Cha Jun-hwan, the 25-year-old South Korean figure skater, showcased a flawless performance in the men's singles short program in Milan, Italy, at the 2026 Winter Olympics. He scored a total of 92.72 points, surpassing his previous season's best, highlighting his strong technical skills and artistic execution. This performance placed him 6th out of 29 competitors, allowing him to advance to the free skating competition scheduled for early on the 14th. In the short program, the top spots were taken by Ilia Malinin of the USA and Yuma Kagiyama of Japan, demonstrating the high level of competition he faces.

Cha, performing 15th among the participants, started his routine to "Rain in Your Black Eyes" and successfully executed the high-difficulty quadruple salchow as the first jump with precision. He continued with a triple lutz-triple loop combination and effectively completed a level 4 flying camel spin, indicating his readiness and consistency in a high-pressure environment. Notably, he overcame previous mistakes during the team event by successfully landing a crucial triple axel during the more difficult later part of his performance, which carries bonus points.

The audience responded enthusiastically to Cha's performance, with cheers growing throughout his routine, culminating in a standing ovation at the end. Fellow competitors in the women's singles, Shin Jia and Lee Hae-in, celebrated his clean performance from the sidelines, waving the South Korean flag. Despite the positive reception and personal achievement, Cha expressed some dissatisfaction with his performance, reflecting his commitment to further improvement as he aims for his first Olympic medal in the upcoming free skating event.