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[Sports Round-up] Son Heung-min plays final match for Spurs in Seoul

2025/08/04 22:42

It's Monday, which means it's time to take a look at what's been happening in the world of sports. For that, we have our sports editor Paul Neat joining us in the studio. Welcome, Paul. Hello. Thank you. Let's start with football and the huge news that broke over the weekend. Son Heung-min is leaving Tottenham Hotspur after 10 years with the club. Yes, that's right. Son announced on Saturday that he has made the decision to leave Spurs. There had been much speculation about his future, with just one year left on his contract. Just before a press conference for the final Coupang Play match with Newcastle United, Son told the media there that he had made his decision. It meant that the match the following day in Seoul was his last for Spurs. He started as captain and was taken off after 65 minutes to a standing ovation and a guard of honor of sorts. Son racked up 173 goals and 101 assists in 454 matches for Spurs across 10 seasons, ranking fifth on the club's all-time scoring list. He leaves as a club and Premier League legend. In May, he captained Spurs to a UEFA Europa League title, the team's first major silverware in 17 years. He is expected to sign a deal with Major League Soccer club Los Angeles FC in the coming days. Sticking with football. There were more summer friendly matches, including the K League all-star game. Yes, that's right. Team K League actually beat Premier League club Newcastle United. On Wednesday at Suwon World Cup Stadium, a goal from Jeonbuk midfielder Kim Jin-gyu earned Team K League a 1-0 win. It was only the second win for a K League all-star team against a club from Europe, and the first time keeping a clean sheet. The next day, when FC Seoul hosted Barcelona, fans were given something of a goal-fest to enjoy. The match ended 7-3 to Barcelona --with five goals in each half. Barca aren't done in Korea yet, though. They face Daegu FC tonight in the final match of their Asian tour. Moving on to baseball now. Lee Jung-hoo can now say he has had a four-hit game. Yes, indeed. Something he'd never done before in MLB. But he achieved that feat for the San Francisco Giants on Sunday, helping them beat the New York Mets 12 to 4. His first hit, which came in the third inning, led to him scoring a run to bring the score level at 1-1. In the fourth inning, his hit led to the Giants earning a 6-1 lead. Hit three came in inning number six, then the fourth in the ninth -a double to left field. He's gone 7 for 12 in three matches in August, raising his batting average to point-2-5-8. Against the Mets alone, he has gone 12 for 23 with five doubles. And finally, to the Swimming World Championships. Although Team Korea's achievements weren't as good as last year, there's still reason to be optimistic. Yes, the men's 400-meter medley relay team reached the final for the first time. The team of Lee Ju-ho, Choi Dong-yeol, Kim Young-beom, and Hwang Sun-woo finished in seventh place. with a time of 3-minutes-32-point-3-2 seconds. The same team also finished fifth in the men's four-by-200-meter relay final on Friday. The biggest achievement was Kim Woo-min's 4-hundred-meter bronze in the men's freestyle. The one medal is significantly fewer than last year in Doha, but with Kim's bronze and the relay team showing some promise, there's new hope for the nation's swimmers. Alright, thanks for that, Paul. See you next week. Thank you.

Departing Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min says farewell in front of fans in Seoul

2025/08/04 11:34

A day after announcing his departure from Tottenham Hotspur, South Korea's Son Heung-min played what is expected to be his last match in a Spurs shirt in front of a home crowd at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Sunday. Son played 65 minutes of the sold-out 1-1 draw between Tottenham Hotspur and fellow English Premier League side Newcastle United and received thunderous applause from the 64-thousand fans in the stadium when substituted off. During his nine-year career with the club, Son scored 173 goals in 454 matches across all competitions, ranking fifth on Tottenham's all-time scoring list. In May, Son captained Spurs to a UEFA Europa League title, winning the team's first major trophy in 17 years.

