think that's what David wanted from Yuna and got dissapointed when he lost it.
Like Michael Panayi, I was looking forward to this interview with David Wilson but in the end left disappointed. I think we need to be careful about making generalities about an entire race while at the same time relying on reductive qualities of a culture to explain how a skater is and performs. The expectations placed on Yuna to be everyone else's "dream" is unfair to her. What is fair is to allow and appreciate how she wants to live her life post amateur career. And to think that she is not giving back to skating is purely false. She may not be giving back in ways that you appreciate or expect but she is giving back in ways that she feels is appropriate. So many people wanted to place their dreams on Kim Yuna and when she didn't fulfill them are then "disappointed" in her. Part of this comes from the desire to see a renaissance in skating but this burden shouldn't be placed on one person. If you are wondering why skating is at the point it is at with often less than half filled seats at competitions than maybe we should be looking toward the ISU, IOC, the skating federations, the judging, the television contracts, and a myriad of other factors. To think that Kim could've/should've been THAT person is not only unfair to her but myopic and shows a lack of understanding of the myriad of factors involved with the decline of figure skating....I have to believe that Wilson also recognizes this but in the interview comes across as shortsighted. On another note: Wilson complains that this generation of skaters is "so fast food" but it's been this way for awhile. To complain about this is to live in a nostalgic past that never really was.
I wonder how much further she could have gone. She won two olympic medals, several national championships, won several GP events, 2 world titles, a Junior World title, and never placed outside the podium in her entire career...i.e. she was a model of consistency at a superior level. So I wonder how this is a "great disappointment." And what is the "right attitude." I am really curious as so many weigh in on how others should behave. Also, the statement saying "she is getting paid to be a celebrity" seems not to understand how Korean pop culture works nor the kind of advocacy she is doing for a younger generation of skaters.
Great interview! David seems to be getting some heat for his comments, but I love that he is so real! He is honest about his opinions! My impression of Yuna is that she just wanted to be free; free of pressure, expectations, etc. People wants so much from her and expects her to meet their demands. Take for instance, her mom, her country, her fans, the skating world, her mentors. A woman can only take so much before she looses her mind. At the end of the day, Yuna should be free to do what makes HER happy, regardless of what anyone thinks. Which can be challenging if her culture is geared towards collectivism (group is more important than individual)
I agree that he is so real lol... and anyway thoughts are not gonna remain always the same. For a very visionary and talented choreographer, losing such a talented performer would be really heartbreaking.. but yuna is a real person just as much as him I think everyone who misses her (yes, including me :( ) should give her what she much deserve and that's freedom :) she's been professional since teenager... imagine that
I'm also disappointed with this interview. I understand David's frustration losing the most brightest star in his mind, but I don't think he understands Yuna and her motivation that well. Blaming on cultural difference - as if it's a fault? Also, Yuna was the one to make a decision to come back for Sochi, Yuna was the one to push hard and work hard, Yuna was the one who got matured - Western style flamboyant expressions aren't the only way to move people's heart, but her deep emotions as a Korean was her own way to express and communicate. Yuna's working with so many young skaters in her own country and that's her way of giving back to the sport. Does he even know the fact that she donates so much for young skaters (not to mention her records of donation to Unicef, or other charity organizations) by getting all that commercials?? There are things that he should have thought a bit more before putting out; I still love his work, but he should mature a bit more. He bashed the "Asian culture" too much as if he really understands it, and there's only ONE Asian culture. This is a shameful interview.
+HUH David was disappointed that Yuna stepped back from performing. It's not about the amount of donation she has made. It's not about the money. It's the passion, love, and will for her to skate and to perform on the ICE. From his words, it is obvious that he loved how Yuna skated. Don't you understand the emotion and love of people? It is true that Yuna didn't do a lot back for the figure skating. She skipped 4 years of Grand Prix and Four continents, attended only to two important competitions (the Worlds11&13) after Vancouver and she stepped into Sochi saying that she wants Gold. How disrespectful that was to people who gave their life to figure skating and to David, who gave his time, love, and passion, to Yuna. It was for sure, up to Yuna to meet Skating Fans' and David's expectation, but she chose not to and unfortunately, that basically end up defining who Yuna Kim is.
+Origami S If you want to talk about people being disrespectful to FS, what about Tara Lipinski who retired so early? What about Sarah Huge and so many other Oly Champs who didn't skate for two consecutive Oly's? You're talking non-sense just to bash Yuna here. Is the show performing only way to serve the people who've loved and given her that much? As said, she's giving back to so many - and huge part is for Korea's FS and young skaters. If doing the shows and earning money is YOUR definition of giving back, then so be it. That's the kind of human being YOU are.
+Origami S BTW, don't lie about Yuna. She never said she wanted a gold in Sochi. She said she wanted to give back to people who loved her, and wanted to give more chances to younger Korean skaters. How disrespectful and disgraceful of you lying thru your teeth.
kind of surprised and disappointed that Wilson does not seem to understand Yuna and Korean culture. Did he just say that Yuna came back to the sport simply because she was forced to and she had her emotionless "Korean face" in London? Really? From her interviews I felt Yuna gained new passion after working with junior skaters in Korea and her programs in London showed new maturity and sophistication she gained. Seems like Wilson gives too much credit to himself for her achievement and still considers Yuna as a helpless young girl who needs his help, which is not true...
+SuperMindboggling The passion was not in her face in London. I was there. The body moved beautifully; the face, not so much. Maybe it was botox? She does have a frozen look most of the time. Maybe the ice was too cold?
+Tress Braga Artistic figure skating is not about facial expression. You show your emotion by your skating. Anyone can smile, very few can show artistry and technique superiority by skating.
bemused She have expression, please don't deny it because it's something that EVERYBODY SAW. How can people (that you can only assume are haters) do not see it? It's ridiculous.
This is a very unusual and interesting interview...so many themes are discussed...the decisions of Yuna Kim in her amateur career; her very short "pro" career; the Orser/Yuna split, and commentary by David Wilson on the nature of artistic work on ice...the need for time, for work, for rehearsals; and a theme I find so intriguing...the Asian mindset towards towards expressing ones self and giving of one's self to the audience. There are so many jewels of thought her, and this video is so worthy of the show's name...THE SKATING LESSON. There's alot more to figure skating than skating...this is a good place to learn some of it.
To add on to my initial comment, David really shouldnt've said the "making millions modeling for tampons or whatever" and "she didnt really have a career" "I basically made her!" "I think at the end of Sochi, we would say that the whole thing was a failure, and Yuna herself knows it" comments. These are really really bitter. Basically, I think David and Brian Osler really wanted a bigger piece of Yuna's Glory. But Yuna took the glory and left the international skating world. I think he wanted more credit after the Olympics, but Yuna was too busy with the reporters. I can see that he still wants more of the glory because he wants Yuna Kim to go on global tours or whatever. Brian Osler, also salty that he was cut as the coach from Yuna Kim. Dude is a silver medalist and he's gotta deal with it. He becomes a coach to fulfill his shortcomings, but realizes that the gold medal is not for him to take but at the end of the day, it is Yuna Kim's title.
As an industry pro...I've gotta say...the risk you take as a host and producer of a segment which is 47 minutes long, is that if you bore the viewer, they're done...and walk away. Now this interview is crazy glue on your butt, I got and peeled an apple, and came back, I patted my dog, but I came back. That's the good stuff...holding an audience 47 min. A large part of the success is the energy of the hosts, and of course, Jen... listening with every bit of their cellular personage...crazy glue, like I said.
I appreciate his honesty. I love this interview! I think David is a very dramatic, histrionic person, so taking his word so seriously is probably not wise. He's not being selfish, he just had his expectations shattered, which is understandable. Yuna was in a unique position to retire and use her celeb status in South Korea to make millions of dollars per year barely skating anymore, so who can blame her for that? No other former figure skater is so wealthy.
Koreans still have so much respect for David Wilson and remember him as an amazing choreographer. I hope there will be opportunities for David Wilson to work with another Korean talents and help nurture them to be another Yuna Kim. David Wilson seems to be a very passionate person. Yuna Kim is on her journey to help support young skaters. She's been helping many young skaters in different ways. And she is a great figure in sports. She was at the Youth Olympics to support a few days ago. She is promoting 2018 winter Olympic in Korea as well. She does not skate but she has great presence in sports. She's a retired skater but she is doing amazing things for sports when she is only 25. Also she has been donating a lot of money for different things. She's a good will ambassador for UNICEF. I think she wanted to take a different path to support sports. She is not on the ice but her support for sports never stopped.
I'm sorry but I just lost some admiration for him after this interview. It seems like he feels yuna own him anything? according to me he was doing his JOB and had a pay for it, the way he is speaking seems very selfish to me. Yuna was human, she was not a tool for other people's fame or success. She had the right to move on with her life after all this years of legacy and memorable moments. I just want her to be happy and healty.
Too bad Yuna wasn't more like Mao. Mao LOVES to skate. It sounds like Yuna skated because she was good at it, not because she absolutely loves loves loves to skate. Watch Mao's career after she retires from competition. Mao will ALWAYS skate. God bless Mao. God help Yuna,
@@EnigmeDeLaVie the Korean people need help. They hounded Yuna so badly that she lost her love for skating. Yuna doesn't step on the ice anymore. Yuna never had a real professional career … that's what happens when the insanely strict Korean culture put crazy amounts of pressure on Yuna. Koreans need to take a chill pill, for real.
@@JosedeJezeus I''ve been watching several videos of Yuna skating recently (I never came around to watch her skate while she was performing) and you're commenting on most of her videos, praising Mao and bashing Yuna. So yeah, Koreans need to take the chill pill, but so do you.
Everyone chill. Its over. Yuna kim has moved on so David, thanks for sharing but please do not be bitter, relax and move on. Yuna will be remembered as one of the greatest ladies figure skaters and she is an amazing person.
Yuna is my favorite skater of all time and I’m asian, so some of the things said in this interview threw me off. However, the more I listened, the more I could see where was coming from. This especially being American born and knowing both sides culturally. A lot of people are commenting about how Yuna may have felt to, ironically, someone who mentored and had a close relationship with her for years. He did seem bitter here, which considering the timeline was understandable. However, I’m glad to know that they presumably worked things out and he still choreographs for her (2017-2019).
And for some reasons I think that Yuna doesn't have that much passion for figure skating that she can continue like David. I think it's mainly her parents' dream, her talents, the nation's pressure and her sense of perfectionist. And I am not saying that Yuna doesn't have passion for figure skating but that path was chosen for her by her parents at such a young age. She did well in taking that path. but she probably wants to find what she wants to do for the rest of her life now. Somehow I remember people say that people that success at young age usually can't do as well when they grow up. It's because they don't have enough maturity that can carries them through all that fame and glamour (which is why you see many Hollywood young stars got into troubles when they grow up). This is why I support Yuna's decision to retire even more, a person can't live in fame forever.
Yuna loved purely figure skating. Even when other competitors were spinning like crazy because of the score, her spin slowly turned according to the music. Looking at the environment of Sochi Olympic Games and afterwards figure skating, it turned into a gymnasium. How can she play figure skating? And nobody protests against the environment. David, you are also silent on the Sochi judgment, is she fighting alone? It is too cruel.
I love this man! He says it like it is without hesitation. He tells his story and isn't concerned about what anyone will say. And that's because he is telling the truth. And he is hyserical!! We need more people like David is the world. The real. Thank you!
