Song Hae-rim, who coached the Sony team to success in Japan, highlights the declining endurance and speed of Korean handball players compared to their Japanese counterparts.
Song Hae-rim, a former player and now coach of the Incheon Metropolitan City Women's Handball Team, recently returned to Korea after leading Sony to victory in the Japanese women's handball league. Having spent nearly a decade in Japan both as a player and a coach, his insights into the evolving landscape of handball emphasize the strengths of the Japanese team. He notes that while Korean players still possess excellent fundamentals and skills, their physical advantages in terms of speed and endurance are diminishing, calling attention to heightened competition from Japan.
A pivotal moment underscoring this shift was the defeat of Korea by Japan in the women's handball final at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, an event that shocked many, including Song, who had previously achieved great success in the sport. This loss symbolizes a concerning trend for Korean handball, historically renowned for its competitive edge. Furthermore, the ranking disparities noted in recent competitions—Korea ranked 23rd and Japan 13th in the 2025 World Championships—highlight the struggles that Korea currently faces in maintaining its status in the sport.
Song attributes Japan's competitive edge to a deeper talent pool developed through robust grassroots programs like Japan's school and club activities, which have strengthened the foundation for sports. Unlike Korea, where players tend to stay within a fixed roster for extended periods due to a thinner player base, Japan’s system encourages frequent changes in the national team. This inconsistency in team dynamics presents challenges for Korea's performance on the international stage, illustrating the urgent need for development strategies to regain competitiveness against teams like Japan.
