PICS: Meet South Korea Beauty Queen Woo Hee-Jun, Kabaddi Player At Asian Games 2023, Has Also Served In Army

South Korea women's kabaddi team may have crashed out of the Asian Games 2023 but Miss South Korea finalist Woo Hee-jun has surely taken the sport to another level in her country using her popularity.

Woo Hee-Jun. (Source: Instagram)

When she was on a trip to India, Woo Hee-jun saw some kid playing a sport in the streets and wonder what was it called. The kids would raid into the opponent's territory which is on the other side of the line and tag one of them to come back safely to their area. They would do all that while chanting 'kabaddi, kabaddi'. That was also the name of the sport. When Woo came back to South Korea, she found there was some scope for it and began playing it. 

Woo is currently a part of the South Korea's women's national team taking part in the Asian Games 2023. But the Koreans have already crashed out unable to make it to semis after losses to India and Chinese Taipei. So, why are we talking about her. We are talking about her because despite finishing in a losing team, Woo is turning out to be an inspiration for millions in her own country. 

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The kabaddi player is just 29 years old but has already achieved a lot in her life. She is a beauty pageant finalist from 2019 in South Korea and then served as a first lieutenant in the South Korean army. Woo was relieved by the Korean army to pursue kabaddi and she is planning to return to the job again.

Woo has become quite famous in South Korea because of her professional journey and she is using the fame to popularise kabaddi in her country.

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"It’s not like it’s super popular like football or baseball but it’s getting more popular,” Woo told AFP, who is quite famous in the Asian Games village in Hangzhou.

“There is an increase in athletes and coaches and also good players in high schools and universities and different leagues as well, so I think it’s going to develop more," she said on growing popularity of kabaddi in South Korea.

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While South Korea has not been able to make it to the semis of the women's event at Asiad, Woo's popularity will certainly help the sport grow in her country and elsewhere, which is a huge win for the sport.

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Coming to India's kabaddi teams, both men's and women's teams will be competing in the gold medal match soon.