Thank you so much. This was a very honest interview. Thank you to TSL and David Wilson. Especially Mr. Wilson. Thank you for opening up about your experiences. It struck me personally when you spoke about looking in from the outside, you are such a beautiful soul for all the work you do from behind the scenes. You are a gem. I first learned about you when I saw your name behind Yuzuru's programmes. In a book, I read how highly he held you when he wrote to you to choreograph the Romeo & Juliet for him. You are a giant. Regardless of how choreographers are "behind the scenes", your presence is in every movement, every nook and cranny of the blade marks on the ice. It blooms into a spring in the hearts of the audiences. As a new fan to the sport, I feel so privileged to have been able to watch your programmes and to hear you speak today in this interview. Thank you too for talking about your vision for Yuna Kim. You are the expert, you know when a legendary talent comes along. Even as a new fan, I realise how magical those years (however brief they may have been) were. I don't think anyone comes close to the majesty of Yuna' skating. Perhaps only Yuzuru Hanyu. When I watch her All That Skate show where she skates to Nessun Dorma? Where she's in red? I can sit there all day.. marveling at that god-given grace. I'd watch it any day compared to competitions today. How wonderful it will be if she pursues a professional career. How wonderful... if she sang and just commanded the ice!! wow!! I know what you mean!! Oh well, perhaps, she does it her own way. By working with the younger skaters and athletes back home. I always had the feeling that fate worked strangely.. she sort of.. passed the mantel to Yuzuru at Sochi. hahahha... like.. well, at least we can all dream of fantastical shows with Yuzu. (not sure if he sings). We were blessed with her skating. Your tremendous work in building that legend, will inspire many generations to come. :) Thank you David!
a teacher can only show so much to the student. in the end the train has to move on its own. still, train is worthless without load to carry. i really admire david wilson's artistry, and it came alive through yuna. it is hard to say what comes first, chicken or egg? i understand when wilson says it felt "surreal" after yuna's winning gold at vancouver because all attention was on her, not him even though he choreographed both of her programs and made her a "star". he did say that he never felt more confident than ever before, and i think that's all there should be if you are a teacher or coach. your job is in the background, supporting and guiding your pupil. if he wants all that glory, he should be out there skating. i hope that when wilson said he never felt more confident, it was also because he was proud of yuna. i am pretty sure of it. i really appreciate the candor wilson showed in this interview. most people hide their true feelings because they first judge their own feelings. wilson doesn't seem to.
I think he meant Russian nationals. In any event, his point was that her scores at Sochi were significantly higher than a similar skate earlier in the season.
While I appreciate David Wilson's candor, he should realize this interview doesn't reflect well on him. Not because he's critical of Yuna Kim -- he has the right to criticize, of course -- but because his criticism lacks consistency. He contradicts what he himself said earlier on several points and leaves out facts, leaving the unfortunate impression of latent bitterness and selfishness rather than a sincere concern for her well-being or respect for her choices as an adult. This is too bad, considering the outstanding body of work Yuna and David put out together (and yes, you did do it together -- saying that you guys "made her a star" takes too much credit away from the woman here). I'll focus on his criticism of Yuna's life choices here. David himself says very emphatically that even Kurt Browning is still skating, so why can't she??? I'd say, doesn't the example of Kurt Browning show that Yuna actually has a lot of time to decide she wants to come back to the ice when she really feels like it? Compared to that, she only has a short few years to try to enjoy life like a normal college student as much as possible (as mentioned below, such as learning how to drive etc.). And then he goes on to say criticize her for not giving back to the sport, which is odd because earlier in the interview he sounded quite critical of "Asian/Korean culture" for saddling her with the expectations of family and country. If you're going to criticize someone's culture for putting pressure on them to give back to country and family (which she did, in spades), it doesn't make sense to then turn around and criticize her for not serving yet another master called Figure Skating. The way David was criticizing Korean culture, you'd think he would say something like "As for me, I'm happy she's now making her own decisions about her life and enjoying herself" but that was quite a dramatic turnabout he did toward the end of the interview -- made him sound a bit "Asian" himself! The biggest problem is that it was factually incorrect to say she wasn't already giving back to figure skating at the time of this interview. As pointed out by several contemporary comments in the comments section here, it was pretty well known that she was already giving money to and mentoring young Korean skaters. (According to a local media report in early 2017, Yuna had given the equivalent of $4 million since her victory in the 2010 Olympics to support skaters and skating in her country.) So she was giving back to the athletes (funding, mentoring) instead of giving back directly to the fans (ice shows) -- and if someone is giving to the ATHLETES, how can you possibly say someone is NOT giving back to a sport? It doesn't make sense, and makes one think that David was unhappy because Yuna's way of giving back to the sport didn't involve HIM specifically, since she's not doing ice shows with him. It's kind of disingenuous how he makes no mention of the sponsoring and mentoring, even though he must have been aware of it given how close he was to her, almost as if he knew that would weaken his argument. So come on, David! This interview was from 2016, only two years after Yuna's retirement, and perhaps you hadn't had enough time to deal with the fact that the unhappy little junior skater you met all those years ago had now become a woman in charge of her own life. It's now 2018 and I hear you'll be choreographing Yuna's upcoming "All That Skate" show in Korea in May 2018, so I hope that makes you happy and I hope you guys put on an awesome show.
What a character, David is! He had me engaged right away...and maybe also it's because he's talking about Yuna. LOL. Thanks so much for this interview! If it's possible, I would love for you guys to interview him again and have a talk about Adam, Liza T. (since she did work with him once) and the current TCC athletes.
Actually his comments on the nature of Kpop stars is so spot on. As much as I enjoy Kpop, they really do come across as manufactured dolls, their lives and interactions planned to the T. The majority of them don't even produce and write their own music. I guess David was worried that Yuna would fall into that star-hole, be pushed around and pressured, unable to express herself in a way that she could away from that kind of culture.
I used to think Canadians were some of the nicest people until this interview. Such pettiness and bitterness on his part. Yuna doesn’t owe the sport anything-her legacy is the legions of young skaters that she inspired and will continue to inspire.
Thank you for this fascinating interview. David is 100% right about Asian culture being collectivist. From what I heard Yuna did not want to come back, but did it for her country and to provide spots for younger skaters. She is very supportive of the younger skaters; Which is why two Korean skaters won silver medals at the last worlds.
+crystal22 Yes he does and he is a passionate man and obviously this was a part of his life as well. Very eye opening but remember this is all his opinion and we are talking about two people of different ages, different genders, different cultures, different expectations and different desires. I think the love is real and that is why the pain is also.
Very illuminating. At the end of the day, David is human enough to convey disappointment over his anti-climactic career high but also in that Kim could have transcended had she not had the pressure and other issues surrounding her career. If Kim didnt feel like she owed anyone anything and skated because she wanted to, then she would be back competing now for the joy of the sport. I personally feel that she lost her passion after 2010 and you can't blame her for it because her goal was the OGM and not the OGM-and-something-else.
+mandifadsa I agree. I'm pretty sure she even commented in an interview right after Sochi that she wasn't disappointed with silver despite the controversy because she didn't have the same passion or desire to win gold like she did in 2010. I think she was a passionate skater but I think the fact that she is really one of the most famous people in South Korea ever put more pressure on her than the typical elite athlete, and I think she was so relieved after her win her passion faded, which to me is understandable.
I think you give a more objective view. Yuna and David Wilson were together when she announce her retirement. So, both of them are in a good relationship.
Wow, what an exceptional interview. David has every right to express his disappointment - the relationship was a heavy MUTUAL investment each seeking their own returns - when the returns come in sometimes they're what you expected. Oh, if we're lucky, more than anticipated! Or, sometimes those returns leave with the feeling of something "left to be desired" as you walk away - less than what you thought they should be or should have been. Naturally, you're disappointed. ☆NOW AUDIENCE☆Let's not fool ourselves, I love figure skating, and am so passionate about the sport. I, of all people recognize & believe in what David Wilson is calling for & speaking to in regards to the diffibulator that our sport needs - that jolt needed to spark a more wider audience a more massive presence that figure skating not only deserves but commands.
+Rob Lacy I agree with you. I do understand his feelings on Yuna. 'Perplexed' might be the best word to describe his emotions, rather than 'disappointment.' I believe many people in the figure skating world is feeling the same thing. It's like Nicole Kidman or Charlize Theron suddenly leaving Hollywood without telling why - its leaves everyone confused. Some may support Yuna's decision, but many figure skating fans might feel a pang of disappointment - she could at least take the female role of Stephane Lambiel. Yuna still provides financial support to many young Korean skaters and athletes though. All we can do is hope her the best.
yup! in figure skating, you have to connect with the audience, which even in TV, I didn't really feel during Sochi. I feel connected with her in her past competitions till 2010 but after that, I just admired how talented she is technical-wise. I think it was Yuzuru(?), he moved me to tears when he made a clean LP for his 2nd Romeo and Juliet in the Worlds(?) and I can also feel his emotions. I was only in my room, livestreaming at that time. When Yuna does "sexy" or fierce concepts, I feel like that also but really after 2010 Olympics, I never really felt anything emotionally although I am a fan.
+Steph Angeles Maybe you are not really a fan. I kind of understand yuna and the pressure she had, in practice you could tell she was tense but when she skated you could feel the passion, the softness, like in her less miss 2013,or her send in the clowds in sochi, how could you not get any feeling on that? I also feel the pasion in adios nonino just by the expresions on her face, I feel sad that some people really never understood the precious jewel that yuna skating was after vancuber :'(
Hey, what are these whiners saying? This was a great interview and David Wilson is obviously one of the greatest chorographers ever. I love his work. And I am not alone there. I understand his disappointment in her disappearance from the sport. It's a little bigger than some of you "youngsters" might understand. When he talks about the glory days of skating, you have no idea. When something so wonderful has happened for an entertainment genre, and then gone away, we all ache for it to come back. And she is such a talented skater that she could have made that happen. Did you ever watch television coverage that showed every single couple do each of the set pattern dances? Not likely! But we hung on every movement.She could have made the skating culture richer. I guess she just burned out.I agree with David, and while I listen he is saying the same things I am writing.The history of skating is not just what has happened in the last 10 years people!Bindy ( an old lady!)
yup! as a skater myself, I also want the productions that they used to have because I want to do shows. the pressure of competitive skating is very hard so I want to feel how it is to do what you love without pressure of getting in the podium. for me, I want Yuna to skate again and appear in shows sometimes but if she doesn't want to do competitive skating anymore then don't. I really love her skating but I know how hard it is for the body to handle the pressure in competitive FS, especially when she already has numerous injuries
Bindy Sweett But what about the skater feelings?! You and Wilson just want her in the ice but she had so much pressure on her mind and body, why do you don't think of that? Selfish.
I love this interview! I kinda knew that David could be very expressive and a bit eccentric but I love his honest opinion about Yuna Kim. As a Korean I have never watched this kinda honest interview about her. You may get a stone if you talk about her in negative or unusual way rather than in complimentary way. HAHA... I agree that she is great, gorgeous and beautiful as a skater. It is a nice that someone closer to Yuna talked about her personal side honestly which we don't know.
Do you think Adios Nonino is happy & powerful sexy ? Humm I don't think so How about sand in the clowns. Yuna was gave me hart in Sochi. We miss yuna so much.
The fact that David Wilson played a key role in bringing Yuna to grow deeper appreciation for the art of figure skating will never change, and he deserves all the respect and credit. David Wilson was an amazing mentor.
