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Since Korea debuted at the 1948 Summer Olympics, the nation has been actively participating in the Summer and Winter Olympics, excelling in various sports categories! In 2024, it was Korea’s nineteenth appearance at the Summer Olympics in Paris, and South Korea has won a total of 32 medals, of which 13 are gold, 9 are silver, and 10 are bronze. Congratulations to Korea! In relevance to the Olympics, we will talk about the top 7 most famous sports in Korea in this article.
What are the top 7 most famous sports in Korea?
1. Taekwondo (태권도)
Did you know that taekwondo is a martial art that originated in ancient Korea? Based on historical records, traditional Korean martial arts such as “Hwa Rang Do” and “Yusul” contributed to the evolution of taekwondo techniques.
Back in the day, martial arts were prominent in warfare and emphasised self-defense moves. Among these moves, key techniques include strikes and kicks. Taekwondo is also renowned for its emphasis on discipline and respect.
In the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics, taekwondo was first included as a sports category with competitions held in various weight classes for both men and women. This year, at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, two gold medals were won in the Men’s category and Women’s category respectively. Taekwondo is no doubt a dominant sports category in Korea!
2. Baseball (야구)
Baseball in Korea is a huge thing! It is not merely one of the famous sports in Korea but rather woven into the nation’s cultural identity and traditions. It also definitely plays a crucial role in both the domestic and international sports landscape. While baseball was only introduced to Korea in the early 20th century, it rapidly gained popularity among Koreans.
With baseball being one of the top famous sports in Korea, the Korea Baseball Organisation (KBO) League was established in 1982, and today, it is the top professional baseball league in the country. In the country, you can find modern baseball stadiums with state-of-the-art facilities such as the Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul and Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju.
You may not be unfamiliar with Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States, but do you know that South Korean baseball players like Chan Ho Park, Lee Seung-yup, and Ryu Hyun-jin have advanced into MLB? Be sure to catch them at the next KBO and MLB matches!
3. Archery (양궁)
Like taekwondo, archery is also a dominant technique used during wartime. Especially in early Korean society, archery was integral to military training and warfare. Moving forward to the Joseon dynasty, standardised archery techniques were developed and archery became a respected art form in Korean culture.
Promoting archery as one of its nationally famous sports in Korea, the nation quickly became a powerhouse in international archery. One remarkable success in the Olympics was sweeping all the gold medals in archery at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Even today, South Korean archers maintain a strong presence in both the national and international sports scene.
Not only one of the most famous sports in Korea, the archery team swept up a whopping 5 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze medal at the recent Summer Olympics in Paris!
4. Fencing (펜싱)
Fencing in Korea is still relatively new as compared to its long history in Europe. It may not be known to most but South Korea only began participating in competitive fencing at the Olympic Games in the early 20th century. While fencing involves basic concepts of sword fighting and martial arts, it is also segregated into foil, epee, and sabre disciplines.
South Korean fencers have been actively participating in international competitions like the Asian Games and World Fencing Championships. Their remarkable achievements can be seen at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, boasting two gold medals in the Men’s individual sabre and Men’s team sabre, as well as a silver medal in the Women’s team sabre category, emerging as the top 7 famous sports in Korea!
5. Soccer (축구)
Does the name ‘Son Heung-min’ ring a bell? If you have visited Korea in past years, you would have seen Son Heung-min on various posters as the image ambassador of many popular brands like Mega Coffee, Pepsi, Adidas, and Calvin Klein. Son Heung-min is a famous South Korean football player playing for Tottenham Hotspur.
When talking about the various famous sports in Korea, we can’t miss soccer! As far as we’re concerned, soccer was introduced to Korea in the early 20th century, likely when Western sports were being introduced. In 1983, the Korean Professional Football League (known as the K League) was established and having expanded over the years, it now has multiple divisions and teams competing in various levels of professional and semi-professional matches.
Did you know that in the 2002 World Cup, South Korea became the first Asian team to advance so far in the tournament? They earned the title because they managed to reach the semifinals as the only Asian team to do so!
6. Speed Skating (스피드 스케이팅)
Speed skating is probably the only winter sport in our list of the most famous sports in Korea. Having made its debut at the 1948 St. Moritz Winter Olympics, Speed skating is undoubtedly one of the most renowned and famous sports in Korea, securing its global presence, particularly in short-track speed skating. South Korea’s impressive performance is the result of nurturing young talents and investing in modern speed skating training facilities.
In the most recent 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea secured 2 gold, 2 silver, and 2 bronze medals, in which athlete Choi Min-jeong won gold in the 1500m event. Choi Min-jeong is also the current world record holder for 1500m. A remarkable pride for the Korean sports industry!
Additionally, the fairy of figure skater, Kim Yuna has also achieved remarkable success, including multiple World Championship titles and Olympic medals.
7. E-Sports (E-스포츠)
If you’re an avid fan of gaming and esports, then you must be familiar with popular games like StarCraft, League of Legends, and Overwatch. Esports in Korea have been gaining traction and have become incredibly popular since the early 2000s.
In the League of Legends World Championships, the South Korean teams have achieved remarkable success by winning multiple World Championships over the years. In particular, Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok is considered one of the greatest players in LoL history, contributing to the success of esports and making it one of the most famous sports in Korea!
The South Korean team also won the inaugural Overwatch World Cup in 2016 and exhibited strong skills in subsequent tournaments. Additionally, in major StarCraft competitions, legendary players like Lim Yo-hwan (known as “BoxeR”) and Lee Shin-Hyuk (known as “INnoVation”) have been crucial in South Korea’s success in StarCraft. South Korea remains a dominant player in the global esports scene, shaping trends and driving the sport’s growth worldwide.
After reading our article on the top 7 most famous sports in Korea, what are your favorites?
If you wish to find out more about living and studying in Korea, be sure to contact us or keep updated on our Go! Go! Hanguk blog for more content.