K-Sports highlights with Jason Lee

2025/07/31 15:36

Korea is currently hosting some exciting soccer games with top notch European teams, and in baseball, the NC Dinos might NOT move to a new stadium after all. For more in the world of K-sports we are joined by our sportscaster Jason Lee in the studio who will bring us all the highlights. Hello Jason! Q1. Every summer, Korea tends to host some big name European soccer teams and yesterday Newcastle United played a team of K-League All-Stars in Suwon. How did that go? Well, would you believe the K-League All-Stars defeated the Premier League powerhouse 1-0. It was just an exhibition game so let me stress that it is different in terms of tackles and players wanting to avoid injury first and foremost and you'll also probably see player trying to do more flashy stuff or perhaps even try new moves they've been practicing so let's not get carried away with the result But, still, the K-Leaguers who played in the game should feel very proud of the result and for the most part playing toe to toe with one of the top teams in the world. Kim Jin-Gyu scored the game's lone goal in the 36th minute as he broke in from the left side. He showed great poise in finishing from in close and then they had a great celebration with Kim Jin-Gyu playing the role of a big game fish being caught by his other teammates. Also of note is that Park Seung-soo did play in the game as he entered the game in the 82nd minute for Newcastle. And who's Park Seung-Soo you might wonder. He's an 18 year old phenom that signed with Newcastle just last week. At 16 years old he was the youngest K-Leaguer ever as he signed a semi-pro contract with Suwon Samsung Bluewings a couple years back. He usually plays right wing, but hasn't really been a goal scorer so far with just goal for Suwon in 25 games last season. And of course as a former Suwon player, he was actually playing last night in front of his former home fans. I might add that he definitely flashed some talent in the short time he played as well. Q2. I understand there are a bunch of other big matches that soccer fans in Korea can check out, including Barcelona visiting Seoul World Cup stadium tonight to take on FC Seoul. Can you give us the details on that game and the others to come. Yes, Barcelona visits Seoul tonight they feature Robert Lewandowski, and Raphinha as their poster boys now and local fans will have a chance to get an up close look at them tonight. Also at Seoul's World Cup Stadium on Sunday night, Tottenham Hotspur will play Newcastle United at 8pm. Of course Tottenham rosters both Son Heung-Min and Yang Min-Hyeok and you would think that both should be fan favourites during the contest. It would be really fun to see both Yang Min-Hyeok and Park Seung-soo play against each other. Yang is 1 year older and has had an extra 7 months with his team, but I think these guys will be compared to each other in terms of their progress as they're both teenagers with top English Premier League teams. And one more match in Korea will take place Monday in Daegu where Barcelona will face Daegu FC also at 8pm. This is great to see that soccer fans in the south can also get a chance to see some of these top talents visiting Korea. Q3. You talked before about the possibility of the NC Dinos possibly leaving their home in Changwon, but it seems like the local government is stepping up to keep the team in the southeastern city. Yes, you might remember I had mentioned Ulsan, Kimhae and Yangsan and possible places they could leave to basically other municipalities near their current fan base. Last week it was discovered that Seongnam city, just below Seoul was trying to woo the Dinos. And this was very interesting for a few reasons first off NC, the sponsor company for the team is based in Pangyo which is a part of Seongnam City so it would actually make a lot of sense because they could rally their employees and clients to support the team in their new destination. Now Seongnam doesn't have a professional team, but the city was willing to upgrade a stadium to make it league appropriate for the KBO. So after all this information came out, Changwon scrambled to do what they could to keep the team in Changwon and it looks like that's what's going to happen. Changwon has agreed to invest 10-billion won to expand an extra 2,000 seats into the stadium. They're also going to expand their merchandise store, they're going to improve their scoreboard and even add parking for the Masan Stadium for their Futures team. The city is also working with the provincial government to add shuttle busses and other infrastructure to make it easier for fans to get to and from games. Q4. Speaking of the NC Dinos, I understand that they were involved in a 6 player trade with the Kia Tigers this week. Do give us the juicy details. Yes, this is a classic win-win deal where one team needed hitting, while the other needed pitching and both teams had extra depth to part with in order to improve their team overall. Kia sends: outfielders Choi Won-Jun and Lee Woo-Sung along with infielder Hong Jong-Pyo for: NC pitchers Han Jae-Seung and Kim Si-Hoon the Dinos also send infielder Jeong Hyun-Chang to Kia. Choi Won-Jun is probably the biggest name in the deal. He's been a starting outfielder for both of Kia's last 2 Korean Series titles last year and 2017. He's struggled a bit this year hitting.225 so maybe a change of scenery will get him back on track. Kia gets a lot younger in the deal adding Han Jae-Seung, who's just 23 years old. He's more of a middle reliever so far in his career and his numbers have been very average unfortunately for the Kia bullpen, they haven't even been average so he should be an improvement to what they have. Jeong Hyun-Chang seems to be a lottery ticket for Kia as he's a 19 year old without a lot of experience. He should be spending most of this season in the future's league and my guess is the team's just expecting him to be a development project. Q5. Some bad news in Major League Baseball as I heard both Kim Hye-Seong and Kim Ha-Seong have suffered injuries that will keep them out for a couple of weeks ? Yes, this is very unfortunate to say the least let's start with Kim Ha-Seong over in Tampa Bay. He's only played 10 games so far this season after starting the year on the Injured List after off-season shoulder surgery. He's had issues with his calf as well, but it's actually strained lower back that knocked him out this time. The last game he played was back on July 21st so he'll actually be eligible to be reinstated this weekend if he's healthy enough to go. It's possible they could send him down to AAA for a rehab assignment before activating him off the injured list, but if he's feeling good enough it's possible they just let him play. As for Kim Hye-Seong, he's dealing with a sore left shoulder (so not his throwing shoulder) and he's been dealing with this for over a week now, but he's just been trying to play through it. The team finally decided it would be best to just shut him down for a bit so he got an injection in the shoulder with the hopes that it'll improve over the next week and perhaps he could return when first eligible August 11. Kim was hitting.302 with a pair of home runs and he's been 12 for 12 in stolen base attempts this season so he's definitely a player the Dodger want in their line up as soon as possible. Missing a number of games is expected to hurt the respective teams, but recovery is the priority. Thank you Jason for all the updates. Have a great rest of the week. Thank you Bella as always. See you back tomorrow.

Olympic star Dahlmeier dead after climbing accident

2025/07/31 11:36

31-year-old German double Olympic biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier has died in a mountaineering accident in northern Pakistan, according to reports on Wednesday. Officials confirmed she was killed on Monday, July 28, when she was struck by a sudden rockfall while climbing in Pakistan's Karakoram Mountains at an altitude of about 5,700 meters. Rescue helicopters were grounded due to severe weather and persistent rockfall, making recovery efforts difficult. In line with Dahlmeier's written wish, her family has requested that no one risk their lives to recover her remains. Dahlmeier won two gold medals and a bronze at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, as well as seven world championship titles and the 2016-17 World Cup overall crown, before retiring from biathlon in 2019.

