The year he turned 19, he won the World Junior Judo Championships in the 73 kg class, and that November he beat Lee Won-hee, the Athens Olympic gold medalist, in the President’s Cup final. In 2005, he won the Asian Championships. In 2007, he joined the Korea Racing Authority judo team, and in November, after moving up a weight class, he won the Korea Open.
In 2008, he won the German Open and then took silver in the 81 kg class at the Beijing Olympics, his first. His opponent in the final was Ole Bischof of Germany. In 2009, he won a bronze medal at the World Championships.
In 2010, he won the Suwon World Masters and the World Championships and also took gold at the Guangzhou Asian Games. In 2011, he won a second straight World Championships title.
The breakthrough yearThe year he turned 27, he beat Bischof, his opponent in the Beijing final four years earlier, to win Olympic gold in the 81 kg class in London. He became the second Korean judoka to complete the Grand Slam after Lee Won-hee, and in August he appeared on Radio Star.
In 2013, he withdrew from the World Championships because of injury. In 2014, he won back-to-back 81 kg golds and a team gold at the Incheon Asian Games, becoming the first Korean judoka to win two golds at an Asian Games.
In 2016, he announced his retirement from competition because of injury. In 2017, he became a coach of the Korea Racing Authority judo team.
In 2023, he became head coach of the Korea Racing Authority judo team. In October 2024, he taught judo to young athletes in Dangjin. In 2025, he became chair of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee performance enhancement committee and sent judo uniforms to Cambodia’s national judo team. In June 2026, he taught judo to young athletes in Gumi.
Kim Jae-bum (born 1985) won the World Junior Judo Championships in the 73 kg class on Oct 18, 2004, the year he turned 19, and became known on Jul 31, 2012, the year he turned 27, when he won gold in the men’s 81 kg class at the London Olympics. In 2008, the year he turned 23, he had won silver at the Beijing Olympics.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.
While a student at Yong In University, he beat a Tunisian opponent on a decision with two yuko in the final in Budapest, Hungary. Korea won one gold, one silver and one bronze medal at the event.
Source 01 · Seoul Shinmun (Korean) · World Junior Judo gold · opens in a new tabBeat Lee Won-hee, the Athens Olympic gold medalist, on three shido in the final. Yonhap described him as 19 and a second-year student at Yong In University.
Source 02 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Lee Won-hee finishes runner-up at the President’s Cup · opens in a new tabSource 03 · Kyeongin Ilbo (Korean) · Profile of a glorious career · opens in a new tabNewsis, in its retirement article, lists the 2005 Asian Championships title among his main results.
Source 04 · Newsis (Korean) · Announces retirement · opens in a new tab The article gives no date or weight class, so only the year is shown.Competed until 2016.
Source 05 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Named coach of the Let’s Run Park judo team · opens in a new tab The article gives no month.After moving up one weight class, he won the Korea Open.
Source 06 · Newspim (Korean) · Gold won on fighting spirit · opens in a new tab The day could not be confirmed.In the final in Hamburg, Germany, he beat Aljaž Sedej of Slovenia by koka in extra time.
Source 07 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · German Open 81 kg gold · opens in a new tab The date is Korean time, per the article.In the final of his first Olympics, he lost to Ole Bischof of Germany by yuko. He went to extra time in both the quarterfinal and the semifinal.
Source 08 · Jeju Ilbo (Korean) · Beijing Olympics 81 kg silver · opens in a new tabSource 06 · Newspim (Korean) · Gold won on fighting spirit · opens in a new tabWon the bronze medal match against Antonio Ciano of Italy at the event in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Source 09 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · World Judo Championships bronze · opens in a new tabIn the final of the event, which only the world’s top 16 athletes enter, he beat Axel Clerget of France on a decision, with three shido combined into a waza-ari.
Source 10 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Wins the Suwon World Masters · opens in a new tabIn the final in Tokyo, Japan, he beat Leandro Guilheiro of Brazil by waza-ari in extra time. It was Korea’s first gold medal of that year’s championships.
Source 11 · Asia Economy (Korean) · World Championships 81 kg gold · opens in a new tabBeat an Uzbek opponent by ippon in the final.
Source 12 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Guangzhou Asian Games gold · opens in a new tabWon gold at the event in Paris, France, for a second straight title after the year before.
Source 13 · Korea Economic Daily (Korean) · Back-to-back World Judo Championships titles · opens in a new tab The date is Korean time, per the article.In the final he beat Bischof of Germany, his opponent in the Beijing final four years earlier, by yuko. After Lee Won-hee, he became the second Korean judoka to complete the Grand Slam.
Appeared with Cho Jun-ho, the singer Kim Jang-hoon and Professor Seo Kyoung-duk.
Source 17 · Newspim (Korean) · Cho Jun-ho on Radio Star · opens in a new tabHe won the 81 kg class of the national weight-class championships and earned a place at the World Championships, but withdrew because treatment of his shoulder and back injuries was not finished. The Korea Judo Association decided to send Hong Seok-ung in his place.
Source 18 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · World Championships team change · opens in a new tabBeat Nacif Elias of Lebanon on shido in the final. It followed his 2010 Guangzhou title.
Source 19 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Incheon Asian Games 81 kg, back-to-back titles · opens in a new tabKorea won the team event, and he became the first Korean judoka to win two golds at an Asian Games.
Source 20 · Newsis (Korean) · Double gold in judo at the Incheon Asian Games · opens in a new tabAnnounced his retirement ahead of the final national team trials for the Rio Olympics, having been unable to train much because of injury. Newsis reported it citing SBS.
Source 04 · Newsis (Korean) · Announces retirement · opens in a new tabBegan coaching with the same judo team he had competed for until 2016.
Source 05 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Named coach of the Let’s Run Park judo team · opens in a new tabAfter working as acting head coach, he was formally appointed head coach. The Korea Racing Authority announced it on the 23rd.
Source 22 · Sports Seoul (Korean) · New head coach of the Korea Racing Authority judo team · opens in a new tabSource 21 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Named head coach of the Korea Racing Authority judo team · opens in a new tabLed the Korea Racing Authority judo team to Dangjin, South Chungcheong, and taught techniques such as uchi-mata (an inner-thigh throw) to athletes at Wondang Middle School and Tapdong Elementary School.
Source 27 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Korea Racing Authority judo team talent donation in Dangjin · opens in a new tab Sports Chosun reported it on Oct. 24.Became chair of the performance enhancement committee by a resolution of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee’s second board meeting.
Source 25 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Korean Sport & Olympic Committee appointments · opens in a new tabSource 26 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Named chair of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee performance enhancement committee · opens in a new tabSent official International Judo Federation uniforms worth 5 million won. A coach of the Cambodia Judo Federation said they had been sent last year as well as this year.
Source 23 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Judo uniforms for Cambodia · opens in a new tabLed the Korea Racing Authority judo team to Dogae Middle and High School in Gumi, North Gyeongsang, and gave judo lessons.
Source 24 · Newspost (Korean) · Youth talent donation in Gumi · opens in a new tab Newspost reported it on June 8.END OF SELECTED RECORDSSelected records, 2004–2026 · not a complete list of work. “Key moment” is an editorial label, not a measure of success.
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Sports · South Korea
1985 —
Ages are counted from the birth year 1985: the year of the event minus 1985, birthdays aside. “Key moment” labels and the connecting story are AgeTrail's editorial reading.
Fact-checked: 2026.10.06 · An independent archive, not affiliated with the person or their agency.