Well that was a great intro Dave & Jenny said about Yuna Kim, and that @0:36 Dave mentioned that she's a 2-time world champion & 2010 Olympic gold medalist. It was very important that you didn't mention the medalist that she was at Sochi. I'm tellin' ya man, all hell breaks loose if you did! hahahaha. I especially liked that little description about the days of the young Yuna @3:23, because it's sounds so Yuna! That she looked as if she hated everyone, unapproachable & totally unaffected. I, too think that people like that are fabulous! hahaha. By the way, not a dull moment in this interview, super enjoyed it, and my gosshh I totally miss Yuna Kim. *(Insert a BIG SIGH here)*
☆OH DEAR LORD☆ After reading just some of the commentary I do believe the natives are about to highjack this commentary feed. Buckle-up peeps, the ride's about to get bumpy!
Cant people just accept her for what she was. It is shown in science that your personality from ages 1-5 carries on till your tombstone. Yuna Kim is a reserved person and she somehow stumbled into iceskating, which was her talent but was somewhat influenced by other people to become this grandios figure. She has already given back so much, and she expressed in her interviews that she imagined what life would be like as an average person who attended college. I think it's really selfish to think she is obliged to do all these performances to bring back ice skating. She has one life to live and she wants to do something else with her life now. Just a bit sad how David undermined Yuna Kim's work and effort at the end there. He seems like a nice guy but just a bit disappointed.
Like he said, she's still young. She would do something for figure skating. No matter if it is for the world or just for her own country, she'll be somewhere involved in figure skating.
I am always curios about who is David Wilson and the choreographer behind Yuna Kim "James Bond Girl" program that propel her to winning gold medal. Credit to Brian for being a classy person. I definitely respect Brian Orser as a coach because he never made David choose side when the whole media fiasco happen and still let him choreograph for Yuna. I can also see how much David invest himself emotionally to groom her as a star (4 years!!!) and bring out the magical performance we all admire in Yuna Kim. That is why I think he misses her and find it hard to let her go emotionally. If David is reading this, I want to tell him," You did a great job to bring Asian skaters to the world stage like Yuzu-San and Yuna & get their talents noticed by the world. You envision beautiful choreography and I salute you for all your amazing work."
Very honest interview. I enjoyed it. I definitely agree with his sentiments regarding Yu-Na post-Vancouver. She was as brilliant as ever technically but that spark was missing in her skating. However I don't fault her for moving on. She's a young woman with lots of talent and a ton of opportunities. I think David is sad b/c Yu-Na was his muse and his canvas...and she moved on. What's a painter without a canvas? A lot of ideas and nowhere to display them. Did Yu-Na hang up her skates too early? Maybe. In all honesty she could have been a 5 or 6 time world champ by now had she continued to compete. But it's obvious her heart was no longer in it and she was ready to move on. Skating is David's life but that's not the case for Yu-Na. He has to accept that and let her live her life.
Yuna has never said she left figure skating completely. David misunderstood about that. She always thinks figure skating. Often she go out to rink teach and help little skaters unofficially. But now she is a little busy as an ambassador of Lillihammer youth Olympics and Pyungchang winter olympics. I think she will return to on the ice rink soon. Please wait!
Listening to David, I could totally see what he was feeling or seeing actually showed in her performance. Like he said we cannot really understand what it was going on in between, but her leaving Toronto and skating is not only disappointing but also a huge loss for all of us. But she made her choice for herself which I am happy with. Great job David helping her~~~
Competing isn't the only way a figure skater can shine. I think that's what Yuna did. She stop competing to help other korean skaters. It's sad to see the queen leave of course but it happens. I wish Yuna, Wilson and Orser the best, they made a wonderful team.
I love David Willson's work so much. Mostly , because he created a masterpiece"In the garden of soul" for Dai. But I loved, Yuna's Lark acending, Buttles Bothsides now and many more! He should get much more credits for his work ! What about working for Japanese skaters again, David? Choreographer such as Kenji is as a big of a star as skaters there!!
If I was ever a figure skater, I’d want him to be my choreographer for sure. I love Yuna, and I miss seeing her perform. It’s nice to hear his side of her story.
David was a fun guest! I do agree very much that Yuna should have continued skating, but after the Olympic Gold, it didn't seem that she enjoyed it anymore. The 2014 Olympics just didn't have the same pizzazz to it. I too only can dream of what may have been had she decided to continue on for the art of the sport. I just think her heart wasn't really in it and as someone else said the pressure and work was something she didn't want to do anymore. But yeah all the artistry going untapped, that just personally bothers me as a fan of her skating.
Oh you think Yuna has lost her facial expression while she was in Korea, and it’s mostly because of her cultural background??? Huh? I feel the racism there. Is Mona Lisa criticized for lacking her face expression? I think her facial expression was totally on the spot. She doesn’t have to over-exaggerate every moment just like you David - if I was to mirror your wording.
y'all are trying to act like david and brian were trying to control her life. no they were just regretful that she, someone with so much natural talent and the perfect body shape for ice skating, would have left the sport so quick. you have someone like kostner, who is going to skate for as long as she can because you can tell she loves the sport so damn much. yuna could have kept skating, but she left the sport, which is an insult to those skaters who want to keep skating, but are unable to because of physical issues, or because there's too much competition in their country, or because they just never reached that sort of skating that would make it worth it for them to continue. that's why he's salty, because she was one in a million, and she gave it up early.
But I still don't think it's quite fair for us to assume that she quit because she didn't love her sport. I think she loved skating but not really competing. You can see her in shows after her amateur career ended and she looked much happier. Anyway, she already changed figure skating so much with her expressive style and explosive programs, we should let her decide on what is best for her mental health and happiness.
David is a passionate person! That being said, I would think that in today's Asian cultures, there are some who sing,'I Gotta Be Me!' I saw on Yu-Na's face at 2010 World's that she didn't want to be there. Can one blame her? World champion and OG medalist are the highest achievements in the sport. Many athletes question if they want to go further. I see that in Sotnikova. So the 'deer in the headlights' 'face' was there in 2013. Worlds that year was her only major competition and it was her desire, not Korean consensus, that was lacking. At 25, Yu-Na is a woman in charge of her own life. I'm sure she is grateful to all of her coaching suppport in Canada. But she wants to remain as a Korean. And if I was given these million dollar endorsements, I would have those skates on the shelf in a flash! ( DUH!) She is giving back by supporting JOBS and the Korean economy with these endorsements. Her legacy is her grace on the ice. I'm sure another star is on the rise.
I still think Yuna will do shows in the future in Korea, but not anytime soon. I'm waiting for the day where I would see a new gala where she is now a mature woman. And it doesn''t have to be choreographed by Wilson. As for Wilson, I'm sad and a bit disappointed with what I hear from this interview. It is the first time I hear him discuss such disappointments which only leaves me to believe that things didn't go his way or changed after Sochi. But I understand things does change over time and people change so I'm not expecting much from him. I hope he is true to his words by cheering from the side when that time comes.
No entiendo porque habla de esta forma, yuna kim es feliz con su vida actual y ella no le debe nada a nadie y si ellos le ayudaron a desarrollarse no fue gratis, recibieron su paga. Y yuna es la reyna y puede hacer lo que quiera yo estoy feliz por ella, el patinaje actual es una farsa y no merecen a una leyenda como yuna. y que mal por este tipo.
"It's the way they are..." I think this is what is so dispiriting about this interview. Beyond all the bitterness and resentment that seems to leak through this interview is the not so casual racism that seems to be embedded in the psyche of people in general. Basically, a gay white flamboyant choreographer looks at a group of people that looks different (and, yes, cultures are different) and refers to this group of HUMAN BEINGS as "the way they are." It's sad and indicative of humans...that we simply stop looking at people as people and choose to categorize and denigrate whole swaths of our species as a monolithic "they" because it's easy and helps one to feel superior. Oy.
Okay, so maybe we shouldn't incite the same amount of ignorance towards 'gay, flamboyant, white creatives' then? Honestly, "the way they are" is by no means racist, or even casually racist. It's just a general statement on a particular culture. It's ignorant at best.
Oh Wilson. I like your choreography but I don't like you anymore. she is not your kid. please just let her go anyway. and you don't know why Yuna doesn't skate anymore? She's just tired by carrying lots of pressure and injuries. and also the judges. I'm very wondering that you know Yuna got a level 3 in her step sequence what you made. and It doesn't make sense you wanted her skating but you mentioned about Korean culture. Asian blah blah*.
I felt like David doesn't get it..... Yuna has always been Yuna. It has been always in her. and it seems like David believes that he had changed her. Which I don't think a true. and I think his believes came from the cultural differernce.
Actually Wilson was the real true coach and the one who trained most time with yuna. Even though yuna was genius, he created amazing programs and developed her together. You can't find the programs like wilson's that music composition is like a short musical. I could tell how hard he worked for Yuna by the programs getting sophisticated as time goes by, ( from Die Fledermaus to Adios Nonino) Anout Brian Orser, he had zero experience with coaching before he met Yuna and he had luck of his lifetime by being her coach who already mastered all techniques. He didnt even check the changed new roles in spins, made scored 0 in spins in Scheherazade. But he did one thing to help her : being a Canadian for Canada Olympics since Yuna had gone through nationality discrimination. Anyway most Korean knows that the credit goes to Wilson not Orser. I feel sorry and understand his frustration about yuna wont skate anymore. He lost his muse. ;-/
love how David woke her up..being flirty:) i totally understand why David is so upset for me same WHAT A WASTE YUNA!!! you are the saviour of skate and only hope to bring back to glory!!
Ooooh, I knew people would NOT be happy about this interview. I think David Wilson is right, though. Of course Yuna should do what she wants and enjoy the fruits of her accomplishments, but it's completely valid to look at her talent relative to her skating career and think... what she did was great, but she could have done more. I was shocked when she retired from professional skating so quickly. She only skated like six times competitively after Vancouver. It is a bit of an underwhelming legacy, unfortunately. (If she stays retired professionally, which I hope she does not.)
She could have done more? Did you not see that she couldn't execute a Biellmann spin during her last remaining years as an athlete? Or the fact that she was falling and slipping left and right during her 2014 Olympics season? She certainly couldn't have achieved more than that. She was very injured that leaving a legacy on the sport was probably the last thing she had on her mind. What else could she possibly done after 6 World medals and two Olympic medals? She's just wasting her time if she decided to stay because she would have lost the 2015 Worlds and other major championships onwards, like Mao did.
I used to want Yuna to come back and skate professionally again, but after watching this interview I am glad she decided not to. I dont believe for a second that it was because of David or Orser or anyone else for that matter that Yuna skated to two World champions and an Olympic gold. And I am so glad that in the end she skated on her terms and not what was put on her because someone was unwilling to be more open minded and accepting.
David you had the privilege of working with a legend, and yet you sit there and try to take some cheap shots at her because she dumped you.
In Sochi, Yuna skated the way she wanted, and she did an amazing job. Everyone knows that the Gold should have been awarded to her because she skated best. What we saw in Sochi was truly Yuna. Her short program said it all. She did what she loved and was best at. I am just glad to know that finally did it her way.
Yuna can't skate professionally anymore because she destroyed her back going for gold at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. . She competed with shots of painkillers in her back. Her body is broken. That's what sport does: Destroys bodies.
Yuna never dumped David in fact, she kept working with him even after she left Orser.
Very illuminating interview. But like others have mentioned below, I think David was trying to pin his hopes and dreams through Yuna, hoping Yuna would be the one to carry these dreams to fruition.
But I think it's unfair not to consider what Yuna wants. The amount of pressure she carried was astronomical; she carried a country's hopes on her shoulders. She is the first person from Korea to excel at this level in figure skating. Perfection was constantly expected out of her, and if I were her, I would definitely want out: I would have broken down from the stress. Some peace and quiet would be great.
I thought it was funny how David was saying that in Asian culture, the individual is put last while other things like family is put first. But isn't he doing the same thing by placing his expectations onto Yuna, expecting her to serve the ice-skating community while sacrificing her needs?
