Kim Min-seo (19, Samcheok City Hall) was born in 2004. Korean women’s handball wrote the myth of ‘Woo Saeng-soon (the best moment of our lives)’ at the Athens Olympics that year. In the final, she won a silver medal after playing in overtime against Europe’s strongest team, Denmark. The nation shed hot tears at the fighting spirit of women’s handball who overcame injuries and physical limitations.
18 years after that, in 2022, the Korean women’s handball youth team defeated Denmark in the final of the World Youth Championship and lifted the championship cup. By writing the history of being the first non-European country to win, it resolved the sorrow of its seniors instead.
Kim Min-seo, who was in her third year at Hwangji Information Industrial High School at the time, was the MVP of the tournament. A center back with a height of 1m60cm from Asia surpassed Danish players with an average height of 1m74cm and stood at the highest place. Kim Min-seo smiled bashfully, saying, “When we arrived, no one cared about us. But when the tournament ended, everyone showed interest in us. I was proud.”
Nevertheless, Kim Min-seo was called 7th in the first round in the rookie draft held two months later. Six teams passed Kim Min-seo until it was the turn of nomination for Samcheok City Hall, the second-place team last season. As expected, the small height of 1m60cm was an obstacle.
Still, Kim Min-seo said, “I wasn’t disappointed at all. Rather, it was nice to be able to go to a strong team.” He said, “I’ve always been short since I was young. I stopped thinking ‘I wish I was taller’ when I was in middle school.” He continued, “From high school, I didn’t care about my height and focused on maximizing my strengths.”
메이저놀이터 The result was a ‘win-win’. Samcheok City Hall, joined by Kim Min-seo, won 16 wins, 2 draws and 3 losses in the women’s division of the 2022-2023 SK Handball Korea League, which ended on the 16th, and won 34 points and took first place in the regular league. Kim Min-seo also flew with her unique half-beat fast shooting and sensible pass. Her 142 points put her in second place and her 97 assists put her in fourth place, causing a ‘scary newcomer’ sensation. In 2013, Lee Hyo-jin broke all records of the most points (133 goals) and assists (66) in a single season as a rookie in the women’s division, which were left by Gyeongnam Development Corporation.
Kim Min-seo received 9 votes in the regular league MVP vote and placed second after Kang Gyeong-min (Gwangju Urban Corporation, 17 votes). He said, “It was difficult because it was my first time on the adult stage
Kim Min-seo is from Taebaek, Gangwon-do. When he was in the third grade of Hwangji Elementary School, he was first invited by the assistant handball coach, but gave up his mind against his parents’ opposition. However, a year later, his close friend Shin Jae-yeon (Korea Physical Education University) reached out to him and said, “Let’s play handball together.” The two friends who caught the ball together became the best duo ever since. He dominated the nation while playing as a key member of Seyeonjung and Hwangjigo. At the World Youth Championships, they jointly won the championship together with the Taegeuk mark. Shin Jae-yeon chose to go to college after graduating from high school, but their friendship remains strong.
Lee Gye-seong, head coach of Samcheok City Hall, said, “Maybe it’s because Kim Min-seo won many championships during her school days, so she knows how to win.”
One of the reasons Kim Min-seo considers joining Samcheok City Hall lucky is the existence of ‘living legend’ Kim On-ah (35). Kim On-a, the national representative and also center back, is Kim Min-seo’s long-standing role model. Kim Min-seo said, “While working out next to On-ah, I felt ‘definitely something different’. I learned a lot from her career and experience.” Until then, I received a lot of help because my sister informed me well.”
Handball is classified as a so-called ‘unpopular sport’. At comprehensive competitions such as the Olympics and Asian Games, they receive a flash of attention, and even then, if they do not perform well, they are pushed back. Many players in the past have expressed their sorrow in this regard. What was Kim Min-seo like? He just said, “It’s okay because I really like handball.” “Handball is a sport that is fun for both those who play it and those who watch it. I always liked the moment I was playing handball the best.”
Handball is Minseo Kim’s joy and dream. He said, “My biggest goal is to go to the Olympics and win a medal like ‘Woo Saeng-soon’ seniors.” .