[Nagoya AG] Men's Handball Falls to Japan, Misses Bronze for Second Consecutive Games

Defeated by Japan 32-37 in the Bronze Medal Match

The South Korean men's handball national team, which has won a total of six gold medals at the Asian Games, failed to secure a medal for the second consecutive tournament.

Under the leadership of coach Cho Young-shin, the men's handball team lost to Japan 32-37 in the bronze medal match at Entrio in Inazawa, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on September 29 during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

As a result, the South Korean men's handball team missed out on a medal again, following the 2022 Hangzhou Games, marking two tournaments in a row without reaching the podium.

Kim Jinyoung of the South Korean men's handball team is attempting a shot during the bronze medal match against Japan at Entorio in Inazawa, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on the 29th of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Photo by Yonhap News

Handball became an official men's event at the 1982 New Delhi Asian Games, and South Korea went on to dominate by winning five consecutive gold medals from the 1986 Seoul Games to the 2002 Busan Games, collecting a record six gold medals in total.

The first time South Korea failed to win a medal at the Asian Games was at the 2006 Doha Games, where they finished fourth. The medal drought continued at the 2022 Hangzhou Games, where the team not only missed out on a medal but also, for the first time in history, failed to advance to the semifinals.

This year, the team aimed to capture its first gold medal in 16 years since the 2010 Guangzhou Games. However, they lost 30-32 to Qatar, who were seeking their fourth consecutive title, in the semifinals the previous day. In the bronze medal match, they succumbed to host nation Japan and ultimately failed to earn a medal.

South Korea fell behind from the start of the game. After a 1-1 tie, they conceded three consecutive goals and lost the early momentum. Shortly after Kota Nakata of Japan received a two-minute suspension, Lee Yosep scored to make it 2-4, but South Korea was repeatedly blocked by Japan's goalkeeper and could not score for more than four minutes. During that time, Japan added four more points, widening the gap to 2-8. The deficit remained difficult to close, and South Korea ended the first half trailing 12-17.

At the beginning of the second half, Junjin Soo, Lee Yosep, and Kim Jin-young scored consecutive goals, narrowing the gap to 16-19 within about five minutes. However, South Korea struggled to overcome Japan's strong defense, and the margin widened to 21-28 midway through the half. The team was unable to bring the deficit within four points and ultimately had to accept the defeat.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.