The Value of Kim Yuna’s Golden Ratio - A Clipping from a Chosun Ilbo Article

Perfect eight-head proportions, with lower-body length twice the upper body and S-line arms

▲ Her exceptionally long arms and legs, along with her balanced physique, make Kim Yuna’s performance even more graceful. On the 23rd, one day before the short program competition, Kim Yuna is focusing on her final training. / Reporter Jeon Ki-byeong gibong@chosun.com, graphic = reporter Yang In-seong in77@chosun.com

When you watch Kim Yuna’s figure skating, there comes a moment when you become absorbed in the feeling that she is somehow different from the other athletes. In technical terms such as powerful jumps and exceptional rotational ability, Kim Yuna is naturally the world’s best. But the expressiveness that makes Kim Yuna so highly regarded for her artistry is also closely tied to her innate physical condition. Her long arms and legs, balanced figure, and even her striking fashion sense all combine to overwhelm the audience from the very first impression. Kim Yuna’s body proportions are often called a “golden ratio.” INS 102, a manufacturer of highly elastic uniforms, measured Kim Yuna’s physical proportions at a hotel in Seoul last December and covered the results.

The biggest feature of Kim Yuna’s “golden body,” comparable to that of Westerners, is her long arms and legs. At 1.64 m tall and 47 kg, Kim Yuna’s lower-body length (waist to ankle bone) is 96 cm. Her upper-body length, measured from below the neck to the waist, is 50 cm, which is close to half of that. Fashion stylist Kim Seong-il said, "For ordinary people, even a top-to-bottom body ratio of 4.5 to 5.5 already counts as having long legs," adding, "Because her legs are this long, even when she makes the same rotation, it looks bigger and more graceful."

Her slim, long arms (68 cm) also help Kim Yuna’s "golden expressiveness." Jae Young Jeong, director of Jelim Plastic Surgery Clinic, said, "For most people, the span of both outstretched arms is about the same as their height, but Kim Yuna’s arms are so long that if you add her two arm lengths and her shoulder width (46 cm), it comes to around 180 cm."

The short black-toned dress Kim Yuna wears in the short program also drew attention in the fashion world. Choi Hyun-sook, professor in the Department of Fashion Design at Dongduk Women’s University, said, "It is an outfit that brings to mind a Hollywood actress walking the red carpet." Experts also pointed to the dress connecting only at one shoulder and wrapping around the neck as an attractive feature. They explained that the asymmetrical design draws people’s attention and highlights Kim Yuna’s straight shoulder line and long neck line. Fashion stylist Han Hye-yeon said, "The skin-toned fabric that extends down over the skates further emphasizes her long legs," adding, "It shows that she has confidence in the expressiveness that comes from her perfect physical condition."