I'm a little disillusioned with David, but ultimately still have a fan of his work. I think we should all be grateful for what Yuna has done for the skating community. My only hope is that Yuna does what makes her happy, whatever that may be.
+Brian Tsai This!!! She had so much pressure. And you know, just because she was exceptional and talented does not mean she owes anyone anything, least of all the people she paid (as someone else pointed out) and the sport itself. Her contributions are already immeasurable, anything extra would be nice and we as fans would love it but if she's done, she is done. I'd rather her quit skating altogether than see her unhappy on the ice skating in pro shows. Not to mention she IS doing a hell of a lot for the junior winter olympics and the next winter games in South Korea.
From the interview it sounds like he really misses her. He's upset because they could have gone on to create beautiful projects and had a lot of fun together. Understandable to be sad when your protege doesn't share your vision.
+Brian Tsai Well spoken.
Yeah. I love a lot of David's work still. He is clearly super talented at what he is doing. And he's probably not a bad man either. But man, does he love making generalizations of an entire culture due to bitterness from his own experience. .
He did the same thing with Yuzuru in a TSL talk. Where when discussing Yuzu's decision to switch from him to Shae-Lynn, he went on and on about this whole "Japanese people like to shop around" thing, which honestly can't be applied to Yuzu who has had two coaches and three choreographer in total since his Junior years.
I am honestly not even the biggest fan of Yuna, but still feel like David shouldn't talk like that. It's pretty offensive, and as an Asian myself, I definitely feel pretty offended.
@@tszkwanwong3598 go complain to your momma
I almost sense a slight... Bitterness? Like how he mentioned that she makes however many millions of dollars a year and to not think that she'd be doing that if he hadn't taught her how to be a performer. And then how he mentions how he didn't get any glory out of it or any interviews or whatever but follows it up with "not that that's why I do it." Then why mention it? Not to take anything away from David, because he and Yuna's team absolutely had major contributions to her success, there is no denying that. I just think when he says "I/we made her a star," it almost takes something away from Yuna and her work and all the pressure she had as an elite athlete. Of, course it takes a village as they say, and Yuna obviously felt he contributed to her success considering she asked him to choreograph all of her programs even after 2010 and her split from Brian. I just think it's very presumptuous to assume that she wouldn't have been so successful without him. Maybe that's true, but I just don't think it's very tasteful the way he commented on it and phrased it. Of course, he did praise her many times and complimented her a lot, her work ethic, and how receptive she was to his teaching. And he may have been disappointed, but she really didn't owe anyone anything. She put in the work and the years and she was tired. You could tell she was relieved that she was done after her free skate in Sochi. She obviously felt the pressure of her fans and her country and the skating critics and you really felt that. And I don't think she has an obligation to give back just because she is exceptional and talented. That's bull. She gave back to the skating community by being a phenom and never placing off the podium her entire skating career and giving us many memorable performances, and I think that's enough.
Regardless, great interview. Even if I don't like certain things he said, the candor is appreciated.
+RDG This sums up my feelings exactly. He felt bitter. It's such a shame, because he's a genius, and any true figure skating fan knows that. So there was no need to make such a big deal about himself. His accomplishments shone through irrespective of media coverage. But for me his image is now overshadowed by this resentful attitude. It's so sad. I wished for an interview like this, and now I regret it. He just gave the Russians the ammunition they needed to argue that Yuna didn't deserve to win Gold, which any rational person knows is blatantly false.
+RDG Yeah, I was like, what???? when he said "I/we made her a star." Yes , it did take something away from Yuna and her hard work. I mean, she was already a star before joining the team, and she made the Cricket club, Orser, and Wilson famous, rather than they made her a star. I'm quite shock to hear him saying things like that.
Lmao. Yuna was almost *perfect* before joining Cricket club. perhaps you should watch her winning performance in 2006 worlds.
But, how awesome is it to have this insight.
Has he considered Yuna's point of view? Just recently in 2018. I read and watched some interviews of her. She is currently happy because finally she can experience life like many others. She is now trying all the teenager stuff and she is not at a teenager age. She is learning to drive, testing and trying drinking, testing her drinking limits, going out and trying to make friends her age, going out to cafés to hang out, all of which she said she hardly or never had the opportunity to do. Imagine if she was still skating, plus her strict skating schedule and parents enforcement, imagine she would skate till her late 30s. How would she get to experience these experiences freely or start a family since females have a biological clock. Think from her point of view David.
Hui-Ling Chang yeah and even he said, she was not a happy skater. I think Yuna have a a real gift and she is really talentos, but even being a fan of her and her performances, figure skating Never seemed to be her passion. It’s was almost like thats have been all her life, sonhe she was a kid, because she was very talented, like if she had got tired of it.
It's not that I don't give him any credit, don't get me wrong, but Yuna was excellent before as well. 2006~07 tango was proof of that. Even if she is introvert, she was expressive and dominating in competition. It's just he didn't know until he saw her in competition. And I don't really buy someone HAD to transform her into something she is not. Like he said, what makes Yuna so special is that she can take choreographer's words by heart. She can deliver programme as it should be and beyond. She already had that quality.
You know, she suffered persistent back and ankle injuries. There were also problems of her boots which almost made her quit skating. Such a difficult time for her. Of course, she wouldn't smile on training. It literally HURT her to skate. But, she sticked to it; came alive in competitions, setting world records even. Without great love for skating, I think it is impossible to do what she have done, especially through all that.
Bottom line, I feel bad on people asking her for everything. What obligation does she have? Some people might not realise it, but she shouldn't be taken for granted. Is it easy for a girl to leave home and be in a country where she can't communicate in her mother tongue? Would it have been easy for her to endure injuries and more importantly, unfairness in judgment? She devoted much to skating and anyone near her would know it; probably witnessed her going through hardships on individual level and system-wise. For someone who criticise whole Asia for individuals coming at last, you sure ask alot of her. She does not owe anything. And she certainly, does owe some skating shows.
Did she not bring glories during her reign in figure skating? Making it look like an art; making it look like more than just a sports. She even created an ideal fantasy for people to believe that there is fair game in figure skating; that best of talents wins. But the truth is, you would have to have "best nationality" as well. It is naive and even cruel to fault an individual without reflection on the system. She devoted much to skating since young and still does. Just because she doesn't do shows, just because she does not endure unfairness anymore, you can't call out on her. It is not just unfair, but cruel to do so. She is not some kind of an ultimate sacrifice given freely by God. No one owns her. No one but herself.
Imagine the loneliness she had to deal with..
As a Chinese myself, I do admit that the Asian culture has very different values from the western countries. That said, it's just CULTURE. No one should be judgemental about it. Also, people do have different life choices. That I have some talent doesn't mean I have to live on it. I feel Davis is imposing his values and ways of living.
路昌 Hi. Are you pure chinese with no any other asian ancestry??
路昌 Are you pure chinese?
A bit shocked by some things he said. First off, no matter what David thinks, he was her choreographer. He was paid to do what he did, and to expect her to do something for him in return is ludicrous. This is his job that had to do with her CAREER. Not her LIFE. Her desires after her competitive career were to improve skating in Korea, as well as becoming involved with the IOC. She helps out with young skaters in her country and is currently in school. That is what she wants to do and perhaps for the first time in her life, no one is pushing her. If David Wilson truly understood that, he wouldn't have said what he said.
Additionally, figure skating will never be the same. And to bring back those glory days are David's dreams. She's not his show pony for him and this sport to make money. Even if she decided to, the horrible rigging in the competitive aspect of this sport won't change, and that will cause figure skating to stay where it is. So no, David, she couldn't have brought change despite her name value and talent.
Yuna likes skating if she can win medals. Yuna likes competition and winning, more than she loves skating. It's the reason she hasn't had an AWESOME professional skating career.
@@JosedeJezeus I don't know how you know what Yuna likes and loves... lol
@@JosedeJezeus Hey, for someone who dislikes her so much, you seem very obsessed with her. I see you talking ill of Yuna on almost every single video of her.
I love this! David Wilson's genuine insights while also being animated is very David! hehehe. One thing I highly disagree on David though was when he mentioned Yuna's LP at Sochi with that mid triple-lutz, because though there was a slight flinch there but that wouldn't matter at all in her overall scores because of the QUALITY of all of her elements. Yuna essentially did not make a mistake. And hey how bout the Short Program, anyone??! In the SP, Yuna & Adelina were almost tied in their scores. How laughable, the was fix was totally in right from the get-go! Jeeeez. Also, Sotnikova being a Russian skater, in Russia, with a Russian crowd, so of course Sotnikova brought the 'house down'. haha! But oh man, 47 mins of talk about Yuna Kim is not enough because I really just... I... miss... Yuna. *sob
I agree with you totally. Thank you.
I think David has to be careful of what he says about judges since he is still choreographing for other skaters. It was a rip-off and everyone knows it, but not everyone can say it.
Not sure what you disagree with exactly? Wilson stated himself that Yuna wasn't penalised for the shaky lutz, and insinuated Sotnikova's scores were being inflated.
bemused But she was penalized for that shaky lutz, it was Sotnikova's mistakes like the flutz and underrotation that were ignored.
@Adaneth What single Lutz? She did have a single lutz, I think you are confused. Or do you mean the 3lutz that wasn't on combo? (When you said single it seems like she popped it but she didn't) but she was penalized because she didn't got the GOE that she usually got with a good Lutz. That was not the kind of mistake that you punish with negative GOE, like Sotnikova's two foot landing for example, THAT is a mayor mistake.
Love the interview, love David's choreos, but a bit disillusioned with him right now, which is really depressing, because I had waited for this for a long time.
I think in general, whether your student is the best or the worst, once they retire, you should tell them you're proud, not that in the end they were a disapointment. And definitely a teacher shouldn't say that on a public platform. This is not a random critic who's entitled to his opinion irrespective of anything. He was Yuna's choreographer for so many years, and from the sound of it, a friend. I think it's a really cruel thing to say. Just because someone is good at something doesn't mean they owe anything to anyone.
+Michael Panayi Also, I'm not from the Asian continent, but I find it very hard to believe that every single country in Asia has the same driving value, not to mention every single family. Certainly we'd all be up in arms if someone said that ''All Europeans are......'' or ''All Americans are.....''. Generally better to be prudent when making generalisations.
+Michael Panayi I guess David doesn't really know how much Yuna is actually giving back by supporting tons of young skaters. People have different ways of giving back, and Yuna's way is supporting young generation, not performing on the shows.
+uutuber431 You're obviously not a Korean - That generation is quite over; and Yuna quitted FS for a few times when she was young, and then came back on her own will.
Guys it's an important part of so many cultures, including the country I come from. But generalising all these things is stupid. Not all Koreans are expressionless and introverted, and not all Americans are fat. Generalisations are hurtful regardless of what form they come in.
+Sally Greenfield Agreed. America particularly has quite an individualist culture, even for the Western countries. I notice it when I visit and I'm not from Asia or Eastern Europe where it is most predominant. There are good points and bad points of both.
what an incredibly unguarded, unfiltered interview, with a very emotional talented passionate man. He could have been more diplomatic in his phrases and there is lots to digest. I understand his professional frustration with the lack of recognition choreographers get, but whether he knows it or not he and Yu Na have been a huge part of that change (Lori Nichol, Sandra Bezic, Shay-lynn Bourne, Tom Dickson, Chris Dean are all so well known now). Now everyone wants to know who choreographed what routine. He is way more famous that he thinks he is, and respected for his work for sure.
