What Kim Yu-na is to the ice rink, Cha Yu-ram is to the pool table. Both young women are at their peak, winning a series of international competitions in recent months.
Cha started playing tennis when she was eight because her father was determined to make his two daughters into successful athletes and her older sister Bo-ram had already started in the sport. But now Bo-ram, too, is a pool player.
"When I started, it was difficult. I wasn't delivering good results, and I lacked stamina. I ended up quitting tennis after three years," Cha recalls. Instead, she looked for a sport that requires less physical strength and hit on pool. It was a perfect choice for the competitive, focused girl. As she got better at it, her passion grew. "When I was really into it, I was playing it 10 hours a day minimum," she says.
She began to build her reputation by winning the women's nine-ball ranking competition in Korea in 2003. But it took hard work. She struggled in the Asian Games in Doha in 2006 and went into slump for a while, and some unkind people said she was only famous because of her pretty looks. But she overcame adversity with her trademark confidence and positive thinking.
"I had a photo shoot for a sexy photo album this summer, but I promise my fans that I won't go into the entertainment business. I want to be recognized for my pool skills, not for my looks," said Cha. She is focusing on the impending competition that selects the national team at the end of this year, and the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, next year. "I think my heyday is about to begin. I will do my best, so do look out for me," she says.
