ENHYPEN’s Sunghoon To Carry The Olympic Torch At 2026 Winter Olympics

Sunghoon of the K-pop group ENHYPEN will take part as a torchbearer for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, set to open on February 6.

Sunghoon, a former competitive figure skater and part of South Korea’s national reserve team, was invited by Samsung Electronics, an official Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner. He’s remained closely connected to sports, serving as a promotional ambassador for the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee since last year.

“I know how much passion and effort national athletes have put into preparing for the Winter Olympics, and I sincerely want to support and cheer for them,” said Sunghoon in the press release. “Competing in the Olympics was once my dream as an athlete, so being connected to that dream now as a singer is truly meaningful and an incredible honor.”

As the second K-pop artist to ever participate as a torchbearer, Sunghoon’s participation in the Olympic torch duties showcases the group’s growing international profile and K-pop’s expanding popularity. BTS’s Jin carried the Olympic torch for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Prior to his debut, Sunghoon competed as a figure skater from 2010 to early 2020. He received several medals in the novice and junior categories from the Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy and Lombardia Trophy. He left the sport to focus on his debut but still has a soft spot for it.

“I was a little sad to see it go since I had been doing it for 10 years, but I had a new dream now and thought I should see it off the best I could,” he told Weverse. “When I think of my childhood, the only memories I have revolve around figure skating, to be honest. I have so many memories of all the spectacles I saw while skating, and I probably still have some muscle memory ingrained in me, whether I realize it or not, and lots of people say it’s like I’m skating no matter what I’m doing. And I agree—I think I naturally have a figure skating aura about me. Even though I don’t do it anymore, I think it’s an inseparable part of me. I’ll always feel a little sad when I think about it, but it’s a wonderful memory.”

In addition to Sunghoon’s announcement, the group’s 2022 song, “SHOUT OUT,” from their third mini album, MANIFESTO: DAY 1, has also been selected as Team Korea’s official cheer song.

ENHYPEN’s recently released 7th mini album, THE SIN : VANISH, debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, marking the group’s fifth consecutive Top 5 entry on the chart.