Of course one can be frustrated and sad Yu Na is not skating more but imho, that is her decision. Yes, she may have felt obligated to country, to family, to skating, but we don't know just how painful it was for her to skate, maybe she wants to live a different life, goodness knows female skaters can go through hell with body image, food issues and just so much pressure... she has had the weight of expectation on her shoulders from so so young, NO ONE can really walk a mile in her shoes, and maybe she just craves privacy and a normal life? She has given so much of herself already. THANK YOU TSL again, amazing work.
D D Jay Are you fro korea??Please respond.. Reason I asking you where you are from is I saw japanese youtuber uploaded sick pathetic video of yuna and I appreciate very much for your comments toward pathetic japanese. So I am wondering you are Korean or not and how much foreigners insist a huge interruptions from japanese that yuna gets. That's why I ask your your nationality. So can you tell me where you are from??
Wow… watching this video, I slowly understand what Yuna had to deal with. I have been watching her performance since she was like 12. When she started to work with Orser and Wilson, she was already almost *perfect*. I/we made her a star? 😱 …… The sublime and dignity that she showed throughout her career/even after is nothing close to this shallowness. She was/is a sportsmanship to me. She is just another level in MANY WAYS as a sport player and a human being so please put some weight on your words, Wilson.
I am Korean and listening to this interview makes me so sad. First of all, David, you are a brilliant choreographer and so appreciated by all of us Koreans. As you already know what makes Yuna separate from all other competitors most was how artistic she performed on ice with her text book techniques and I personally get your frustration and feel sorry for you and yuna too. Because cultural differences between the West and the east create so much frustration and misunderstandings. And as you spotted yuna was not a happy skater when you met her and you worked so hard to change things around and succeed as much as you could. Unfortunately you cannot change a person in a different culture that’s almost like changing your sexuality.Its so hardwired in our DNA. I love to see yuna become more than just a celebrity who sells products and I don’t believe she is happy with that either. The Korean culture somehow encourages personal achievements only through struggles rather than joyous process therefore people with great achievements can no longer find motivation at times.But let’s give yuna a chance to find her own way to her life.She is still so young and bright.
I am very glad that Yuna doesn't train with him any more because it obvious that he looks down upon Yuna's culture background and ignores Yuna's talent to her wins. He doesn't care about she wants. He wants to make a star that shines glory on himself. Very sad to hear all this from a well respected skating person.
Did you even watch the interview?
He choreographed her performance for All That Skate 2018, so she seems to get along with him.
I agree, I can sense a bit of bitterness. I think David wanted to make this grandios project of going on tours, choreographing for Yuna Kim and making her into a giant star. But the thing is, Yuna Kim expressed that actually she wants to live like the average person now, hanging out with friends and watching movies you know?
The second lutz in the Sochi program was NOT underroated, btw.
+이승준 yes it was, actually.
+이승준 It was < and not only that, it received positive GOE, despite the swingy landing. She barely held onto it. Her score would have been about 3 points lower if she had been scored correctly. Ironically, with correct scoring for everyone, Carolina Kostner would have won.
+zeiters20 She had a 3-3 in her short program. Her lack of a 3-3 in the long wouldn't have matter if the two other skaters had been called on their under-rotations. It's all in the way the points add up, not in whether there is a particular jump combination. Her PCS was never going to be a 6 at Sochi, with the overall inflation of PCS. I also disagree that she deserved a low TR mark.
the second lutz was NOT underroated. It was within the 1/4 leeway on the landing, thank you very much. Carolina had shaky landing on couple jumps and she barely has any transitions before and after jumps. idolfan9495
이승준 Her choreographer thinks it was
In conclusion, David Wilson was no different to Brian Orser. They just wanted to make more money through Yuna. That's what I am disappointed with.
how?
Literally the opposite. They wanted to make Yuna's career legendary, and you know in figure skating that also means longevity, basically what they later did with Yuzuru Hanyu. She decided to make more money by doing commercials in South Korea, i mean it's a choice but given the talent i think she should have kept working with professionals, not self coached at home.
@@simtopia2334 Well Yuna was already legendary even with her anticlimactic retirement. It's disrespectful to say that she decided to make more money by doing commercial. She was heavily injured and couldn't even execute a Biellmann spin during Sochi. So why should she be a people pleaser and kept working with her team when she couldn't anymore? She is so much happier in gala shows without having to land triple after triple. Unlike Yuna, Yuzuru doesn't have a permanent injury holding him back from achieving his legend status. Of course, he has suffered from injuries, but not like Yuna. Yuna's injury was holding her back from executing every single elements in figure skating. I wonder if Yuna had known that David talked about her like this behind her back, would she still work with him again for her gala show in 2018? So inconsiderate of him.
It seems like David Wilson don't want to acknowledge Yuna's great achievement after 2010 Olympics like Brian Orser or Tracy Wilson. They just want to flatter themselves. GRACELESS and FRIVOLOUS.
I can't speak for Yuna. But take myself as an example. I am Chinese, 27. All the 27 years I spent were on "making a living" "success""achievement". For that, I never had a time in my life where I could enjoy pure peace, simple happiness with family, and chill out with friends. I was always up for something, something people think are important, like success. I achieved quite a lot. But the older I become, the more I want is actually a simple, peaceful, happy life----being helpful to others. That's all. I guess for people like David, they have lived their lives in a pretty happy way, back from childhood. Of course, they will have the psychological energy to devote themselves to something larger than themselves, like pushing forward a sport. But for people like me, perhaps Yuna too (imagine she has a very strict mother and quite tough teen), what we want may be just a normal, happy life.
+路昌 I am in love with this comment. That's exactly how I feel too, which is why it was horrible of him to say he was disappointed with her. Sometimes we deserve a bit of peace and quiet, without having to feel guilty about it.
Thank you for good comment. Can i fix minor thing among your words? Yuna's mom is not just strict. She is very wise mom and teacher. The lady never have forced her daughter to go her tough way. They are almost friends. Yuna tried eagerly for her own dream, her mom helped her sincerely.
Beautiful comment no one has to leave to fulfill others demands dreams and expectations. Yuna has the right to rest and have some peace in her life to!
Watching this interview, I was disappointed and even felt sad. Please stop pushing Yuna to sacrifice her life for the whole skating world, which has always been literally cold as ice to her to the last moment. Everything she has-the fame, money, and some other things- has been achieved by more than anyone but herself. Yes, coaches, choreographers and her parents did help her and no one denies it. They've all been well recognized for their help in some ways. Some became famous, some got paid. Why be so greedy for more credit?
If he had cared enough for Yuna, he would have known what she has been doing for 2 years after Sochi. She's been trying her best to boost this sport she loves in her own ways, which is in my opinion far more beautiful than starring in as many shows as one can. Yuna's been busy promoting the Youth Olympic and 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic event. No need to mention that she inspires young Korean figure skaters and support them financially.
+Sally Greenfield, I think you bring up some valid points. I think he was disappointed in her lack of desire to continue with the sport and to love the sport like others before her. But in many ways the interview came across as him whining about how his own dreams had not been fulfilled because she left the sport too early. But in reality, she hasn't left the sport. She currently is supporting the younger generation of Korean skaters and I hear even doing some coaching.
Wilson also makes the argument that Kim's millions comes in large part to his work in bringing her out of her "Asian" shell....Yea, because all Asians are introverts and don't know how to communicate except through K-Pop...how thoughtless and demeaning of an entire culture. Did Wilson have a positive affect on Kim...I'm sure he did...But to suggest that her millions is largely due to his work is egocentric. He didn't give her any credit for taking his advice and exploring the artistic side of herself, for the business acumen she has, for the enormous amount of love the Korean people had for her, and it showed a lack of understanding of how the Korean entertainment industry operates.
Finally, I also do not like how the media constantly perpetuates the idea that Asia is this monolithic place ...in where China, Japan, Korea, ("those Asian countries") all have the same attitude and demeanor. This reductive and essentialist approach to culture is harmful and ignores the vast diversity between these cultures and even within these cultures. (BTW, I know plenty of white parents who were hard on their kids and just as controlling as the "tiger" moms but nobody groups them together creating parental stereotypes about the white population...so frustrating.
+Am I Korean? 나는 한국사람인가 Not to mention that Asia also includes Southern Asian countries like India, Singapore, Myanmar, Indonesia, and so on. I get disgusted when people lump them together and say Asians blah blah blah.
+HUH Totally Agree!!!
Robin Anderson Han Kwon Soo Are U Korean american??
박싱형, I am...a Korean American adoptee
How do you think Westerner's feel when they're called Western? Double standards much? Being called Asian is the equivalence of that, it's only insulting if you make it so.
Thank you David Wilson for being so generous in sharing his thoughts with us. I love watching Yuna skate and really hope that she comes back to do shows after the pressure of hosting Pyeongchang is over. I agree with David that she is really someone who could make the sport popular again in the world. I don't believe that she doesn't want to give back to the sport - she has said in the media a number of times that she wants to help the juniors in Korea and that she wants to do something related to skating in the future because that is what she is good at. But I also hope that she finds the joy in performing again!! There are so many role models of former competitors who are still giving fans so much joy years after competing - Kurt, Katia Gordeeva and Jeffrey are just a few examples. At 25 however Yuna can't possibly be a disappointment - she has time to find a way to push the sport forward. I hope she rests well and comes back soon in some capacity!!
I respect that David Wilson choreographed Yuna Kim's programs and I thank him for making her the figure skating legend she is. However, I don't like it that David Wilson wants her to keep on skating even though she's helping young Korean skaters develop their talents. She has different goals than David Wilson and he doesn't appreciate Yuna after she retired.
Yuna Kim was busy preparing for the 2018 Olympic Games so she doesn't have time to skate in shows.
Now I finally understand the opening of Yuna's program Danse Macabre, she was acting like a gargoyle coming back to life. It makes so much sense now! I used to think it looks awkward but now I love it!
Disappointments only come if David really cared and loved Yuna. It's like your child who has become Olympic Gold Medalist end up telling you that he always hated what you forced him to do. It would suck.
He also seemed to genuinely love working in that team. And to have the dissolved with no explanation or reason would have been incredibly hard for him.
bemused Still, he has no excuse for that behavior, he needs to care more about what Yuna wants, it was his job after all, he sound selfish to me.
Origami S Not always, there's people who just want more money and fame from I person and I think that's what David wanted from Yuna and got dissapointed when he lost it.
Like Michael Panayi, I was looking forward to this interview with David Wilson but in the end left disappointed. I think we need to be careful about making generalities about an entire race while at the same time relying on reductive qualities of a culture to explain how a skater is and performs. The expectations placed on Yuna to be everyone else's "dream" is unfair to her. What is fair is to allow and appreciate how she wants to live her life post amateur career. And to think that she is not giving back to skating is purely false. She may not be giving back in ways that you appreciate or expect but she is giving back in ways that she feels is appropriate.
So many people wanted to place their dreams on Kim Yuna and when she didn't fulfill them are then "disappointed" in her. Part of this comes from the desire to see a renaissance in skating but this burden shouldn't be placed on one person. If you are wondering why skating is at the point it is at with often less than half filled seats at competitions than maybe we should be looking toward the ISU, IOC, the skating federations, the judging, the television contracts, and a myriad of other factors. To think that Kim could've/should've been THAT person is not only unfair to her but myopic and shows a lack of understanding of the myriad of factors involved with the decline of figure skating....I have to believe that Wilson also recognizes this but in the interview comes across as shortsighted.
On another note: Wilson complains that this generation of skaters is "so fast food" but it's been this way for awhile. To complain about this is to live in a nostalgic past that never really was.
I wonder how much further she could have gone. She won two olympic medals, several national championships, won several GP events, 2 world titles, a Junior World title, and never placed outside the podium in her entire career...i.e. she was a model of consistency at a superior level.