[Sports Round-up] FC Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United in S. Korea for friendly matches

2025/07/28 22:42

It is time now to take a look at what's been happening in the world of sports. For that, we have our sports editor Paul Neat joining us in the studio. Hello, Paul. Hello. Let's begin with baseball. It seems that every year the KBO sets new attendance records. This year is no different. No, you're right. KBO reached two milestones recently. Starting on Thursday last week, the KBO reached 8 million fans in the fewest games 465 games. The previous record was 549, set last year. Last year, the league went on to reach 10-point-88 million, meaning it is on course to reach around 12 million this year. According to Yonhap, average attendances across the 10 teams are up around 17-percent from this time last year. Then, on Saturday, it was confirmed that KBO had set a single-season record for the number of sellout matches with 224. Last year, KBO reached 221 sellouts over the full 720-game season, but this year the record was broken after just 470 games. Hanwha Eagles have recorded the most sellouts with 40. Sticking with baseball for now. How have some of South Korea's MLB stars been doing? Mixed fortunes, certainly for Lee Jung-hoo and Kim Ha-seong. Lee went 3-for-4 with an RBI in the Giants' 2 to 1 loss to the New York Mets on Saturday. It was his seventh three-hit effort this season and his third in July alone. His first hit was a single at the top of the second inning. He collected an RBI with a bases-loaded groundout in the fourth, which ended up being his team's only run. He then hit a double off the right-center field wall with one out in the last inning. His batting average went up to point-254. Meanwhile, Kim Ha-seong of the Tampa Bay Rays has been put on the injured list with a lower back strain. Kim joined the Rays this winter after a four-season spell with the Padres. But his time in Florida has been disrupted by injury. To swimming now. A bronze medal for South Korea at the World Championships. Yes, Kim Woo-min earned bronze in the men's 400-meter freestyle. In Singapore on Sunday, Kim finished with a time of 3 minutes 42-point-6 seconds, just point-2-5 of a second behind the winner, Lukas Martens of Germany. Kim actually had the fastest split over the final 50 meters at 27-point-6-2 seconds. It was Kim's second straight podium finish in the event. He also joined Park Tae-hwan as the only South Koreans to win multiple world championship medals in the 400-meter freestyle. And finally, to football. I understand that some big European clubs will be in Korea this week. Yes, we have some summer friendly matches taking place in Korea. First up is Team K League taking on English Premier League side Newcastle United in the first game of the Coupang Play Series. The match will take place at Suwon World Cup Stadium on Wednesday at 8 PM. Newcastle will also face Tottenham Hotspur at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Sunday at the same time. There could be a Korean derby of sorts with Park Seung-soo having just signed for Newcastle from Suwon Bluewings, and Yang Min-hyeok and Son Heung-min part of the Spurs squad. Then on Thursday, La Liga champions FC Barcelona will take on an in-form FC Seoul. Then on Monday next week, Barca will face Daegu FC, but Daegu sit bottom of K League 1, 11 points behind 11th. Thanks for that, Paul. See you next week. Thank you.

Whippet becomes UK Dog Surfing Champ at record-breaking event

2025/07/28 11:39

In the UK, a pair of mixed-breed dogs and their human guardians made headlines at the Dog Masters Festival on Sunday, held at a beach in Dorset. Two teams broke a Guinness World Record with Matt Jenkins and his dog Gigi, alongside Benn Gray and Boo, breaking the 50-meter paddleboard sprint record in a time of 32 seconds. The festival, hosted as part of the UK Dog Surfing Championships, featured paddleboarding, surfing displays, and world-record attempts. Another World Dog Surfing Championships is set to take place in the San Francisco Bay area on August 2.

[THE INTERVIEW] Meet Korean bobsleigh legend now racing for IOC seat

2025/07/23 19:39

In our interview segment today we sit down with Asia's first-ever bobsleigh Olympic medalist who is now seeking to write a fresh chapter in sports diplomacy for South Korea. Our Park Kun-woo meet up with him. Legendary Korean bobsleigher Won Yunjong appeared confident and full of anticipation after being named one of the final 11 candidates for membership of the IOC Athletes' Commission last month. "Those candidates are role models in their own sports and have significant influence. So it's truly meaningful to be named among them." If elected in the athletes' vote at the 2026 Winter Games, Won would become Korea's first winter sports athlete to hold a seat on the IOC Athletes' Commission. Then he'd be able to act as a bridge between the IOC and athletes -to listen to them and make sure they're represented -throughout his 8-year term. Won says his own experience as an athlete has shaped how he hopes to serve. "If elected, I want to connect with athletes everywhere and speak with them freely. I've seen athletes struggling when transitioning after retirement. I want to support them through that phase, and help address mental health concerns, too. I also want to eradicate doping and protect clean athletes." With climate change threatening the future of winter sports, Won says environmental advocacy should also be part of the job. "Athletes have a big influence on the public. If they take the lead in environmental campaigns, it can raise awareness and help preserve both the planet and winter sports." But the road won't be easy. Won says he's ready to walk thousands of steps, literally, to meet athletes during the Olympics, with sincerity. For the legendary bobsleigh athlete, challenge is nothing new, as it's been the driving force behind every milestone in his journey. "What does challenge mean to you on a personal level, and as a person Won Yunjong, what are your personal goals?" "Challenge means growth and change to me. When I tried to become a bobsleigh athlete, it was a challenge and I made it. I tried to get the medal and it was a huge challenge for me, all my life, but yeah I did it. I think there are lots of challenges if I want to get good outcomes. So I believe that I can be a better person through challenges." 'No brake until the end.' With that mindset, Won says he'll keep racing forward -just like on the bobsleigh track -toward what could be a new milestone for Korean sports diplomacy. Park Kun-woo, Arirang News, Pyeongchang.

