Korea's Men's Handball Falls to Japan, Misses Medal for 8th Year

South Korea's men's national handball team finished the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games empty-handed after being stopped by Japan.

Korea, coached by Cho Young-shin, lost 32-37 to Japan in the men's handball bronze-medal match at Entrio in Inazawa, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on the 29th. Korea had been seeking its first medal in eight years, since winning bronze at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games, but could not get past Japan.

The defeat also ended a 44-year streak in which Korea had not lost to Japan at the Asian Games since the 1982 New Delhi Games.

Korea, which has won six gold medals — the most by any country since handball became an official Asian Games event in 1982 — failed to reach the podium for a second consecutive Games after the 2023 Hangzhou edition. It was the third time Korea's men's handball team has finished outside the top three at the Asian Games, following the 2006 Doha Games and the 2023 Hangzhou Games. Japan, meanwhile, claimed bronze for the first time in 16 years, since the 2010 Guangzhou Games.

Korea advanced to the quarterfinals as the No. 2 team in Group B, posting two wins, one draw and one loss for five points in the group stage. In the quarterfinals, it beat China 32-26 to keep alive its bid for a first gold in 16 years. But in the semifinals, Korea lost 30-32 to Qatar, a strong title favorite, in a close match that ended its run to the final.

Korea converted just 45% of its shots (12 of 27), while Japan shot 63% (17 of 27), a gap that showed in finishing. Right back Kim Jin-young led the team with seven goals, and goalkeeper Park Jae-yong of Hanam City Hall made 12 saves, but their efforts were not enough to prevent the loss.

The loss also ended Korea's unbeaten run of nine straight Asian Games matches against Japan, with seven wins and two draws. According to the Korea Handball Federation, Korea has met Japan 10 times at the Asian Games, with seven wins, two draws and one loss.