"Kim Je-deok is also formidable, but I must be selected." Why is Korean archery the world's strongest! Kim Woo-jin has no intention of stepping down yet.

*This content was translated by AI.

The generational transition in South Korean men's archery does not follow a pattern where the eldest steps down and the youngest takes his place. While 34-year-old Kim Woo-jin (Cheongju City Hall) continues to hold his ground at the world's pinnacle, 29-year-old Lee Woo-seok (Kolon) has matured into a complete archer, and 22-year-old Kim Je-deok (Yecheon County Office) has risen to surpass the eldest in selection trials. Although all three must push each other out to earn the right to wear the Taegeuk mark, they have become each other's most reliable teammates on the international stage.

Kim Woo-jin is the face of Korean archery who needs no further introduction. He has won five gold medals at the Olympics alone, and at the 2024 Paris Olympics, he swept all three men's events—individual, team, and mixed team—to claim a triple crown.

Yet each year, he must still pass through domestic selection trials. After standing atop evaluation competitions continuously from 2016 to last year, Kim Woo-jin experienced a small change this year. At the final evaluation for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, Kim Je-deok secured first place overall and claimed his spot in the team earliest of all.

Kim Woo-jin welcomed the news instead. Meeting recently at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field, Kim Woo-jin said about Kim Je-deok, "I have watched his growth process for over five years. I gave him feedback from the side and offered many good suggestions." He added, "I believe (Je-deok) will become an even better player than he is now."

The senior's well-wishes did not end there. Kim Woo-jin stated, "While I feel rewarded when the players perform well, I also strive harder to avoid falling behind these athletes. As a result, there are parts where we all win-win (WIN-WIN)."

That relationship becomes even more apparent during national selection trials. Recently, footage aired showing Kim Woo-jin telling Kim Je-deok, "You're also formidable," sparking discussion on broadcast screens. Recalling the moment, Kim Woo-jin laughed and said, "We meet so often in selection trials that whenever I face him, he shoots exceptionally well. It seems I'm comfortable with him. So I told him, 'You are truly formidable.'"

During the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Kim Je-deok was merely a spirited teenage youngest member. The situation is now different. In the interim, he has grown into the next-generation ace, accumulating two gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics, a team gold at the Paris Olympics, and three world championship team golds. This year, he even surpassed his senior teammates in domestic evaluations to take first place overall, and on the international stage, he secured individual medals, making him no longer fit for the label of "promising prospect."

Between these two stands Lee Woo-seok. Lee Woo-seok also won a men's team gold medal and an individual bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, and this year at the Antalya World Cup, he reached the individual final to claim a silver medal. Rather than being the generation following Kim Woo-jin, he is already an archer building his own era alongside them. Kim Woo-jin also evaluated him, saying, "Lee Woo-seok is the same. I believe he can become an even better player in the future."

Lee Woo-seok and Kim Je-deok also view their eldest teammate not as someone to be intimidated by, but as a fellow competitor. While preparing for this Asian Games, they shared Kim Woo-jin's message: "Let us not be defenders, but challengers again," and the three athletes united behind the sentiment of focusing only on "our own game" rather than worrying about opponents.

Internal competition is even more fierce. Only the top two in preliminary standings among the three can compete in the individual event at the Asian Games. One of the world's strongest trio will have to watch the individual competition from the sidelines. Kim Je-deok calmly stated, "Whatever player competes, we expect the best results, and that is how we are preparing."

How long will the eldest continue this competition with his juniors? When asked about his retirement timing, Kim Woo-jin replied, "I don't know. I'm just keeping it open," while adding, "I think I'll keep going as long as I can compete without falling behind in Bank of Korea." He then smiled at his two younger teammates beside him, saying, "If the two players here manage to select themselves over me, there's nothing I can do."

The youngest has already surpassed the eldest to take first place in selection trials, and the middle generation possesses world-class competitive strength. Yet, the eldest himself still has no intention of stepping down. Kim Woo-jin showed enthusiasm equal to his juniors, stating, "Unless these two players and other good players select themselves over me, I will continue to take root and grow vigorously."

Generational transition is not achieved simply because someone makes room for others. Juniors become stronger in order to pull seniors down, and seniors become stronger again to avoid being pushed aside by those juniors. This has been the reason Korean archery has maintained world-class skill levels for a long time.

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*This content was translated by AI.