[THE INTERVIEW] Meet Korean bobsleigh legend now racing for IOC seat

2025/07/23 11:37

Korea's Won Yunjong -Asia's first-ever bobsleigh Olympic medalist - is now aiming to make history once again. This time, he's running for a seat on the International Olympic Committee's Athletes' Commission to represent athletes from around the world. Park Kun-woo tells us more. Legendary Korean bobsleigher Won Yunjong appeared confident and full of anticipation after being named one of the final 11 candidates for membership of the IOC Athletes' Commission last month. "Those candidates are role models in their own sports and have significant influence. So it's truly meaningful to be named among them." If elected in the athletes' vote at the 2026 Winter Games, Won would become Korea's first winter sports athlete to hold a seat on the IOC Athletes' Commission. Then he'd be able to act as a bridge between the IOC and athletes -to listen to them and make sure they're represented -throughout his 8-year term. Won says his own experience as an athlete has shaped how he hopes to serve. "If elected, I want to connect with athletes everywhere and speak with them freely. I've seen athletes struggling when transitioning after retirement. I want to support them through that phase, and help address mental health concerns, too. I also want to eradicate doping and protect clean athletes." With climate change threatening the future of winter sports, Won says environmental advocacy should also be part of the job. "Athletes have a big influence on the public. If they take the lead in environmental campaigns, it can raise awareness and help preserve both the planet and winter sports." But the road won't be easy. Won says he's ready to walk thousands of steps, literally, to meet athletes during the Olympics, with sincerity. For the legendary bobsleigh athlete, challenge is nothing new, as it's been the driving force behind every milestone in his journey. "What does challenge mean to you on a personal level, and as a person Won Yunjong, what are your personal goals?" "Challenge means growth and change to me. When I tried to become a bobsleigh athlete, it was a challenge and I made it. I tried to get the medal and it was a huge challenge for me, all my life, but yeah I did it. I think there are lots of challenges if I want to get good outcomes. So I believe that I can be a better person through challenges." 'No brake until the end.' With that mindset, Won says he'll keep racing forward -just like on the bobsleigh track -toward what could be a new milestone for Korean sports diplomacy. Park Kun-woo, Arirang News, Pyeongchang.

[THE INTERVIEW] Meet Korean bobsleigh legend now racing for IOC seat

2025/07/22 22:40

Korea's Won Yunjong -Asia's first-ever bobsleigh Olympic medalist - is now aiming to make history once again. This time, he's running for a seat on the International Olympic Committee's Athletes' Commission to represent athletes from around the world. Park Kun-woo tells us more. Legendary Korean bobsleigher Won Yunjong appeared confident and full of anticipation after being named one of the final 11 candidates for membership of the IOC Athletes' Commission last month. "Those candidates are role models in their own sports and have significant influence. So it's truly meaningful to be named among them." If elected in the athletes' vote at the 2026 Winter Games, Won would become Korea's first winter sports athlete to hold a seat on the IOC Athletes' Commission. Then he'd be able to act as a bridge between the IOC and athletes -to listen to them and make sure they're represented -throughout his 8-year term. Won says his own experience as an athlete has shaped how he hopes to serve. "If elected, I want to connect with athletes everywhere and speak with them freely. I've seen athletes struggling when transitioning after retirement. I want to support them through that phase, and help address mental health concerns, too. I also want to eradicate doping and protect clean athletes." With climate change threatening the future of winter sports, Won says environmental advocacy should also be part of the job. "Athletes have a big influence on the public. If they take the lead in environmental campaigns, it can raise awareness and help preserve both the planet and winter sports." But the road won't be easy. Won says he's ready to walk thousands of steps, literally, to meet athletes during the Olympics, with sincerity. For the legendary bobsleigh athlete, challenge is nothing new, as it's been the driving force behind every milestone in his journey. "What does challenge mean to you on a personal level, and as a person Won Yunjong, what are your personal goals?" "Challenge means growth and change to me. When I tried to become a bobsleigh athlete, it was a challenge and I made it. I tried to get the medal and it was a huge challenge for me, all my life, but yeah I did it. I think there are lots of challenges if I want to get good outcomes. So I believe that I can be a better person through challenges." 'No brake until the end.' With that mindset, Won says he'll keep racing forward -just like on the bobsleigh track -toward what could be a new milestone for Korean sports diplomacy. Park Kun-woo, Arirang News, Pyeongchang.

[Sports Round-up] An Se-young clinches sixth title of year with BWF Japan Open

2025/07/21 22:41

Time now to look at what's been happening in the world of sports. For that, we have our sports editor Paul Neat joining us in the studio. Hello, Paul. Hello. Let's start with badminton. Yet another title for An Se-young. Yes, that's number six for the year for the world number one. An Se-young's most recent win was the Japan Open in Tokyo on Sunday. In the women's singles final, An swept world number two Wang Zhiyi of China in straight sets --21-12, 21-10 --and did so in just 42 minutes. An actually went behind in the earlier part of the first game, 5 to 7, but found her rhythm and never looked back. An has now won six of the seven Badminton World Federation competitions this year. Wasting no time at all, An will compete in the China Open from July 22nd to the 27th. Moving on to football now. The 2025 K League season is heading towards the business end now. Yes, the weekend saw the second round robin end. The third begins tomorrow with Round 23. Jeonbuk are the runaway league leaders, sitting 12 points clear of Daejeon in second. On Saturday, Jeonbuk came back from 2-0 down to beat Pohang Steelers away, while Daejeon having been 2-0 up, drew 2-2 with Gangwon. Jeonbuk are looking for their first K League 1 title since 2021 and are edging closer. The Green Warriors are now unbeaten in 18 matches in the league. Elsewhere over the weekend, FC Seoul moved up to fourth following a 1-0 win over Ulsan. It was their first win over the Horangi in eight years and was won via a wondergoal by ex-Premier League star Jesse Lingard. Afterwards, Lingard said the goal was in his personal top five. K League 1 goes through three round robins of 11 matches for each team, followed by Final A and B after Round 33, when the top six play each other once more, so too the bottom six. To baseball. Lee Jung-hoo put in a solid performance for the San Francisco Giants on Sunday. Yes, in what was his return to the leadoff spot as well. He recorded two hits, going 2-for-5 with an RBI on Sunday in what was an 8-6 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. It was the first time since mid-June for Lee to be the leadoff, and he opened the game with a double -his 20th of the season, which is the most among all Giants players. His RBI came in inning number six. The Giants are third in the National League West. Lee is batting point-249 for the season but is at point-306 for July following his four multihit games. And, finally, in sports climbing. A gold medal for a South Korean. Yes, a first gold of the season for Lee Do-hyun. It came on Saturday local time at the 12th IFSC World Cup in Madrid. In the men's lead final, Lee outclimbed Spain's Alberto Ginés López and Japan's Satone Yoshida to claim the top spot. After barely making it through the semis, Lee surged ahead in the finals to secure his third podium this season, adding to earlier silver and bronze wins in bouldering. This gold is especially meaningful, as it's his first ever in the lead discipline, and is his fourth career World Cup gold overall. Alright, thank you for that wrap-up, Paul. We shall see you again next week. Yes, thank you.

S. Korea clinches EAFF E-1 Women's Football Championship for first time in 20 years

2025/07/17 19:39

The South Korean women's football team has won the East Asian Football Federation Women's E-1 Championship for the first time in 20 years. Led by head coach Shin Sang-woo the team defeated Taiwan two-nil in the final match held at Suwon World Cup Stadium on Wednesday. Ji So-yun handed Korea the lead with a second-half penalty before Jang Sel-gi place Team Korea's victory beyond doubt.

K-Sports highlights with Jason Lee

2025/07/17 16:36

South Korea has won its first East Asian WOMEN'S football title in TWO decades. The tournament for the country's men's team did not end that successfully though. For more in the world of K-sports we are joined by our sportscaster Jason Lee in the studio who will bring us all the highlights. Hello Jason! Q1. Let's kick off in a celebratory mood, South Korea's national women's football team won the East Asian Football Championship title, their first in 20 years? Yes, this was actually a little unexpected, because Korea tied China 2-2 and Japan 1-1 in their first 2 games and both those teams also beat Chinese Taipei so basically whoever won between China and Japan would have 2 wins and a draw compared to Korea's best possible outcome of 1 win and 2 draws. But, would you believe China and Japan played to a scoreless draw meaning all 3 teams finished with 1 win and 2 draws. The first tie breaker is goals scored within the teams tied and Korea had 3 total goals in those 2 games, while China had 2 and Japan had just 1 so Korea would claim the title for the first time since the innaugural event back in 2005. You could say Korea earned it with their win over Chinese Taipei, but they definitely also needed a bit of luck with the scoreless draw between China and Japan. Q2. The East Asian Football Tournament however did not wrap up on a successful note for the men's team Korea fell short in their pursuit of a 6th title. Yes, Korea beat Hong Kong 2-0 and China 3-0, but they fell to Japan 1-0 in their final game. Japan was plus 7 compared to Korea being plus 5 going into the game so Japan actually had an advantage only needing a draw compared to Korea needing to win the game to finish first in the standings. Korea gave up a goal to Japan just 8 minutes into the final contest and then simply couldn't score. Na Sang-Ho actually hit the post just before Japan's goal. And Lee Jae-Ho almost scored on a spectacular volley that was stopped by the Japanese keeper. But in the end Japan wins their 3rd E-1 Championship Korea still has the most wins with 5 of the 10 to date that's also Korea's 3rd straight loss to Japan which is a first in senior men's matches Korea still holds an edge with a 42-17 and 23 record against Japan overall. Q2. Because Korea did not use any of their players based in Europe, there were a lot of opportunities for the K-Leaguers and others to shine who left an impression on you? Yeah, there were 10 players that had never played a senior National team game on the roster so a lot of opportunity. I have to admit that no one player really wowed me that much, but players that stood out from the pack, I would say: midfielder Seo Min-Woo was noticeable. What I liked about his game was his ability to make accurate long passes he made a brilliant 20 yarder to Kang Sang-Yoon for a goal against Hong Kong. It was a nice goal from Kang, but I kind of noticed the pass by Seo Min-Woo more and at the highest level it's passes like that that can make the difference. The other player I want to mention is Lee Ho-Jae who scored Korea's 2nd goal against Hong Kong. It was his first goal with the senior squad and what I liked about it was that it was a header. And what's the big deal about that you might ask, well Lee Ho-Jae is 193cm tall, which translates to about 6'3'. That makes him one of the taller Korean forwards and even if he doesn't become a regular, if he can become a winner in the air, that could prove useful for set plays and late game additions in big games. Q3. Let's shift our attention to the KBO's All-Star Game. which took place over the weekend. Team Nanum defeated Team Dream 8-6 what stood out in this year's game? Yeah, the Nanum team is made up of players from the LG Twins, Kia Tigers, NC Dinos, Kiwoom Heroes and Hanhwa Eagles. Team Dream actually led 1-0 in the first, but Team Nanum immediately responded with 4-runs in the bottom of the inning helped by a 2-run Park Dong-Won Home Run. The LG catcher would be named the game's MVP for that shot as well 3 total hits and 3 RBI. He received a Kia EV4 for his performance. Q4. What about from an entertainment standpoint, because we all know that All Star Games in Korea are more about what the players prepare than how they play in the game Yeah, there are always lots fun costumes and planned entertainment to keep everything light-hearted and fun. And some of the more memorable spectacles included Hanhwa's Cody Ponce entering as Darth Vader. Lotte's Victor Reyes stepped into the batter's box wearing a Korean Hanbok and Twins centerfielder Park Hae-Min showed up as Spiderman. My favourite surprise of the eventhing was SSG Lander's pitcher Lee Ro-Un dressing up in a Boyscout uniform. You sort of have to get it because Lee Ro-Un is only 20 years old, but he's got a baby face that makes him look like a middle schooler so I thought the boyscout costume was very appropriate and hilarious. Q5. And before we could start the KBO's 2nd half, there's been some more leadership changes this time with Kiwoom parting ways with more than just their manager Yes Kiwoom cleaned house firing manager Hong Won-Ki, General Manager Ko Hyung-Wook and even Bench Coach Kim Chang-Hyun. This team has finished dead last in each of the last 2 seasons and will most likely make it 3 in a row by the end of this year. Kiwoom have obviously lost some good players in Lee Jung-Hoo, Kim Hye-Seong and Kim Ha-Seong over the last few years, but they've also received over 20-million dollar in compensation for those guys that obviously wasn't properly spent to re-invest into the team so I'm not the least bit surprised these moves were made. Q6. Speaking of those three former Kiwoom players, now that Major League Baseball just had its All-Star Game, how would you say the first half has been so far for Lee Jung-Hoo, Kim Hye-Seong and Kim Ha-Seong? It's honestly been a bit of a roller coaster ride so far. Let's start with Lee Jung-Hoo who was off to a hot start in April not so much as of late his average has dropped to.249 and he's even been hitting lower in the order, usually at 6th most recently. Honestly I think pitchers are figuring out how to pitch to him now and now he needs to recognize that and now adjust his hitting to how he's being pitched to and honestly I think he'll figure things out soon enough being the way he is. Kim Hye-Seong on the Dodgers is getting much more playing time as of late and he's been contributing with a.339 average now with 2 home runs and 11 steals in just 112 at bats. I would say he has outplayed Tommy Edmond as of late so hopefully that'll make him even more of a mainstay in the line up for the 2nd half. As for Kim Ha-Seong of the Tampa Bay Rays, he really hasn't played enough yet with just 6 games under his belt after returning from shoulder surgery. He does have a home run already, but is hitting just.227 in a small sample size, but I think we'll obviously see a lot more of him in the 2nd half where I expect he'll make a significant impact for Tampa Bay, not only with the bat, but of course with his Gold Glove defense as well. Q7. There was a lot of attention towards Lee So-Mi last week as she held the halfway lead at the LPGA's major in France. Things didn't finish the way she wanted however Yeah, Lee So-Mi held the 2nd round lead at the LPGA's Evian Championship, but she finished with rounds of 71 and 73 that dropped her down to 14th place tie. The eventual winner was Grace Kim who won in a playoff over Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand. Kim actually represents Australia, but she is a 2nd generation Korean just like Lee Min-Jee who finished in a tie for 3rd just a stroke behind the finalists. Thank you Jason for all the updates in the world of K-sports. Have a great rest of the week and see you next time. Thank you Bella, see you back tomorrow.

