“EVERYONE CAUGHT THAT, RIGHT?” — Alysa Liu’s Unexpected Split-Second Moment at the 2026 Winter Olympics Has the Internet Obsessed and Divided. What was supposed to be a flawless, feel-good closing speech turned into the most replayed moment of the night. During the address, Alysa Liu suddenly shifted tone — just for a second — and delivered a subtle, unscripted reaction that didn’t go unnoticed. Cameras locked in. The crowd felt it. And within minutes, the clip exploded online.

The Olympics are an event that brings athletes from all around the world together for weeks of heated competition.

Some of those athletes stay together even after the competition ends.

So, it appears, is the case with United States figure skater Ilia Malinin and South Korean figure skater Lee HaeIn. The two were photographed at a cat cafe in Milan, fueling fan speculation about whether this was or was not a “date.”

Comments on the X post from @TheIliaSociety linking Malinin, 21, and Lee, 20, suggest fans approve of the relationship — whatever kind of relationship it might be.

“They look good together,” wrote user @senhoritacarmo.

Malinin helped the United States win gold in the team figure skating event, delivering a strong free skate that clinched the victory for his team early in the competition.

In the men’s individual event, Malinin was the heavy favorite and led after the short program, but a mistake-filled free skate with falls and errors dropped him out of medal contention, and he finished eighth overall.

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ilia Malinin (@ilia_quadg0d_malinin)

Lee also finished eighth in the women’s singles free skate in her Olympic debut.

Sunday, Lee posted a response on Instagram to Malinin’s post, a photo of himself holding a gold medal in Milan. Her 3-word message: “The brightest star”