By Short Track Manager
South Korean speed skating legend Choi Min-jeong has confirmed that the upcoming 2026/27 season will be her final campaign competing on the international stage, bringing the curtain down on one of the most decorated careers in modern short track history.
Choi Min-jeong entered the international scene as a teenager and quickly established herself as one of the sport's most dominant forces. Her career resume includes Olympic gold, multiple World Championship titles, and numerous Crystal Globe awards — a record of sustained excellence rarely matched in the sport.
Her skating style combined explosive acceleration with the composure and tactical intelligence needed to navigate short track's chaotic race environment, making her a consistent threat across the 500m, 1000m, and 1500m distances.
There could hardly be a more fitting note to go out on. At the April 2026 national trials, Choi Min-jeong won the women's competition outright, securing her place on the 2026/27 squad on merit. She arrives in her final season not as a sentimental selection, but as still one of Korea's very best.
Choi's retirement announcement sets the narrative arc for Korean women's short track in 2026/27. The question of who steps into the role of team leader — whether that's Shim Suk-hee, Kim Gil-li, or an emerging young talent — will be one of the defining storylines of the season.
For fans, media, and broadcasters, particularly in Korea, Choi Min-jeong's farewell tour is a major event in itself. Every race she skates this season will carry additional weight, and every result will be framed against the backdrop of her remarkable career.
Choi is expected to compete in individual events at World Tour stops and is slated for relay duties as part of the Korean women's squad. Her final race at a senior World Championship will be one of the most-watched moments of the 2026/27 season.
Source: Korean coverage of April 2026 national trials; Reuters (April 10, 2026)