[On-point] From tradition to global influence: What's next for Taekwondo's growth?

2025/07/17 13:37

Taekwondo, a traditional Korean martial art,.. has now evolved into a global sport --practiced worldwide with a focus on both physical and mental training. Today, the 'World Taekwondo Culture Expo' kicked off here in South Korea and will run through next Tuesday. For more on this, we're joined by Kim Jung-Heon, the Chairperson of the Taekwondo Promotion Foundation. Mr. Kim, thanks for joining us this morning. Could you give us a brief overview of the World Taekwondo Culture Expo and how it will help promote Taekwondo internationally? The venue for this event, Taekwondowon,.. is where the World Taekwondo Diamond Game was held recently, right? Could you tell us about the significance of hosting international competitions like this, and any outcomes from that? As Chairperson of the Taekwondo Promotion Foundation, could you tell us about the significance of Taekwondo as a sport, particularly how it focuses on building confidence and mental discipline, in addition to physical skill? I understand that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the Taekwondo Promotion Foundation. What's the foundation's mission moving forward, and what are its key goals? Taekwondo is practiced in over 200 countries worldwide. What further efforts are needed to support its continued global growth? It's amazing how the traditional Korean martial art is practiced by millions across the world. We'll have to see how this year's World Taekwondo Culture Expo plays out. Thank you so much for your time today. We appreciate it.

Italy showcases medals for 2026 Winter Games

2025/07/16 13:39

Finally, Italy unveiled the official medals for the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics on Tuesday, during a ceremony in Venice. For the first time in Olympic history, both host cities, Milan and Cortina, are engraved on the medals, each made from two interlocking discs to symbolize unity and duality between Olympic and Paralympic values. A total of 245 gold, 245 silver, and 245 bronze medals will be awarded during the Winter Games. A total of 137 sets will be awarded in the Paralympics for each of the three rankings. The medals are produced from recycled metals using renewable energy. The Games are scheduled to begin in February 2026.

