[PHOTOS] Back on top: S. Korea ends 8-year wait for handball gold

South Korea’s Gim Bo-eun attempts a shot during the women’s handball final match against Japan on Day 8 of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at the Toyoda Gosei Memorial Gymnasium in Inazawa, Aichi, Japan, Sept. 27. Korea won 27-23. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

South Korea’s Lee Yeon-gyeong attempts a shot during the women’s handball final match against Japan on Day 8 of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at the Toyoda Gosei Memorial Gymnasium in Inazawa, Aichi, Japan, Sept. 27. Korea won 27-23. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

South Korea’s Jeon Ji-yeon blocks the ball as Japan's Aizawa Natsuki attempts a shot during the women’s handball final match on Day 8 of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at the Toyoda Gosei Memorial Gymnasium in Inazawa, Aichi, Japan, Sept. 27. Korea won 27-23. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

South Korea’s Kwon Han-na attempts a shot during the women’s handball final match against Japan on Day 8 of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at the Toyoda Gosei Memorial Gymnasium in Inazawa, Aichi, Japan, Sept. 27. Korea won 27-23. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

South Korea’s Gim Bo-eun attempts a shot during the women’s handball final match against Japan on Day 8 of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at the Toyoda Gosei Memorial Gymnasium in Inazawa, Aichi, Japan, Sept. 27. Korea won 27-23. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

South Korea’s Han Mi-seul tries to block the ball as Japan's Matsuura Minami attempts a shot during the women’s handball final match on Day 8 of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at the Toyoda Gosei Memorial Gymnasium in Inazawa, Aichi, Japan, Sept. 27. Korea won 27-23. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

South Korea competes in the women’s handball final match against Japan on Day 8 of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at the Toyoda Gosei Memorial Gymnasium in Inazawa, Aichi, Japan, Sept. 27. Korea won the gold medal. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

South Korea’s Woo Bit-na passes the ball during the women’s handball final match against Japan on Day 8 of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at the Toyoda Gosei Memorial Gymnasium in Inazawa, Aichi, Japan, Sept. 27. Korea won 27-23. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

South Korea’s Kim Min-seo attempts a shot during the women’s handball final match against Japan on Day 8 of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at the Toyoda Gosei Memorial Gymnasium in Inazawa, Aichi, Japan, Sept. 27. Korea won 27-23. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

South Korea’s Kim So-ra tries to block the ball as Japan's Aizawa Natsuki attempts a shot during the women’s handball final match on Day 8 of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at the Toyoda Gosei Memorial Gymnasium in Inazawa, Aichi, Japan, Sept. 27. Korea won 27-23. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

South Korea’s Jeon Ji-yeon attempts a shot during the women’s handball final match against Japan on Day 8 of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at the Toyoda Gosei Memorial Gymnasium in Inazawa, Aichi, Japan, Sept. 27. Korea won 27-23. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

South Korea’s Kwon Han-na reacts after scoring a goal during the women’s handball final match against Japan on Day 8 of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at the Toyoda Gosei Memorial Gymnasium in Inazawa, Aichi, Japan, Sept. 27. Korea won 27-23. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

South Korea’s Kim So-ra celebrates after the women’s handball final match against Japan on Day 8 of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at the Toyoda Gosei Memorial Gymnasium in Inazawa, Aichi, Japan, Sept. 27. Korea won 27-23. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

South Korean women’s handball players celebrate their victory over in the gold medal match of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at the Toyoda Gosei Memorial Gymnasium in Inazawa, Aichi, Japan, Sept. 27. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

South Korean women’s handball players celebrate their victory in the gold medal match of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at the Toyoda Gosei Memorial Gymnasium in Inazawa, Aichi, Japan, Sept. 27. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk