KHU Handball Team (Lee Jun-Seung, Kwak Min-Hyun, Park Jin-Hoo, Kim Seung-Jun, Kim Hyun-Min)

Kyung Hee University (KHU)'s men’s handball team claimed the university title at the 81st National Handball Championship held in Iksan, Jeonbuk State. Throughout the tournament, the team won every match from the group stage to the final, establishing its status as one of the strongest teams in university handball. The KHU handball team is a traditional powerhouse that once produced six national team players in the 1910s, including Yoon Kyung-shin, the current head coach of Doosan. Since its founding in 1950, the team has built a legacy of more than 70 years and once again proved its strength in this year’s tournament. 

KHU Claims Victory Through Tactical Strength

The National Handball Championships, organized by the Korea Handball Federation, is the largest handball tournament in Korea, covering elementary school, middle school, high school, and university divisions. Since its first edition in 1946, the championship has continued for more than 80 years and remains one of the most prestigious tournaments in Korean handball. This year’s tournament was held on a scale befitting its long-standing reputation. A total of 82 teams, from elementary to universities, including both University divisions one and two—more than 1,500 players—participated in the nine-day competition from March 21 to 29. In particular, this year’s tournament also served as a qualifying event for the Korea-China-Japan Junior Games, providing young athletes with valuable opportunities. 

KHU claimed the championship with an undefeated record. The team advanced to the knockout round after defeating Kangwon National University 37–28 and Uiduk University 32–21 in Group B of the group stage. KHU then beat Korea National Sport University 28–25 in the quarterfinals and overwhelmed Chosun University 36–24 in the semifinals to secure a place in the final. The semifinals against Chosun University featured right wing Park Jin-hoo, a student in Dept. of Coaching, who converted all eight of his shot attempts, demonstrating outstanding finishing ability.

A Tactical Win Against Wonkwang University

In the final against Wonkwang University (WKU), KHU maintained its lead throughout both halves of the match. KHU recorded 14 goals in the first half and 18 in the second, while WKU managed only 14 and 11 respectively, resulting in a 32–27 victory for KHU.

The victory was largely driven by tactical execution. KHU recorded a 70% success rate on wing attacks, far surpassing WKU’s 30%. The team also showed highly organized passing play, recording 13 assists. In addition, KHU maintained an overall shooting success rate of 52% and committed only eight turnovers despite being shorthanded after five separate two-minute suspensions during the match.

Turning Last Year’s Defeat into Victory

The final against WKU, which ended in a 32–27 victory for KHU, was also a moment of revenge for the team. The two teams last met in September 2025, when KHU appeared to be in control after leading 24–19 at the end of the first half. However, while WKU scored 20 goals in the second half, KHU managed only 12, which led to a painful 36–39 loss.

This year’s victory was achieved not only through disciplined tactical performance, but also through controlling the momentum throughout the match. Goalkeeper Kim Hyun-min, a student in Dept. of Coaching, recalled, “In the previous match against WKU, we lost control of the momentum in the second half after leading in the first.” He added, “This time, thanks to the support from students from the college of Physical Education, we were able to maintain the momentum until the end. Around the 20-minute mark of the second half, I became certain that we were going to win.”

Team captain Lee Jun-seung, a left back majoring in Dept. of Coaching, said the team aimed to set the tone early. “Our goal was to completely dominate the momentum from the beginning of the first half,” he explained. “After scoring, we performed a crown celebration using KHU’s initial ‘K’ to seize momentum early, and in the second half we focused on tactical play to secure the victory.”

Left back Kim Seung-jun, a student in Dept. of Coaching, also stated, “Since it was our first game, I tried hard to control momentum. When the point gap grew to seven, I became confident about the victory.”

Teamwork Behind the Championship 

The players pointed to strong defense and teamwork built through systematic training as the greatest strengths of their team. Through high-intensity interval training, the players develop the stamina necessary to sustain pressure on opponents throughout the entire match. This training system operates under a clear division of roles: head coach Kim Man-ho oversees game strategies and assistant coach Cha Jae-woo manages the detailed training schedule and player development.

The players also emphasized their trust in the coaching staff and support personnel. Lee explained, “Whenever the coordination between players breaks down during a match, the coaching staff quickly steps in to regain control of the flow.” He added, “Thanks to trainer Ki Yoon-seo, who stayed late to provide treatment and massage for injuries that occurred during and after games, the players were able to maintain peak condition throughout the tournament.”

The Journey Continues: Toward Another Championship 

With the championship, players said the next goal is another strong season. Kim Hyun-min explained, “As we move up through the years, we feel more pressure to maintain our undefeated championship streak—what we call the ‘weight of the crown.’ I hope the younger players will overcome that pressure as well as we have.”

Kim Seung-jun, who is currently a freshman, said, “I regret that there is not much time left to play with the seniors in the graduating class. While they are still here, I want to learn as much as possible from them and contribute to the team.” 

The team’s next focus is now on upcoming tournaments. The players aim not only to achieve another undefeated championship at the National Sports Festival, but also to perform well in the match against the professional team Hanam City Hall’s handball team. 

The team’s journey is also worth following for KHU students. Kim Seung-jun described the appeal of handball as its “physical intensity and quick transitions between offense and defense.” Kim Hyun-min added, “Compared to soccer or baseball, handball reaches scoring situations much faster, and compared to basketball or volleyball, scoring scenes occur more frequently. It is a sport that keeps viewers engaged throughout the entire match.”

With an undefeated victory in this tournament, KHU’s handball team once again established itself as a traditional powerhouse. The players transformed pressure into confidence and turned memories of defeat into motivation, ultimately returning to the top. Yet the team’s journey is ongoing. Attention now turns to the next chapter of the KHU handball team, which will be written in the competitions ahead.