[K-wave] Korean swimmer Kim Young-beom announces intention to set world record at Singapore 2025

2025/07/15 17:35

In K-sports Korea's swimming team declared its intention to break the world record in the mens 4x 200 freestyle relay ahead of the World Aquatics Championships 2025. 19-year-old new member, Kim Young-beom is raising the team's expectations. Cha Yun-kyung reports. The Korean national swimming team including Hwang Seon-woo and Kim Woo-min held a media day at the Champion House of Jincheon National Training Center ahead of the upcoming World Aquatics Championships 2025 in Singapore. But 19-year-old Kim Young-beom, who joined the national team for the 4x 200 meter freestyle relay swimming, made the headlines by declaring his intention to set a world record at the upcoming world championship. "Our goal is to reach the finals and win a medal in the 100-meter freestyle and set a new world record for 800-meter relay swimming." Kim Young-beom, who is almost 2 meters tall, is expected to be a game changer for the national team as he recently beat swimmer Hwang Sun-woo in the 100-meter freestyle. Kim also impressed in the 200-meter freestyle, with a time of 1 minute 46 seconds. That is the reason why he is confident of setting a new record. The national team is targeting a time of under seven minutes for the 4x 200, which is faster than the Asian record set at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, by setting Kim as the first swimmer. "If Kim Young-beom makes it to 1 minute 45 seconds when he starts,.. we can possibly make it to the six-minute range." Swimmer Kim Young-beom's ambitious declaration is getting attention. The finals for 4x 200-meter relay swimming at the World Aquatics Championships 2025 takes place on August 1st. Cha Yun-kyung, Arirang News.

Running through the summer heat: S. Korea's nighttime fitness craze

2025/07/15 11:40

While most are staying indoors to beat the heat, some are sprinting right into it. And they're not doing it alone. Our Park Hyo-been has the story. It's 7 PM on a humid summer evening, but the heat hasn't stopped these runners. People stretch, chat, and tie their shoelaces, getting ready for their weekly run. "I really feel like I've become healthier through running. Even when it's tough in the summer, I think of it as a 'double XP event' so I push myself even harder." "When I run with the crew, I get more energy from the people around me. I end up running further than I could on my own, and I enjoy it more too." They are the Seoul Running Crew, a free community running program held at three locations across Seoul. Every Thursday evening, runners meet up and split into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. "Right now, I'm running with the crew here at Yeouido Park. Even though the sun's nearly gone down, the heat is intense and so is the energy." Led by professional coaches, including former national athletes, participants are guided safely based on their pace and fitness levels. Since this season kicked off in April, all 60 spots at each location have been fully booked every single week. To support this growing fitness trend, the city has even revamped its infrastructure. Take Yeouinaru Station, right in the heart of Seoul's business district. It now features a "Runner Station," a dedicated facility for joggers equipped with lockers and changing rooms, so office workers can head straight out for a run after work. The station also offers live weather updates, UV levels, and wind speed, so runners can check if conditions are safe to run. There are also check-up sessions for beginner runners, helping them find the right pace range and recommending routes that match their fitness level. Despite the sweltering heat, more and more people are lacing up their shoes and hitting the asphalt. For them, summer nights aren't just about beating the heat, they're about building community, pushing limits, and making the city their own. Park Hyobeen, Arirang News.

Running through the summer heat: S. Korea's nighttime fitness craze

2025/07/14 23:39

While most are staying indoors to beat the heat, some are sprinting right into it. And they're not doing it alone. Our Park Hyo-been has the story. It's 7 PM on a humid summer evening, but the heat hasn't stopped these runners. People stretch, chat, and tie their shoelaces, getting ready for their weekly run. "I really feel like I've become healthier through running. Even when it's tough in the summer, I think of it as a 'double XP event' so I push myself even harder." "When I run with the crew, I get more energy from the people around me. I end up running further than I could on my own, and I enjoy it more too." They are the Seoul Running Crew, a free community running program held at three locations across Seoul. Every Thursday evening, runners meet up and split into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. "Right now, I'm running with the crew here at Yeouido Park. Even though the sun's nearly gone down, the heat is intense and so is the energy." Led by professional coaches, including former national athletes, participants are guided safely based on their pace and fitness levels. Since this season kicked off in April, all 60 spots at each location have been fully booked every single week. To support this growing fitness trend, the city has even revamped its infrastructure. Take Yeouinaru Station, right in the heart of Seoul's business district. It now features a "Runner Station," a dedicated facility for joggers equipped with lockers and changing rooms, so office workers can head straight out for a run after work. The station also offers live weather updates, UV levels, and wind speed, so runners can check if conditions are safe to run. There are also check-up sessions for beginner runners, helping them find the right pace range and recommending routes that match their fitness level. Despite the sweltering heat, more and more people are lacing up their shoes and hitting the asphalt. For them, summer nights aren't just about beating the heat, they're about building community, pushing limits, and making the city their own. Park Hyobeen, Arirang News.

