Dr. Guy Podoler
Senior Lecturer in University of Haifa Korean Studies. His research interests include memory and commemoration, sport diplomacy, sport nationalism, and cultural diplomacy. He is an author of Monuments, Memory, and Identity: Constructing the Colonial Past in South Korea (Peter Lang AG, 2011).
Email: gpodoler@research.haifa.ac.il
Paris 2024 occurred at an intriguing moment for South Korean sports. It was a time when competitive sports appeared to be on the decline. Before demonstrating this, context is needed by highlighting a crucial socio-cultural aspect of South Korean society: hyper-competitiveness.
South Koreans live in a constant competitive race. One analysis described Korea as having a relentless “pervasive culture of competition.” Another observer noted: “We [Koreans] are too accustomed to competition. It’s on the level of addiction.” The endless race manifests in competing for admittance into the highest-ranking universities, landing a good job, gaining high economic status, and achieving and maintaining an attractive appearance. It is about navigating life under an extremely demanding set of familial, societal, and national norms and expectations. In 2015 the term “Hell Joseon” was coined to describe this oppressive condition and the unfair society that takes its toll on the mental health and quality of life of many young adults, and puts a heavy financial burden on them.
This hyper-competitiveness and excessive drive for success are also apparent in a preoccupation with how well the country is doing in comparison with others – namely, in terms of world rankings in various areas. For instance, often noted is the obsession to receive a Noble Prize in science. In this context, considerable attention was given to competitive sports too. Already the dictatorships of the 1970s-80s saw in internationally successful athletes a means to promote national prestige and global reputation. Accordingly, they significantly invested in elite and professional sports. Importantly, clauses that were introduced into the Military Service Act in 1973 offered talented athletes the option to serve as “sports personnel.” Thus they were exempt from the mandatory military service which every able-bodied South Korean man is required to do for 18-21 months. In 1990 the criteria for this privilege was narrowed to earning a gold medal at the Asian Games or any Olympic medal. This is an exceptionally high standard which speaks volume of the hyper-competitive environment that set it.
The investment in competitive sports soon bared fruit. In Montreal 1976 Team Korea won 6 medals – twice as many as its previous record in the Games – including its first Olympic gold as an independent state. Since then, South Korea has established a proud tradition of ranking among the top 10 in the medal table at almost every Games until Tokyo 2020. Also in the 1970s, the men’s national baseball team won its first medal in the 1978 World Cup. They continued to win medals in world-level tournaments, the Olympics included. In football – one of the two most popular sports in the country alongside baseball – the men’s national team qualified for the 1986 World Cup after a long hiatus. Since then, the team has consistently qualified for the tournament. In 2002 it made a sensational achievement by reaching the semi-finals.
Surveys indicate the importance of sports successes for South Koreans. The 1988 Seoul Olympics and the 2002 World Cup have appeared in various opinion polls as some of the “most important events,” “proudest moments,” and “happiest events” in South Korea’s history. The World Cup Stadium came 2nd in a question on where the greatest historical sceneswere created.
Yet, compared with delegations to previous Games, Team Korea for Paris 2024 has raised questions about where South Korea’s competitive sports were heading. Firstly, with 144 athletes it was, by far, the smallest squad since 1976. Secondly, the women’s handball team was the only team that qualified in team sports. For instance, the failure of the men’s football team to qualify ended a streak that began in 1988. Thirdly, said women’s team was an Olympic powerhouse until 2012, yet its achievements dropped significantly since then. Finally, South Korea was experiencing a decline in winning Olympic medals. After earning 13 gold and 31 in total in London 2012, they won 9 gold and 21 in total in Rio 2016, and 6 gold and 20 in total in Tokyo 2020. In the medal table of those Games they ranked 5th, 8th, and 16th, respectively. Set at 5 gold and 15th place in the medal table, goals for Paris were modest, mentioning population decline as a cause for low competitiveness. The squad was even perceived as being “the weakest team ever.”
However, Team Korea exceeded all expectations by winning 32 medals in total, including tying South Korea’s record of 13 gold. This ranked them 8th in the table. Among other achievements, they maintained overwhelming dominance in archery, won the first medal in women’s boxing, secured the first gold in men’s taekwondo – Korea’s national martial art and sport – in 16 years, and won the highest number of medals in judo since 2000. Importantly, Lim Jong-hoon’s bronze at the mixed doubles in table tennis reignited the debate over the fairness of conscription exemption.
Ultimately, the Summer Olympics are not the only measure of South Korea’s world-class competitive sports. However, they have solidified their place at the peak – an indication for a hyper-competitive society of being at the top. Additionally, rankings are more than current standing; they are also about whether the trend is of ascension or decline. As initial reactions stressed the contribution of South Korea’s Generation Z to the “Miracle of Paris,” it will be interesting to see how Team Korea’s performance at these Games will impact directions and perceptions of competitive sports in the country.
