Quotes from Kim Yuna

For an athlete myself, it is especially meaningful for our country to host an Olympics. Every athlete hopes to participate in an Olympics, so I still can't believe the games of dreams is going to take place in Korea.

People expect that I'll be just perfect on ice, and that's not the case. I make mistakes, too. When I review my performance, sometimes I feel I did awful. That's the whole part of the process of what people see when I'm performing.

Korean audiences are amazing. The fans scream so loud, and that really surprises skaters when they first perform in my shows.

I really hope that when I leave, my last trace will be beautiful.

I get tired too, just like everybody else. Sometimes I tell people that, but all I get is people saying that being vulnerable and weak is just not like me. I rarely get the response of emotional support I want. But sometimes I need it.

In competition, when I start performance I try not to think about all the pressure from the fans. But, I got a lot of energy from them always. They make me more perfect.

I always wanted to be Olympic champion and do clean programs.

The Sochi Games is not only my second Olympics, but the 'retirement stage' for me, so I want to have a greater experience than any other competition before. In the past, I had strong concepts for short programs and lyrical ones for the long. But this time, it's the other way around.

So-Youn has good qualities in both jump and power, triple combination is her biggest strength and she also has great artistic value in her skating.

Watching previous figure skaters, I always wondered why they cried after their performance.

For a long time, just skating in the Olympics had been my goal because not many Koreans had done it.

If I walk in the street in Korea, I am recognized.

Many people talk about winning two straight gold medals, but I'm not focusing on defending the title.

The thought of having the expectations of the whole country on my shoulders worried and unnerved me.

In Toronto and Los Angeles, too, there are a lot of Koreans - Koreatown, Korean markets. I feel like I'm at home and very comfortable.

When I came back on the rink in 2012, I set a goal of wrapping up my career well rather than just winning medals. I'm not preparing for any special skills for Sochi because I don't feel like they are necessary.

I trained for four years in Toronto, and even before that, I was back and forth between Canada and the States during summer for training. And, since there isn't much difference between Canada and the States, I haven't felt much difference in the environment.

I have been compared to Mao since we were both junior skaters. We've felt the rivalry since then, so we wanted to avoid each other. However, she has been my motivation.

A coach told my mum I had talent and I would make a very good skater.

If, by any chance, I get to perform, then it would be a great honor for me. Especially because performing in the Olympics in your country doesn't happen to many skaters.

What motivated me is skating is something I am best at and I love the most.

I love figure skating. It's what I'm good at.

When I was young, many people didn't know what figure skating was. Some who knew of it thought of it as dancing on ice. But, as I entered international competitions and got good results, many people got to know more about it and came to cheer for me.

After I won the Olympics, like any gold medalist, I did feel some emptiness in my heart. I did think about coming back to the ice for a long time. What motivated me is skating is something I am best at and I love the most. So I want to give it one more try.