[Sports Round-up] S. Korea's men's, women's teams aiming for EAFF E-1 glory

2025/07/14 22:36

Time now to take a look at what's been happening in the world of sports. Joining us in the studio is our sports editor, Paul Neat. Hello, Paul. Hello. Let's start with the EAFF E-1 Football Championships. The tournament will conclude this week, and I understand that Korea's men's and women's teams could both win. Yes, both could win. Both are unbeaten, and both have massive matches coming up. The men's competition concludes on Tuesday with South Korea taking on Japan at 7:24 in Yongin. Both teams are locked on six points after two wins. But South Korea must win because Japan have a better goal difference. A draw would not be enough. South Korea beat Hong Kong on Friday, 2-0, thanks to first national team goals for Kang Sang-yoon and Lee Ho-jae. The Taeguk Ladies, meanwhile, have to rely on results elsewhere to secure the title. After two straight draws, South Korea must beat Chinese Taipei on Wednesday at 8 PM in Suwon, and score enough goals to better Japan's goal difference of plus-4. Korea's is currently zero. They also need Japan and China to draw. On Sunday in Hwaseong, South Korea came back from behind to draw late on with Japan thanks to Jeong Da-bin's 86th-minute equalizer. Fingers crossed. Moving on to baseball now. There was a Korean derby in MLB. Yes, the San Francisco Giants against the LA Dodgers. This meant Lee Jung-hoo versus Kim Hye-seong, former Kiwoom Heroes teammates. In Friday's game, both registered three hits in an 8-7 win for the Giants. Lee, batting number six and playing center field, went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, including a go-ahead three-base hit in the fourth inning. Batting eighth and starting at second base, Kim also recorded three hits in four at-bats, scoring once and stealing two bases. On Saturday, Kim Hye-seong scored a key run to help earn the Dodgers a much-needed win, ending their worst losing streak of the season. He batted 1-for-4 with an RBI in the 2-1 victory. Both featured in Sunday's game, which ended 5-2 to the Dodgers. Sticking with baseball. We had the KBO All-Star game on Friday. Who won? Well, Team Nanum beat Team Dream 8 to 6. At Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark, LG Twins catcher Park Dong-won was the standout player with three hits and three RBIs. He also hit a two-run homer in the first inning and, with 27 out of 28 votes from the media, was named MVP. Team Nanum had players from the Twins, the Kia Tigers, and the NC Dinos, while Team Dream had players from the Samsung Lions, the Doosan Bears, the KT Wiz, the SSG Landers, and the Lotte Giants. The match was a sellout with 16-thousand-850 fans in attendance. KBO resumes its normal schedule this week. And, finally, to athletics. Another win for Woo Sang-hyeok. Yes, seven wins in a row now on the high jump world stage. At Stade Louis II in Monaco on Friday, Woo jumped 2-point-3-4 meters at a Diamond League event his second Diamond League win this year and fifth overall. 2-point-3-4 meters is also the best anyone has done this year in an outdoor event. The win also means he has booked his place at the World Championships in Tokyo this September. Great stuff. Thanks for that, Paul. See you next week. Thank you.

Running through the summer heat: S. Korea's nighttime fitness craze

2025/07/14 19:41

Running is a fitness trend that has been gaining greater traction here in Korea in recent times and the blistering summer heat is doing little to dampen the spirit of runners here in the capital city. Our Park Hyo-been joined them. It's 7 PM on a humid summer evening, but the heat hasn't stopped these runners. People stretch, chat, and tie their shoelaces, getting ready for their weekly run. "I really feel like I've become healthier through running. Even when it's tough in the summer, I think of it as a 'double XP event' so I push myself even harder." "When I run with the crew, I get more energy from the people around me. I end up running further than I could on my own, and I enjoy it more too." They are the Seoul Running Crew, a free community running program held at three locations across Seoul. Every Thursday evening, runners meet up and split into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. "Right now, I'm running with the crew here at Yeouido Park. Even though the sun's nearly gone down, the heat is intense and so is the energy." Led by professional coaches, including former national athletes, participants are guided safely based on their pace and fitness levels. Since this season kicked off in April, all 60 spots at each location have been fully booked every single week. To support this growing fitness trend, the city has even revamped its infrastructure. Take Yeouinaru Station, right in the heart of Seoul's business district. It now features a "Runner Station," a dedicated facility for joggers equipped with lockers and changing rooms, so office workers can head straight out for a run after work. The station also offers live weather updates, UV levels, and wind speed, so runners can check if conditions are safe to run. There are also check-up sessions for beginner runners, helping them find the right pace range and recommending routes that match their fitness level. Despite the sweltering heat, more and more people are lacing up their shoes and hitting the asphalt. For them, summer nights aren't just about beating the heat, they're about building community, pushing limits, and making the city their own. Park Hyobeen, Arirang News.

[Features reporter] Running through the summer heat: S. Korea's nighttime fitness craze

2025/07/14 15:39

On hot summer days like these, most people are looking for cool places to stay inside. But Hyobeen, I heard that some are choosing to head outdoors instead? Who are these people? That's right Soa. While most people are hiding from the heat, some are running into it on purpose, literally. So I jumped in for a run myself, and let's just say, it was sweaty but fun. Let's take a look. It's 7 PM on a humid summer evening, but the heat hasn't stopped these runners. People stretch, chat, and tie their shoelaces, getting ready for their weekly run. "I really feel like I've become healthier through running. Even when it's tough in the summer, I think of it as a 'double XP event' so I push myself even harder." "When I run with the crew, I get more energy from the people around me. I end up running further than I could on my own, and I enjoy it more too." They are the Seoul Running Crew, a free community running program held at three locations across Seoul. Every Thursday evening, runners meet up and split into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. "Right now, I'm running with the crew here at Yeouido Park. Even though the sun's nearly gone down, the heat is intense and so is the energy." Led by professional coaches, including former national athletes, participants are guided safely based on their pace and fitness levels. Since this season kicked off in April, all 60 spots at each location have been fully booked every single week. To support this growing fitness trend, the city has even revamped its infrastructure. Take Yeouinaru Station, right in the heart of Seoul's business district. It now features a "Runner Station," a dedicated facility for joggers equipped with lockers and changing rooms, so office workers can head straight out for a run after work. The station also offers live weather updates, UV levels, and wind speed, so runners can check if conditions are safe to run. There are also check-up sessions for beginner runners, helping them find the right pace range and recommending routes that match their fitness level. Despite the sweltering heat, more and more people are lacing up their shoes and hitting the asphalt. For them, summer nights aren't just about beating the heat, they're about building community, pushing limits, and making the city their own.