So I wonder how this is a "great disappointment." And what is the "right attitude." I am really curious as so many weigh in on how others should behave. Also, the statement saying "she is getting paid to be a celebrity" seems not to understand how Korean pop culture works nor the kind of advocacy she is doing for a younger generation of skaters.
Great interview! David seems to be getting some heat for his comments, but I love that he is so real! He is honest about his opinions! My impression of Yuna is that she just wanted to be free; free of pressure, expectations, etc. People wants so much from her and expects her to meet their demands. Take for instance, her mom, her country, her fans, the skating world, her mentors. A woman can only take so much before she looses her mind. At the end of the day, Yuna should be free to do what makes HER happy, regardless of what anyone thinks. Which can be challenging if her culture is geared towards collectivism (group is more important than individual)
I agree that he is so real lol... and anyway thoughts are not gonna remain always the same. For a very visionary and talented choreographer, losing such a talented performer would be really heartbreaking.. but yuna is a real person just as much as him I think everyone who misses her (yes, including me :( ) should give her what she much deserve and that's freedom :) she's been professional since teenager... imagine that
I'm also disappointed with this interview. I understand David's frustration losing the most brightest star in his mind, but I don't think he understands Yuna and her motivation that well. Blaming on cultural difference - as if it's a fault? Also, Yuna was the one to make a decision to come back for Sochi, Yuna was the one to push hard and work hard, Yuna was the one who got matured - Western style flamboyant expressions aren't the only way to move people's heart, but her deep emotions as a Korean was her own way to express and communicate. Yuna's working with so many young skaters in her own country and that's her way of giving back to the sport. Does he even know the fact that she donates so much for young skaters (not to mention her records of donation to Unicef, or other charity organizations) by getting all that commercials?? There are things that he should have thought a bit more before putting out; I still love his work, but he should mature a bit more. He bashed the "Asian culture" too much as if he really understands it, and there's only ONE Asian culture. This is a shameful interview.
+HUH
David was disappointed that Yuna stepped back from performing. It's not about the amount of donation she has made. It's not about the money. It's the passion, love, and will for her to skate and to perform on the ICE. From his words, it is obvious that he loved how Yuna skated. Don't you understand the emotion and love of people? It is true that Yuna didn't do a lot back for the figure skating. She skipped 4 years of Grand Prix and Four continents, attended only to two important competitions (the Worlds11&13) after Vancouver and she stepped into Sochi saying that she wants Gold. How disrespectful that was to people who gave their life to figure skating and to David, who gave his time, love, and passion, to Yuna. It was for sure, up to Yuna to meet Skating Fans' and David's expectation, but she chose not to and unfortunately, that basically end up defining who Yuna Kim is.
Yuna was injured, her body couldn't handle it anymore.
+Origami S Yuna never said that she wants the gold medal at Sochi. Never!
+Origami S If you want to talk about people being disrespectful to FS, what about Tara Lipinski who retired so early? What about Sarah Huge and so many other Oly Champs who didn't skate for two consecutive Oly's? You're talking non-sense just to bash Yuna here. Is the show performing only way to serve the people who've loved and given her that much? As said, she's giving back to so many - and huge part is for Korea's FS and young skaters. If doing the shows and earning money is YOUR definition of giving back, then so be it. That's the kind of human being YOU are.
+Origami S BTW, don't lie about Yuna. She never said she wanted a gold in Sochi. She said she wanted to give back to people who loved her, and wanted to give more chances to younger Korean skaters. How disrespectful and disgraceful of you lying thru your teeth.
kind of surprised and disappointed that Wilson does not seem to understand Yuna and Korean culture. Did he just say that Yuna came back to the sport simply because she was forced to and she had her emotionless "Korean face" in London? Really? From her interviews I felt Yuna gained new passion after working with junior skaters in Korea and her programs in London showed new maturity and sophistication she gained. Seems like Wilson gives too much credit to himself for her achievement and still considers Yuna as a helpless young girl who needs his help, which is not true...
+SuperMindboggling The passion was not in her face in London. I was there. The body moved beautifully; the face, not so much. Maybe it was botox? She does have a frozen look most of the time. Maybe the ice was too cold?
+Tress Braga Artistic figure skating is not about facial expression. You show your emotion by your skating. Anyone can smile, very few can show artistry and technique superiority by skating.
Are you kidding? It's a performance, you still need to show expression in your face. Well, you don't have to, but it gives you extra points.
bemused She have expression, please don't deny it because it's something that EVERYBODY SAW. How can people (that you can only assume are haters) do not see it? It's ridiculous.
Tress Braga That's not true, why do you lie like that? I'm really surprised, maybe the ice was too cold that blurred your vision?
This is a very unusual and interesting interview...so many themes are discussed...the decisions of Yuna Kim in her amateur career; her very short "pro" career; the Orser/Yuna split, and commentary by David Wilson on the nature of artistic work on ice...the need for time, for work, for rehearsals; and a theme I find so intriguing...the Asian mindset towards towards expressing ones self and giving of one's self to the audience. There are so many jewels of thought her, and this video is so worthy of the show's name...THE SKATING LESSON. There's alot more to figure skating than skating...this is a good place to learn some of it.
To add on to my initial comment, David really shouldnt've said the "making millions modeling for tampons or whatever" and "she didnt really have a career" "I basically made her!" "I think at the end of Sochi, we would say that the whole thing was a failure, and Yuna herself knows it" comments. These are really really bitter. Basically, I think David and Brian Osler really wanted a bigger piece of Yuna's Glory. But Yuna took the glory and left the international skating world. I think he wanted more credit after the Olympics, but Yuna was too busy with the reporters. I can see that he still wants more of the glory because he wants Yuna Kim to go on global tours or whatever. Brian Osler, also salty that he was cut as the coach from Yuna Kim. Dude is a silver medalist and he's gotta deal with it. He becomes a coach to fulfill his shortcomings, but realizes that the gold medal is not for him to take but at the end of the day, it is Yuna Kim's title.
As an industry pro...I've gotta say...the risk you take as a host and producer of a segment which is 47 minutes long, is that if you bore the viewer, they're done...and walk away. Now this interview is crazy glue on your butt, I got and peeled an apple, and came back, I patted my dog, but I came back. That's the good stuff...holding an audience 47 min. A large part of the success is the energy of the hosts, and of course, Jen... listening with every bit of their cellular personage...crazy glue, like I said.
I appreciate his honesty. I love this interview! I think David is a very dramatic, histrionic person, so taking his word so seriously is probably not wise. He's not being selfish, he just had his expectations shattered, which is understandable. Yuna was in a unique position to retire and use her celeb status in South Korea to make millions of dollars per year barely skating anymore, so who can blame her for that? No other former figure skater is so wealthy.
Koreans still have so much respect for David Wilson and remember him as an amazing choreographer. I hope there will be opportunities for David Wilson to work with another Korean talents and help nurture them to be another Yuna Kim. David Wilson seems to be a very passionate person. Yuna Kim is on her journey to help support young skaters. She's been helping many young skaters in different ways. And she is a great figure in sports. She was at the Youth Olympics to support a few days ago. She is promoting 2018 winter Olympic in Korea as well. She does not skate but she has great presence in sports. She's a retired skater but she is doing amazing things for sports when she is only 25. Also she has been donating a lot of money for different things. She's a good will ambassador for UNICEF. I think she wanted to take a different path to support sports. She is not on the ice but her support for sports never stopped.
I'm sorry but I just lost some admiration for him after this interview. It seems like he feels yuna own him anything? according to me he was doing his JOB and had a pay for it, the way he is speaking seems very selfish to me. Yuna was human, she was not a tool for other people's fame or success. She had the right to move on with her life after all this years of legacy and memorable moments. I just want her to be happy and healty.
Ara Flores Yeah... I do think so and are you from Korea??
Too bad Yuna wasn't more like Mao. Mao LOVES to skate. It sounds like Yuna skated because she was good at it, not because she absolutely loves loves loves to skate. Watch Mao's career after she retires from competition. Mao will ALWAYS skate. God bless Mao. God help Yuna,
@@JosedeJezeus Dude, seriously, you need help.
@@EnigmeDeLaVie the Korean people need help. They hounded Yuna so badly that she lost her love for skating. Yuna doesn't step on the ice anymore. Yuna never had a real professional career … that's what happens when the insanely strict Korean culture put crazy amounts of pressure on Yuna. Koreans need to take a chill pill, for real.
@@JosedeJezeus I''ve been watching several videos of Yuna skating recently (I never came around to watch her skate while she was performing) and you're commenting on most of her videos, praising Mao and bashing Yuna. So yeah, Koreans need to take the chill pill, but so do you.
I wish Tom Dickson did more choreography for Yuna Kim. Her SP he did was sensational!
Everyone chill. Its over. Yuna kim has moved on so David, thanks for sharing but please do not be bitter, relax and move on.
Yuna will be remembered as one of the greatest ladies figure skaters and she is an amazing person.
Yuna is my favorite skater of all time and I’m asian, so some of the things said in this interview threw me off. However, the more I listened, the more I could see where was coming from. This especially being American born and knowing both sides culturally.
A lot of people are commenting about how Yuna may have felt to, ironically, someone who mentored and had a close relationship with her for years. He did seem bitter here, which considering the timeline was understandable. However, I’m glad to know that they presumably worked things out and he still choreographs for her (2017-2019).
And for some reasons I think that Yuna doesn't have that much passion for figure skating that she can continue like David. I think it's mainly her parents' dream, her talents, the nation's pressure and her sense of perfectionist. And I am not saying that Yuna doesn't have passion for figure skating but that path was chosen for her by her parents at such a young age. She did well in taking that path. but she probably wants to find what she wants to do for the rest of her life now.
Somehow I remember people say that people that success at young age usually can't do as well when they grow up. It's because they don't have enough maturity that can carries them through all that fame and glamour (which is why you see many Hollywood young stars got into troubles when they grow up).
This is why I support Yuna's decision to retire even more, a person can't live in fame forever.
Yuna loved purely figure skating. Even when other competitors were spinning like crazy because of the score, her spin slowly turned according to the music. Looking at the environment of Sochi Olympic Games and afterwards figure skating, it turned into a gymnasium. How can she play figure skating? And nobody protests against the environment. David, you are also silent on the Sochi judgment, is she fighting alone? It is too cruel.
I love this man! He says it like it is without hesitation. He tells his story and isn't concerned about what anyone will say. And that's because he is telling the truth. And he is hyserical!! We need more people like David is the world. The real.
Thank you!
Thank you so much. This was a very honest interview. Thank you to TSL and David Wilson. Especially Mr. Wilson. Thank you for opening up about your experiences. It struck me personally when you spoke about looking in from the outside, you are such a beautiful soul for all the work you do from behind the scenes. You are a gem. I first learned about you when I saw your name behind Yuzuru's programmes. In a book, I read how highly he held you when he wrote to you to choreograph the Romeo & Juliet for him. You are a giant. Regardless of how choreographers are "behind the scenes", your presence is in every movement, every nook and cranny of the blade marks on the ice. It blooms into a spring in the hearts of the audiences. As a new fan to the sport, I feel so privileged to have been able to watch your programmes and to hear you speak today in this interview.
Thank you too for talking about your vision for Yuna Kim. You are the expert, you know when a legendary talent comes along. Even as a new fan, I realise how magical those years (however brief they may have been) were. I don't think anyone comes close to the majesty of Yuna' skating. Perhaps only Yuzuru Hanyu. When I watch her All That Skate show where she skates to Nessun Dorma? Where she's in red? I can sit there all day.. marveling at that god-given grace. I'd watch it any day compared to competitions today. How wonderful it will be if she pursues a professional career. How wonderful... if she sang and just commanded the ice!! wow!! I know what you mean!! Oh well, perhaps, she does it her own way. By working with the younger skaters and athletes back home. I always had the feeling that fate worked strangely.. she sort of.. passed the mantel to Yuzuru at Sochi. hahahha... like.. well, at least we can all dream of fantastical shows with Yuzu. (not sure if he sings).
