Cha Jun-hwan to pause figure skating and return to acting

South Korean figure skater Cha Jun-hwan has announced a temporary hiatus from competitive figure skating and national team activities for the upcoming season. In a social media post, Cha stated that after much deliberation following the previous season, he decided not to participate in competitions or continue his role as a national representative. He also confirmed the conclusion of his contract with the Seoul City Hall team.

Following this announcement, it was revealed that Cha will return to acting for the first time in approximately 17 to 18 years. He has been cast in a leading role for the Tving original sitcom ‘Palace Land’, scheduled for release in 2027. Cha will play Seong Dae-han, a new recruit at an amusement park. This marks a significant shift for the athlete, who previously worked as a child actor before focusing on his skating career, which included a fourth-place finish at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.