In 1999, the year he turned 18, he was picked for the national judo team. In 2002, he won the Austrian Open in the 66 kg class, and later that year he moved up to the 73 kg class for the Korea Open. In 2003, he won 48 straight international bouts, and he won the 73 kg title at the Daegu Universiade in August, the Osaka World Championships in September and the Asian Championships in November.
The breakthrough yearThe year he turned 23, he won gold in the 73 kg class at the Athens Olympics, beating Vitaly Makarov of Russia by ippon in the final. It was the first gold medal for the Korean team, and Newsis writes that not many people knew his name before the opening. In November that year he lost to Kim Jae-bum at the President’s Cup and finished second.
In December 2005, he won bronze at the Korea Open. In 2006, he won gold at the Doha Asian Games to become the first Korean athlete to complete the judo Grand Slam. In October 2007, he won the President’s Cup, which doubled as the first national team trial.
In 2008, he lost to Wang Ki-chun at the Beijing Olympics national team trial and missed out on a berth, and he worked as a KBS judo commentator at the Olympics. In December he married golfer Kim Mi-hyun. In 2011, he became a professor in the Department of Judo Coaching at Yong In University.
In 2012, he became a coach of the women’s national judo team, and he was with the team as a coach at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games and the 2016 Rio Olympics. In 2018, he married. In 2021, he worked as an SBS judo commentator at the Tokyo Olympics.
In 2022, he announced a return to competition, and in November he became acting head coach of the Yong In University judo team. In June 2023, he competed at the Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam, his first international event in 15 years since retiring. In 2024, he appeared as a team captain in Netflix Physical: 100 season 2.
In 2025, he was to hold a judo seminar in Chuncheon. In September 2026, he appeared on The Malja Show as the KBS Asian Games judo commentator.
Lee Won-hee (born Jul 19, 1981) was picked for the national judo team in 1999, the year he turned 18, and became known on Aug 16, 2004, the year he turned 23, when he won the men’s 73 kg gold medal at the Athens Olympics. In 2006, the year he turned 25, he won gold at the Doha Asian Games to become the first Korean athlete to complete the judo Grand Slam.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.
Was picked for the national team the year he turned 18. Etoday writes that he later became known as “Mr. Ippon.”
Source 01 · Etoday (Korean) · Marriage news · opens in a new tabSource 33 · OSEN (Korean) · The wings of a revival · opens in a new tab The year is from Etoday’s account; the month and day could not be confirmed. His July 19 birthday was confirmed in an OSEN article of July 2007.Beat Santos of Brazil by ippon with seoi-nage (a shoulder throw) in the final.
Source 02 · Maeil Business (Korean) · Austrian Open · opens in a new tabMoved up from 66 kg to 73 kg. Lost the final to Choi Yong-sin by ippon.
Source 03 · Dong-A Ilbo (Korean) · 2002 Korea Open · opens in a new tabWon 48 straight international bouts, 44 of them by ippon at that time. Yonhap writes that his nickname, “Mr. Ippon,” came from this.
Source 08 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Comeback after 15 years · opens in a new tab The end of the streak could not be confirmed. Other reports give a domestic record of 47 straight wins.Beat Masahiro Takamatsu of Japan by ippon with seoi-nage (a shoulder throw) in the final. He also won the team event, for two golds.
Source 04 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Universiade 73 kg gold · opens in a new tabSource 06 · Hankyoreh (Korean) · Wins the Asian Judo Championships · opens in a new tabBeat Daniel Fernandes of France by ippon in the final with uchi-mata gaeshi, a counter to an inner-thigh throw.
Source 05 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · North and South Korean siblings both win gold · opens in a new tabSource 06 · Hankyoreh (Korean) · Wins the Asian Judo Championships · opens in a new tabBeat Yusuke Kanemaru of Japan in the final. He had won four international events in a row.
Source 07 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · First gold at the Asian Judo Championships · opens in a new tabSource 06 · Hankyoreh (Korean) · Wins the Asian Judo Championships · opens in a new tabIn the final, he beat Vitaly Makarov of Russia by ippon with kouchi-makikomi, a small inner wraparound throw, nine seconds before the end of the bout. It was the first gold medal for the Korean team. Newsis writes that his name became known around this time.
Was named among the best athletes in each sport chosen by Reuters. Coverage of the final drew 25.5% on KBS1, the highest rating for any Korean athlete.
Source 12 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Reuters’ best judoka · opens in a new tabSource 10 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Olympic TV ratings · opens in a new tab The ratings article is dated Aug. 31, 2004.Lost the final to Kim Jae-bum, a second-year student at Yong In University, by three shido. He said he could not train normally because of a fractured right index finger from the Olympics and an instep injury just before the event.
