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🇰🇷 South Korea /Sports

Writing 王 on a uniform, checking horoscopes and listening to music: Athletes’ focus rituals

From Dong-A Ilbo · () Korean

Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Judo heavyweight Kim Min-jong writes the Chinese character for “king” inside his uniform collar before matches, following his grandmother’s suggestion.
  • Soft tennis player Kim Han-seol checks her zodiac and horoscope forecasts on competition mornings.
  • Fifteen-year-old sailor Choi Ji-woon listens to Oasis and G-Dragon before races to sharpen focus.

For athletes, a routine can become a ritual for victory. With 10 days left before the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, South Korea’s national team members are preparing with habits that are as individual as their events.

Kim Min-jong, 26, who competes in men’s judo above 100 kilograms, writes the Chinese character 王, meaning “king,” inside the collar of his judo uniform before a match. “My grandmother encouraged me to develop this routine,” he said. Kim, a 2024 world champion and Paris Olympic silver medalist, is determined to be the strongest competitor on the mat again.

My grandmother encouraged me to develop this routine.

· Kim Min-jongHe explained why he writes the character for “king” inside his judo uniform collar.

Soft tennis player Kim Han-seol, 25, checks her horoscope and zodiac forecast on the morning of a match to steady her mind. She says she wants the Asian Games to establish her as “the best athlete recognized by everyone.”

Sailor Choi Ji-woon, 15, listens consecutively to Oasis’s “Don’t Look Back in Anger” and G-Dragon’s “Home Sweet Home” before competing, using the music to raise concentration. Equestrian rider Lee Dong-hwa, 19, spends ample time communicating with her horse before an event.

The best athlete recognized by everyone.

· Kim Han-seolShe described how she wants to be remembered through the Asian Games.
About this summary

Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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