We were blessed with her skating. Your tremendous work in building that legend, will inspire many generations to come. :) Thank you David!
a teacher can only show so much to the student. in the end the train has to move on its own. still, train is worthless without load to carry. i really admire david wilson's artistry, and it came alive through yuna. it is hard to say what comes first, chicken or egg? i understand when wilson says it felt "surreal" after yuna's winning gold at vancouver because all attention was on her, not him even though he choreographed both of her programs and made her a "star". he did say that he never felt more confident than ever before, and i think that's all there should be if you are a teacher or coach. your job is in the background, supporting and guiding your pupil. if he wants all that glory, he should be out there skating. i hope that when wilson said he never felt more confident, it was also because he was proud of yuna. i am pretty sure of it. i really appreciate the candor wilson showed in this interview. most people hide their true feelings because they first judge their own feelings. wilson doesn't seem to.
Sorry David, Adelina didn't win the Europeans.
I think he meant Russian nationals. In any event, his point was that her scores at Sochi were significantly higher than a similar skate earlier in the season.
+idolfan9495 Thanks!
While I appreciate David Wilson's candor, he should realize this interview doesn't reflect well on him. Not because he's critical of Yuna Kim -- he has the right to criticize, of course -- but because his criticism lacks consistency. He contradicts what he himself said earlier on several points and leaves out facts, leaving the unfortunate impression of latent bitterness and selfishness rather than a sincere concern for her well-being or respect for her choices as an adult.
This is too bad, considering the outstanding body of work Yuna and David put out together (and yes, you did do it together -- saying that you guys "made her a star" takes too much credit away from the woman here).
I'll focus on his criticism of Yuna's life choices here. David himself says very emphatically that even Kurt Browning is still skating, so why can't she??? I'd say, doesn't the example of Kurt Browning show that Yuna actually has a lot of time to decide she wants to come back to the ice when she really feels like it? Compared to that, she only has a short few years to try to enjoy life like a normal college student as much as possible (as mentioned below, such as learning how to drive etc.).
And then he goes on to say criticize her for not giving back to the sport, which is odd because earlier in the interview he sounded quite critical of "Asian/Korean culture" for saddling her with the expectations of family and country. If you're going to criticize someone's culture for putting pressure on them to give back to country and family (which she did, in spades), it doesn't make sense to then turn around and criticize her for not serving yet another master called Figure Skating. The way David was criticizing Korean culture, you'd think he would say something like "As for me, I'm happy she's now making her own decisions about her life and enjoying herself" but that was quite a dramatic turnabout he did toward the end of the interview -- made him sound a bit "Asian" himself!
The biggest problem is that it was factually incorrect to say she wasn't already giving back to figure skating at the time of this interview. As pointed out by several contemporary comments in the comments section here, it was pretty well known that she was already giving money to and mentoring young Korean skaters. (According to a local media report in early 2017, Yuna had given the equivalent of $4 million since her victory in the 2010 Olympics to support skaters and skating in her country.) So she was giving back to the athletes (funding, mentoring) instead of giving back directly to the fans (ice shows) -- and if someone is giving to the ATHLETES, how can you possibly say someone is NOT giving back to a sport? It doesn't make sense, and makes one think that David was unhappy because Yuna's way of giving back to the sport didn't involve HIM specifically, since she's not doing ice shows with him. It's kind of disingenuous how he makes no mention of the sponsoring and mentoring, even though he must have been aware of it given how close he was to her, almost as if he knew that would weaken his argument.
So come on, David! This interview was from 2016, only two years after Yuna's retirement, and perhaps you hadn't had enough time to deal with the fact that the unhappy little junior skater you met all those years ago had now become a woman in charge of her own life. It's now 2018 and I hear you'll be choreographing Yuna's upcoming "All That Skate" show in Korea in May 2018, so I hope that makes you happy and I hope you guys put on an awesome show.
I wish he wasn't so bitter. People cared enough to watch this interview because he was her choreographer...
L Sim they worked together twice this year. I think they’re on very good terms!
@@TheSkatingLesson Yes, I'm aware. I'm just saying that Wilsom seemed bitter that no one cared about him being her choreographer then...
As a Yuna fan THANK YOU SO MUCH for this very personal interview.
Love your interviews with the artistic souls, so enthralling and they turn up the cookers on my own creative juices!!!
What a character, David is! He had me engaged right away...and maybe also it's because he's talking about Yuna. LOL. Thanks so much for this interview! If it's possible, I would love for you guys to interview him again and have a talk about Adam, Liza T. (since she did work with him once) and the current TCC athletes.
Actually his comments on the nature of Kpop stars is so spot on. As much as I enjoy Kpop, they really do come across as manufactured dolls, their lives and interactions planned to the T. The majority of them don't even produce and write their own music. I guess David was worried that Yuna would fall into that star-hole, be pushed around and pressured, unable to express herself in a way that she could away from that kind of culture.
I used to think Canadians were some of the nicest people until this interview. Such pettiness and bitterness on his part. Yuna doesn’t owe the sport anything-her legacy is the legions of young skaters that she inspired and will continue to inspire.
Thank you for this fascinating interview. David is 100% right about Asian culture being collectivist. From what I heard Yuna did not want to come back, but did it for her country and to provide spots for younger skaters. She is very supportive of the younger skaters; Which is why two Korean skaters won silver medals at the last worlds.
I don't know but was David drunk? Or does he just usually talk like that?
+crystal22 Yes he does and he is a passionate man and obviously this was a part of his life as well. Very eye opening but remember this is all his opinion and we are talking about two people of different ages, different genders, different cultures, different expectations and different desires. I think the love is real and that is why the pain is also.
+crystal22 he is drunk on figure skating
Ioana Bla mm
What a fabulous character and artistic soul! Fascinating interview. "You know what I mean?" ;)
every time i hear him say that, i want to punch him in the face. haha. sorry no offense
@@Msscarletchestnut166 HAHHAHAHAHHAA
Very illuminating. At the end of the day, David is human enough to convey disappointment over his anti-climactic career high but also in that Kim could have transcended had she not had the pressure and other issues surrounding her career. If Kim didnt feel like she owed anyone anything and skated because she wanted to, then she would be back competing now for the joy of the sport. I personally feel that she lost her passion after 2010 and you can't blame her for it because her goal was the OGM and not the OGM-and-something-else.
+mandifadsa I agree. I'm pretty sure she even commented in an interview right after Sochi that she wasn't disappointed with silver despite the controversy because she didn't have the same passion or desire to win gold like she did in 2010. I think she was a passionate skater but I think the fact that she is really one of the most famous people in South Korea ever put more pressure on her than the typical elite athlete, and I think she was so relieved after her win her passion faded, which to me is understandable.
I think you give a more objective view. Yuna and David Wilson were together when she announce her retirement. So, both of them are in a good relationship.
Without him, Yuna can't be a no. 1 skater. Thank you, Mr Wilson
Fascinating interview! Love the great questions and David's candor and insights.
Wow, what an exceptional interview. David has every right to express his disappointment - the relationship was a heavy MUTUAL investment each seeking their own returns - when the returns come in sometimes they're what you expected. Oh, if we're lucky, more than anticipated! Or, sometimes those returns leave with the feeling of something "left to be desired" as you walk away - less than what you thought they should be or should have been. Naturally, you're disappointed.
☆NOW AUDIENCE☆Let's not fool ourselves, I love figure skating, and am so passionate about the sport. I, of all people recognize & believe in what David Wilson is calling for & speaking to in regards to the diffibulator that our sport needs - that jolt needed to spark a more wider audience a more massive presence that figure skating not only deserves but commands.
+Rob Lacy Thank You!
+ZigZaggy P You're welcomed, you wouldn't happen to be DW by chance?
+Rob Lacy I agree with you. I do understand his feelings on Yuna. 'Perplexed' might be the best word to describe his emotions, rather than 'disappointment.' I believe many people in the figure skating world is feeling the same thing. It's like Nicole Kidman or Charlize Theron suddenly leaving Hollywood without telling why - its leaves everyone confused. Some may support Yuna's decision, but many figure skating fans might feel a pang of disappointment - she could at least take the female role of Stephane Lambiel.
Yuna still provides financial support to many young Korean skaters and athletes though. All we can do is hope her the best.
yup! in figure skating, you have to connect with the audience, which even in TV, I didn't really feel during Sochi. I feel connected with her in her past competitions till 2010 but after that, I just admired how talented she is technical-wise. I think it was Yuzuru(?), he moved me to tears when he made a clean LP for his 2nd Romeo and Juliet in the Worlds(?) and I can also feel his emotions. I was only in my room, livestreaming at that time. When Yuna does "sexy" or fierce concepts, I feel like that also but really after 2010 Olympics, I never really felt anything emotionally although I am a fan.
+Steph Angeles Maybe you are not really a fan. I kind of understand yuna and the pressure she had, in practice you could tell she was tense but when she skated you could feel the passion, the softness, like in her less miss 2013,or her send in the clowds in sochi, how could you not get any feeling on that? I also feel the pasion in adios nonino just by the expresions on her face, I feel sad that some people really never understood the precious jewel that yuna skating was after vancuber :'(
Hey, what are these whiners saying? This was a great interview and David Wilson is obviously one of the greatest chorographers ever. I love his work. And I am not alone there. I understand his disappointment in her disappearance from the sport. It's a little bigger than some of you "youngsters" might understand. When he talks about the glory days of skating, you have no idea. When something so wonderful has happened for an entertainment genre, and then gone away, we all ache for it to come back. And she is such a talented skater that she could have made that happen. Did you ever watch television coverage that showed every single couple do each of the set pattern dances? Not likely! But we hung on every movement.She could have made the skating culture richer. I guess she just burned out.I agree with David, and while I listen he is saying the same things I am writing.The history of skating is not just what has happened in the last 10 years people!Bindy ( an old lady!)
+Bindy Sweett So true!
yup! as a skater myself, I also want the productions that they used to have because I want to do shows. the pressure of competitive skating is very hard so I want to feel how it is to do what you love without pressure of getting in the podium. for me, I want Yuna to skate again and appear in shows sometimes but if she doesn't want to do competitive skating anymore then don't. I really love her skating but I know how hard it is for the body to handle the pressure in competitive FS, especially when she already has numerous injuries
Bindy Sweett But what about the skater feelings?! You and Wilson just want her in the ice but she had so much pressure on her mind and body, why do you don't think of that? Selfish.
I love this interview! I kinda knew that David could be very expressive and a bit eccentric but I love his honest opinion about Yuna Kim. As a Korean I have never watched this kinda honest interview about her. You may get a stone if you talk about her in negative or unusual way rather than in complimentary way. HAHA... I agree that she is great, gorgeous and beautiful as a skater. It is a nice that someone closer to Yuna talked about her personal side honestly which we don't know.
Do you think Adios Nonino is happy & powerful sexy ? Humm I don't think so How about sand in the clowns. Yuna was gave me hart in Sochi. We miss yuna so much.
The fact that David Wilson played a key role in bringing Yuna to grow deeper appreciation for the art of figure skating will never change, and he deserves all the respect and credit. David Wilson was an amazing mentor.