Source 13 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · After-effects of the Olympics · opens in a new tabLost the semifinal to Yoon Ji-seop by two yuko. Kim Jae-bum won the final.
Source 14 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · KRA Cup judo · opens in a new tabBeat Masahiro Takamatsu of Japan by ippon with tai-otoshi, a body drop, 1 minute 33 seconds into the final. He was the first Korean athlete to complete the judo Grand Slam.
Source 15 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Doha Asian Games · opens in a new tabBeat Seo Dong-gyu on shido in the final of the 45th edition, which doubled as the first national team trial.
Source 16 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Wins the President’s Cup · opens in a new tabLost to Wang Ki-chun at the Suwon trial and did not get a berth. Hankyoreh writes that he announced his retirement after this loss.
Source 17 · Newsis (Korean) · After missing the Beijing trial · opens in a new tabSource 18 · Hankyoreh (Korean) · Comeback 15 years after retiring · opens in a new tabHandled the judo commentary in the Olympic broadcast.
Source 19 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · After KBS commentary on the Beijing Olympics · opens in a new tab The article gives no day. His commentary work was confirmed in an article of Aug. 25, 2008.They wed before about 1,000 guests at the Walkerhill hotel in Seoul.
Source 34 · My Daily (Korean) · Lee Won-hee and Kim Mi-hyun wed · opens in a new tabYong In University announced that he would teach students from the first semester of 2011.
Source 20 · Sports Kyunghyang (Korean) · Professor at Yong In University · opens in a new tabAfter the London Olympics, joined the coaching staff of the women’s national team with coach Kim Mi-jeong.
Source 21 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Judo training camp at Taereung · opens in a new tabThe women’s team won three gold medals, and he was one of the coaches who trained Jeong Gyeong-mi and Kim Seong-yeon.
Source 22 · Dong-A Ilbo (Korean) · Women’s judo at the Incheon Asian Games · opens in a new tab The day could not be confirmed. Based on the article of Sept. 24, 2014.Yonhap writes that coach Lee Won-hee comforted Kim Jan-di beside her after she was eliminated in her first bout.
Source 23 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Rio Olympics judo · opens in a new tabMarried a former national team athlete at a wedding in Seoul.
Source 24 · Donghaeng Media Age (Korean) · Marriage · opens in a new tabWas named to SBS’s Olympic commentary team for judo.
Source 25 · News1 (Korean) · Tokyo Olympics commentators · opens in a new tab The day could not be confirmed. Based on the article of July 19, 2021.After announcing his return, he said he was training with the November national team trial as his goal.
Source 27 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · The judo legend returns · opens in a new tab Based on a Yonhap phone call on Sept. 20. The date of the announcement of the return could not be confirmed.Having taken the acting head coach post, he did not apply to enter the first national team trial.
Source 26 · FT Sports (Korean) · Acting head coach at Yong In University · opens in a new tabCompeted in an international event for the first time in 15 years since retiring. At 73 kg, he beat a Belarusian competing as an individual neutral athlete by disqualification in round 1 and lost to Khojazoda of Tajikistan in round 2.
Source 28 · Hankook Ilbo (Korean) · First bout in 15 years · opens in a new tabSource 08 · Yonhap News Agency (Korean) · Comeback after 15 years · opens in a new tabAppeared as a team captain and led his team, which did not win.
Source 29 · Joynews24 (Korean) · Physical: 100 season 2 · opens in a new tabSource 30 · Oh My Star (Korean) · Physical: 100 season 2 review · opens in a new tabWas to hold a seminar organized by the Chuncheon Judo Supporters Association. Elite athletes from local school judo teams and recreational judo players take part.
Source 31 · Gangwon Domin Ilbo (Korean) · Chuncheon seminar · opens in a new tab Confirmed from an article announcing the event; whether it took place could not be confirmed.Appeared as the KBS Asian Games judo commentator. Five days before the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, he said he hoped for good results in judo.
Source 32 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · The Malja Show · opens in a new tab Confirmed from a broadcast preview.END OF SELECTED RECORDSSelected records, 1999–2026 · not a complete list of work. “Key moment” is an editorial label, not a measure of success.
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Sports · South Korea
Jul 19, 1981 —
Ages are counted from the birth year 1981: the year of the event minus 1981, birthdays aside. “Key moment” labels and the connecting story are AgeTrail's editorial reading.
Fact-checked: 2026.09.30 · An independent archive, not affiliated with the person or their agency.