The year he turned 19, he won gold at the World Junior Judo Championships in Puerto Rico. In 1984, he lost the 60 kg final at the Los Angeles Olympics to Japan’s Shinji Hosokawa and took the silver medal.
In 1986, he won gold at the Seoul Asian Games in the 60 kg class, as Korean judoka won six of the eight weight classes. In 1987, he beat Shinji Hosokawa by ippon in the final of the World Judo Championships in Essen, West Germany, and won gold.
The breakthrough yearThe year he turned 24, he beat Kevin Asano in the 60 kg final at the Seoul Olympics on the night of Chuseok and won gold, stepping onto the podium in a hanbok. It came four years after the silver medal at the Los Angeles Olympics.
The year he turned 25, he earned a master’s degree at the Kookmin University graduate school, and from 1993 he taught students as a part-time university lecturer. The year he turned 42, he was appointed professor at Dong Seoul University, where he had lectured since 2004. In 2009, he earned a doctorate in security studies at the Kyonggi University graduate school.
The year he turned 55, he played on JTBC’s The Gentlemen’s League as a member of the celebrity soccer team Elleven FC. In 2020, he appeared on the same show as an Eojjeoda FC mercenary, became a new member in July, and also appeared on MBN’s Voice Trot. In 2021, he appeared on EBS’s Paranmanjang.
The year he turned 59, he said he works as a professor at Dong Seoul University and plays soccer with a celebrity team every weekend. In 2025, he was named an ambassador for Wonju City in Gangwon Province.
Kim Jae-yup (born May 1964) won silver in judo at the Los Angeles Olympics, 60 kg, on Aug 4, 1984, the year he turned 20, and became known when he won gold in the same class at the Seoul Olympics on Sep 25, 1988, the year he turned 24. In 1987, he also won the World Judo Championships.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.
Won gold at the championships in Puerto Rico.
Source 01 · Shin Myung-chul column (Korean) · 1987 Essen World Championships · opens in a new tab The month and day of the event were not confirmed in news reports.Lost the final to Japan’s Shinji Hosokawa by a hold-down ippon and took the silver medal.
Source 01 · Shin Myung-chul column (Korean) · 1987 Essen World Championships · opens in a new tabSource 05 · Etoday (Korean) · Chuseok and Kim Jae-yup · opens in a new tabSource 02 · Wikipedia · Judo at the 1984 Summer Olympics – Men’s 60 kg · opens in a new tab The medal was confirmed in news reports. Aug. 4 is from Wikipedia and was not confirmed in news reports.Korean judoka won six of the eight weight classes, and Kim Jae-yup took the 60 kg class.
Source 08 · Judo column (Korean) · 1986 Seoul Asian Games · opens in a new tab The judo events ran from Oct. 1 to 4; the day of the 60 kg class was not confirmed.In the final in Essen, West Germany, he beat Shinji Hosokawa by ippon with uchi mata (inner-thigh throw). Hosokawa was the opponent he lost to in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic final.
Source 09 · SPOTV News (Korean) · 1987 World Judo Championships · opens in a new tabSource 10 · SPOTV News (Korean) · Revenge on Hosokawa · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Shin Myung-chul column (Korean) · 1987 Essen World Championships · opens in a new tab The championships ran from Nov. 19 to 22 (SPOTV News), and the Shin Myung-chul column says the 60 kg event was held on the last day.In the final at Jangchung Gymnasium in Seoul, on the night of Chuseok, he beat the United States’ Kevin Asano by decision. He stepped onto the podium in a hanbok he had prepared in advance. It came four years after the silver medal at the Los Angeles Olympics.
Right after retiring, he earned a master’s degree in physical education at the Kookmin University graduate school.
Source 03 · Munhwa Ilbo (Korean) · Kim Jae-yup interview · opens in a new tab The month and day the degree was awarded were not confirmed.While working as a coach, he began teaching students as a part-time university lecturer.
Source 03 · Munhwa Ilbo (Korean) · Kim Jae-yup interview · opens in a new tabHe began lecturing in the sports department at Dong Seoul University in 2004 and was appointed professor in 2006.
Source 03 · Munhwa Ilbo (Korean) · Kim Jae-yup interview · opens in a new tab The month and day of the appointment were not confirmed.Earned a doctorate in security studies at the Kyonggi University graduate school.
Source 03 · Munhwa Ilbo (Korean) · Kim Jae-yup interview · opens in a new tab The month and day the degree was awarded were not confirmed.As a member of the celebrity soccer team Elleven FC, he played in a match against Eojjeoda FC.
Source 11 · Segye Ilbo (Korean) · Mercenary on The Gentlemen’s League · opens in a new tab The broadcast year is known only from a 2020 article’s reference to the previous year; the month and day were not confirmed.Appeared as a new mercenary and played in the match.
Source 11 · Segye Ilbo (Korean) · Mercenary on The Gentlemen’s League · opens in a new tabJoined as a new member together with the taekwondo athlete Lee Dae-hoon.
Source 12 · Newsen (Korean) · Lee Dae-hoon and Kim Jae-yup join Eojjeoda FC · opens in a new tabSource 13 · Newsen (Korean) · Last night’s TV: The Gentlemen’s League · opens in a new tab The broadcast date is from the producers’ July 3 announcement of the upcoming episode.Appeared on the trot survival show and sang a song by Kim Sang-bae.
Source 14 · Asia Economy (Korean) · Voice Trot · opens in a new tab The broadcast date was calculated from an Aug. 16 article that says “the 24th of last month.”Appeared in an episode about people who succeeded after overcoming failure.
Source 15 · Korea Lecturer News (Korean) · EBS’s Paranmanjang · opens in a new tabHe said he works as a professor at Dong Seoul University and plays soccer every Saturday with the celebrity team Elleven FC.
Source 04 · Dong-A Ilbo (Korean) · Life’s Home Run: Kim Jae-yup · opens in a new tabWonju City named Kim Jae-yup, the Seoul Olympic gold medalist in the 60 kg judo class, as a public relations ambassador.
Source 16 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Wonju City ambassador · opens in a new tabEND OF SELECTED RECORDSSelected records, 1983–2025 · not a complete list of work. “Key moment” is an editorial label, not a measure of success.
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Sports · South Korea
May 1964 —
Ages are counted from the birth year 1964: the year of the event minus 1964, birthdays aside. “Key moment” labels and the connecting story are AgeTrail's editorial reading.
Fact-checked: 2026.10.12 · An independent archive, not affiliated with the person or their agency.