Well that was a great intro Dave & Jenny said about Yuna Kim, and that @0:36 Dave mentioned that she's a 2-time world champion & 2010 Olympic gold medalist. It was very important that you didn't mention the medalist that she was at Sochi. I'm tellin' ya man, all hell breaks loose if you did! hahahaha. I especially liked that little description about the days of the young Yuna @3:23, because it's sounds so Yuna! That she looked as if she hated everyone, unapproachable & totally unaffected. I, too think that people like that are fabulous! hahaha. By the way, not a dull moment in this interview, super enjoyed it, and my gosshh I totally miss Yuna Kim. *(Insert a BIG SIGH here)*
Kristian Soriano Agree and are U from Korea??
☆OH DEAR LORD☆ After reading just some of the commentary I do believe the natives are about to highjack this commentary feed. Buckle-up peeps, the ride's about to get bumpy!
Cant people just accept her for what she was. It is shown in science that your personality from ages 1-5 carries on till your tombstone. Yuna Kim is a reserved person and she somehow stumbled into iceskating, which was her talent but was somewhat influenced by other people to become this grandios figure. She has already given back so much, and she expressed in her interviews that she imagined what life would be like as an average person who attended college. I think it's really selfish to think she is obliged to do all these performances to bring back ice skating. She has one life to live and she wants to do something else with her life now. Just a bit sad how David undermined Yuna Kim's work and effort at the end there. He seems like a nice guy but just a bit disappointed.
This is gold.
Like he said, she's still young. She would do something for figure skating. No matter if it is for the world or just for her own country, she'll be somewhere involved in figure skating.
I am always curios about who is David Wilson and the choreographer behind Yuna Kim "James Bond Girl" program that propel her to winning gold medal. Credit to Brian for being a classy person. I definitely respect Brian Orser as a coach because he never made David choose side when the whole media fiasco happen and still let him choreograph for Yuna. I can also see how much David invest himself emotionally to groom her as a star (4 years!!!) and bring out the magical performance we all admire in Yuna Kim. That is why I think he misses her and find it hard to let her go emotionally. If David is reading this, I want to tell him," You did a great job to bring Asian skaters to the world stage like Yuzu-San and Yuna & get their talents noticed by the world. You envision beautiful choreography and I salute you for all your amazing work."
I loved david but this interview is.....a bit disrespectful
Very honest interview. I enjoyed it. I definitely agree with his sentiments regarding Yu-Na post-Vancouver. She was as brilliant as ever technically but that spark was missing in her skating. However I don't fault her for moving on. She's a young woman with lots of talent and a ton of opportunities. I think David is sad b/c Yu-Na was his muse and his canvas...and she moved on. What's a painter without a canvas? A lot of ideas and nowhere to display them. Did Yu-Na hang up her skates too early? Maybe. In all honesty she could have been a 5 or 6 time world champ by now had she continued to compete. But it's obvious her heart was no longer in it and she was ready to move on. Skating is David's life but that's not the case for Yu-Na. He has to accept that and let her live her life.
Yuna has never said she left figure skating completely. David misunderstood about that. She always thinks figure skating. Often she go out to rink teach and help little skaters unofficially. But now she is a little busy as an ambassador of Lillihammer youth Olympics and Pyungchang winter olympics. I think she will return to on the ice rink soon. Please wait!
+Beky I mean ice show, not competition.
Listening to David, I could totally see what he was feeling or seeing actually showed in her performance. Like he said we cannot really understand what it was going on in between, but her leaving Toronto and skating is not only disappointing but also a huge loss for all of us. But she made her choice for herself which I am happy with. Great job David helping her~~~
Competing isn't the only way a figure skater can shine. I think that's what Yuna did. She stop competing to help other korean skaters. It's sad to see the queen leave of course but it happens. I wish Yuna, Wilson and Orser the best, they made a wonderful team.
omg so much tea spilling! tbh i like him a little less now but in some ways he has a point.
I love David Willson's work so much. Mostly , because he created a masterpiece"In the garden of soul" for Dai. But I loved, Yuna's Lark acending, Buttles Bothsides now and many more! He should get much more credits for his work ! What about working for Japanese skaters again, David? Choreographer such as Kenji is as a big of a star as skaters there!!
Fabulous interview. Love David Wilson!
If I was ever a figure skater, I’d want him to be my choreographer for sure. I love Yuna, and I miss seeing her perform. It’s nice to hear his side of her story.
David was a fun guest! I do agree very much that Yuna should have continued skating, but after the Olympic Gold, it didn't seem that she enjoyed it anymore. The 2014 Olympics just didn't have the same pizzazz to it. I too only can dream of what may have been had she decided to continue on for the art of the sport. I just think her heart wasn't really in it and as someone else said the pressure and work was something she didn't want to do anymore. But yeah all the artistry going untapped, that just personally bothers me as a fan of her skating.
Oh you think Yuna has lost her facial expression while she was in Korea, and it’s mostly because of her cultural background??? Huh? I feel the racism there. Is Mona Lisa criticized for lacking her face expression? I think her facial expression was totally on the spot. She doesn’t have to over-exaggerate every moment just like you David - if I was to mirror your wording.
So loved this interview! Thank you for introducing me to David Wilson. He is so FABULOUS!
y'all are trying to act like david and brian were trying to control her life. no they were just regretful that she, someone with so much natural talent and the perfect body shape for ice skating, would have left the sport so quick. you have someone like kostner, who is going to skate for as long as she can because you can tell she loves the sport so damn much. yuna could have kept skating, but she left the sport, which is an insult to those skaters who want to keep skating, but are unable to because of physical issues, or because there's too much competition in their country, or because they just never reached that sort of skating that would make it worth it for them to continue. that's why he's salty, because she was one in a million, and she gave it up early.
But I still don't think it's quite fair for us to assume that she quit because she didn't love her sport. I think she loved skating but not really competing. You can see her in shows after her amateur career ended and she looked much happier. Anyway, she already changed figure skating so much with her expressive style and explosive programs, we should let her decide on what is best for her mental health and happiness.
This was a refreshing interview. Really enjoyed it. I hope Yuna finds passion in skating again.
The interview is just great! I'm looking forward to the second part!
David is a passionate person! That being said, I would think that in today's Asian cultures, there are some who sing,'I Gotta Be Me!' I saw on Yu-Na's face at 2010 World's that she didn't want to be there. Can one blame her? World champion and OG medalist are the highest achievements in the sport. Many athletes question if they want to go further. I see that in Sotnikova. So the 'deer in the headlights' 'face' was there in 2013. Worlds that year was her only major competition and it was her desire, not Korean consensus, that was lacking.
At 25, Yu-Na is a woman in charge of her own life. I'm sure she is grateful to all of her coaching suppport in Canada. But she wants to remain as a Korean. And if I was given these million dollar endorsements, I would have those skates on the shelf in a flash! ( DUH!) She is giving back by supporting JOBS and the Korean economy with these endorsements.
Her legacy is her grace on the ice. I'm sure another star is on the rise.
I really enjoyed this interview with David Wilson. Very interesting!!!
I still think Yuna will do shows in the future in Korea, but not anytime soon. I'm waiting for the day where I would see a new gala where she is now a mature woman. And it doesn''t have to be choreographed by Wilson. As for Wilson, I'm sad and a bit disappointed with what I hear from this interview. It is the first time I hear him discuss such disappointments which only leaves me to believe that things didn't go his way or changed after Sochi. But I understand things does change over time and people change so I'm not expecting much from him. I hope he is true to his words by cheering from the side when that time comes.
Her back problems probably made her give up.
i really agree but what can we do.its yuna's decision to quit..and i miss her... everytime i watched worlds or grandprix..its not the same anymore😢
Yuna is David's muse.I'd like to see Yuna's performance again.Why do you think that Yuna does not skate now?
Homage to Korea program is a stunning program.
No entiendo porque habla de esta forma, yuna kim es feliz con su vida actual y ella no le debe nada a nadie y si ellos le ayudaron a desarrollarse no fue gratis, recibieron su paga.
Y yuna es la reyna y puede hacer lo que quiera yo estoy feliz por ella, el patinaje actual es una farsa y no merecen a una leyenda como yuna. y que mal por este tipo.
Felicia Olmedo NUNCA MEJOR DICHO.
Oh this interview is so white. And I feel like the figure skating that David loves is so old and white.
I love how passionate and real he is❤️
"It's the way they are..." I think this is what is so dispiriting about this interview. Beyond all the bitterness and resentment that seems to leak through this interview is the not so casual racism that seems to be embedded in the psyche of people in general. Basically, a gay white flamboyant choreographer looks at a group of people that looks different (and, yes, cultures are different) and refers to this group of HUMAN BEINGS as "the way they are." It's sad and indicative of humans...that we simply stop looking at people as people and choose to categorize and denigrate whole swaths of our species as a monolithic "they" because it's easy and helps one to feel superior. Oy.
Okay, so maybe we shouldn't incite the same amount of ignorance towards 'gay, flamboyant, white creatives' then? Honestly, "the way they are" is by no means racist, or even casually racist. It's just a general statement on a particular culture. It's ignorant at best.
Oh Wilson. I like your choreography but I don't like you anymore. she is not your kid. please just let her go anyway. and you don't know why Yuna doesn't skate anymore? She's just tired by carrying lots of pressure and injuries. and also the judges. I'm very wondering that you know Yuna got a level 3 in her step sequence what you made. and It doesn't make sense you wanted her skating but you mentioned about Korean culture. Asian blah blah*.
I know you miss her but Wendy has moved on Peter..
I felt like David doesn't get it.....
Yuna has always been Yuna.
It has been always in her.
and it seems like David believes that he had changed her.
Which I don't think a true.
and I think his believes came from the cultural differernce.
Fascinating interview, but utterly cringeworthy...
🌹🌹🌹🌹퀸연아 사랑해요 🌺🌺🌺🌺
Actually Wilson was the real true coach and the one who trained most time with yuna. Even though yuna was genius, he created amazing programs and developed her together. You can't find the programs like wilson's that music composition is like a short musical. I could tell how hard he worked for Yuna by the programs getting sophisticated as time goes by, ( from Die Fledermaus to Adios Nonino) Anout Brian Orser, he had zero experience with coaching before he met Yuna and he had luck of his lifetime by being her coach who already mastered all techniques. He didnt even check the changed new roles in spins, made scored 0 in spins in Scheherazade. But he did one thing to help her : being a Canadian for Canada Olympics since Yuna had gone through nationality discrimination. Anyway most Korean knows that the credit goes to Wilson not Orser. I feel sorry and understand his frustration about yuna wont skate anymore. He lost his muse. ;-/
Wow you know a lot
very interesting interview
love how David woke her up..being flirty:) i totally understand why David is so upset for me same WHAT A WASTE YUNA!!! you are the saviour of skate and only hope to bring back to glory!!
Ooooh, I knew people would NOT be happy about this interview. I think David Wilson is right, though. Of course Yuna should do what she wants and enjoy the fruits of her accomplishments, but it's completely valid to look at her talent relative to her skating career and think... what she did was great, but she could have done more. I was shocked when she retired from professional skating so quickly. She only skated like six times competitively after Vancouver. It is a bit of an underwhelming legacy, unfortunately. (If she stays retired professionally, which I hope she does not.)
She could have done more? Did you not see that she couldn't execute a Biellmann spin during her last remaining years as an athlete? Or the fact that she was falling and slipping left and right during her 2014 Olympics season? She certainly couldn't have achieved more than that. She was very injured that leaving a legacy on the sport was probably the last thing she had on her mind. What else could she possibly done after 6 World medals and two Olympic medals? She's just wasting her time if she decided to stay because she would have lost the 2015 Worlds and other major championships onwards, like Mao did.