Judoka Lee Joon-hwan is looking to beat Japan at its own game

Judoka Lee Joon-hwan poses for a photo during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at the Yong In University in Yongin, Gyeonggi on July 20. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Judoka Lee Joon-hwan is looking to become Korea’s next judo hero at the upcoming Hangzhou Asian Games, where the 21-year-old looks to continue Korea's dominance at his first Asiad.

Korea won four golds, six silvers and three bronzes at the 2018 Asian Games. Lee could be a medal favorite this year, having shown remarkable form since his senior debut last year.

Referred to as “Monster” or “Superstar” by his friends, Lee first made his senior international debut at the 2022 Judo Grand Slam Tbilisi in Georgia in June last year where he won a gold medal.

He then went on to secure another gold at the Grand Slam Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia held in the same month.

Those medals shocked Korean judo officials, who believe that Lee will be the next ace in the men’s 81 kilograms after Kim Jae-bum, who medaled in the 2012 London Olympics.

“I am confident because I trained extremely hard,” Lee said about the Asian Games during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at Yong In University judo gym on July 20.

Lee always challenges himself in training. He lost to Lee Eun-kyul — now a national team member in the men’s 73 kilograms — five times when in high school, but he doubled his training and increased his stamina by running 10 to 15 minutes at 12.4 miles per hour five times a day, while sleeping two to three hours less.

That is when he mastered his signature skill Sode Tsurikomi Goshi — a technique where a judoka takes a grip on an opponent’s sleeves, holding one high above the head while turning in to face the same direction as the opponent and pulling them over their hips.

“I tolerated it even when I felt like my heart was going to explode,” Lee said. “It is because I hated losing more than anything.”

His intense training proved to be fruitful, as he beat rival Lee Eun-kyul in a sixth clash before his high school graduation.

“That was the happiest moment in my judo career,” Lee Joon-hwan said.

Lee’s other objective in the upcoming Asiad is to extend his dominance over Japanese judoka. The Japanese judoka have traditionally been the strongest opponents for Koreans, but that has not been the case for Lee.

Lee beat Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Takanori Nagase twice at the Grand Slam Ulaanbaatar and the 2023 World Judo Championships in May.

“I watched Takanori’s match videos for two to three hours and analyzed them,” Lee said. “Techniques like minor outer hook and over the back throw are the ones I honed to use against Takanori.

“Takanori is even conscious of my presence. He even gave me a look like ‘it’s you again’ the other day. I will show my dominance over Japanese judoka at the Asian Games.”

A total of 14 Korean judoka — seven male and seven female — will compete in the Asian Games.

This year’s Asiad is a chance for Korea to narrow the medal gap with Japan. Korea has won the second-most medals in the Asian Games with 116 — 41 gold, 31 silver and 44 bronze — seven less than the country that invented judo.

“I will not let my guard down and treat every match as a final,” Lee said. “I will think about unique celebrations in Hangzhou since I am a Generation Zer. The next objective will be the Paris Olympics next year.”

The Asian Games will start in Hangzhou, China on Sept. 23 after a one-year postponement by the Covid pandemic.

BY PI JOO-YOUNG [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]