⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Judoka Lee Joon-hwan poses during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at Taereung Training Center in northern Seoul on May 21. [JOONGANG ILBO] 

Lee Joon-hwan, Korea’s top-ranked men’s judoka in the 81-kilogram (178.5-pound) category, has entered the 2025 World Judo Championships in Budapest, Hungary, as the No. 1 seed and a favorite for gold. 

But for all his accolades, one key accomplishment has eluded him — winning a major tournament. 

The 22-year-old has built a reputation as one of the most complete judokas in his weight class. 

He switches effortlessly between hand, leg and hip techniques, a rare trifecta that earned him the nickname “chameleon” for his diverse attacking style. 

Lee has claimed 13 international medals, including seven golds, since debuting on the global stage in 2022 as a university sophomore. 

He won back-to-back Asian Championship titles and currently holds the top world ranking in his category. 

But he has not secured a gold medal at any of the sport’s three most prestigious events: the World Championships, Asian Games or Olympics. 

Lee’s best results so far include bronze at the 2023 and 2024 World Championships, silver at the 2023 Asian Games and bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

“I’ve set my goal on winning a major title,” Lee said during a recent interview at the Taereung National Training Center in northern Seoul on May 21. “I’ll go for gold at the World Championships first, then the Asian Games in Nagoya next year and ultimately, the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.” 

The World Judo Championships began on Friday in Budapest, with the men’s 81-kilogram matches scheduled for Monday. 

This weight class holds special meaning in Korean judo history. as former national team member Kim Jae-bum won Olympic gold in 2012, back-to-back Asian Games titles in 2010 and 2014 and consecutive World Championships in 2010 and 2011. 

Team Korea's judo team returned from their usual training ground in Jincheon, North Chungcheong, to the Taereung facility for the first time since 2017 in order to draw inspiration from past champions. 

“Training at Taereung, I got a huge boost of energy from senior champions like Kim Jae-bum, Lee Won-hee and Choi Min-ho,” Lee said, referring to Olympic gold medalists in the 73-kilogram and 60-kilogram categories. 

Judoka Lee Joon-hwan poses during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at Taereung Training Center in northern Seoul on May 21. [JOONGANG ILBO] 

The extra motivation appears to have paid off, with Lee winning gold at both the Asian Championships in Thailand in April and the 2025 Judo Grand Slam Astana in Kazakhstan in May. 

Lee’s work ethic is as strong as his record. 

He is known for intense training sessions, often spending entire days fine-tuning his grip techniques or pulling all-nighters studying his rivals. Ahead of this year’s World Championships, he combed through hours of YouTube footage of his potential opponents. 

“I replay videos of the athletes I might face, analyzing their moves for three hours every night until I fall asleep,” he said. “I memorize not just their techniques but even their small habits.” 

That level of preparation has made Lee one of Korea’s most effective competitors against Japanese judokas. 

He leads his head-to-head record against Nagase Takanori, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, with three wins and one loss. 

“There aren’t many athletes who can outwork Joon-hwan,” said Hwang Hee-tae, men's national team head coach. 

Lee will look to turn that relentless preparation into gold in Budapest, as he aims to finally remove the “no gold in majors” label from his otherwise stellar resume. 

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.