Kim Hyo-bin dedicates canoeing double gold to his foster parents
Summary
Kim Hyo-bin dedicated his two Asian Games gold medals to the foster parents who raised him in Buyeo. The 25-year-old canoeist won gold in the men’s kayak four 500-meter event on Sept. 24 and the men’s kayak double 500-meter event the next day at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. He said canoeing helped him through bullying and depression in high school, and he became the first Korean athlete to win two gold medals at the Games.
Key Facts
- Kim Hyo-bin was raised by Lee Gong-heon, 70, and Choi Hyeon-suk, 63, after they took him in when he was 9 months old.
- He lived in a children’s home in Buyeo until he left at 19, and he said the facility and the people around it were like family to him.
- Kim won his first gold medal on Sept. 24 in the men’s canoe sprint kayak four 500-meter event.
- He won his second gold medal the following day in the men’s kayak double 500-meter event with Cho Gwang-hee.
- Kim and Cho later said the Korea Canoe Federation had provided insufficient support and communication, and the federation said it was examining the situation closely.
Kim Hyo-bin, center, a double gold medalist in canoe sprint kayak events, poses with his foster family after arriving at Incheon International Airport, Sept. 27. Courtesy of Kim Hyo-bin
If there are students or athletes in similar circumstances to mine, I want to tell them, ‘If you don't give up, the world you've dreamed of can surely open up before you.'
Kim Hyo-bin, a 25-year-old who has become a rising star in Korean canoeing and won two gold medals at the Asian Games, broke down in tears as he spoke about the couple who raised him with love.
Lee Gong-heon, 70, and his wife, Choi Hyeon-suk, 63, took him in when he was 9 months old and cared for him until he left their children's home at 19.
“They are my parents,” Kim said, wiping away tears repeatedly. “Although I never experienced the care of my biological parents, I don't think it would be easy for any biological parents to care for me as well as they did.”
At the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, he won two titles alongside his idol and fellow former student from Buyeo High School, Cho Gwang-hee, 33, who also represents Ulsan Metropolitan City Hall.
Kim claimed his first gold medal on Sept. 24 in the men's canoe sprint kayak four 500-meter event. The following day, he and Cho won the men's kayak double 500-meter event, making Kim the first Korean athlete to win two gold medals at this year's Games.
Caressing his medals, Kim said, “I never expected to win gold in the four-person event. All of this feels like a dream.”
His path to the top was far from smooth.
Placed in a children's home in Buyeo at the request of the city when he was 9 months old, Kim grew up regarding the facility as his home and the people around him as family.
“Even as a child, I was proud of living in a children's home and never felt intimidated,” he said. “But after entering high school, I was teased for being an orphan and bullied. I went through difficult times, including depression.”
Canoeing, which he began pursuing seriously in middle school, helped him through those struggles.
“Canoeing was what pulled me back when I was going through a difficult period,” Kim said. “If there are students or athletes in similar circumstances to mine, I want to tell them, ‘If you don't give up, the world you've dreamed of can surely open up before you.’”
Asked about the biggest challenge in his life, Kim unexpectedly pointed to his frail health.
He suffered from various illnesses during childhood and had several close brushes with death.
In a phone interview with The Hankook Ilbo, Choi recalled, “He became part of our family along with his older sister, who is two years older than him, but Hyo-bin was particularly frail.”
“We took him to hospitals in Buyeo, Daejeon and even Seoul, and there were times when we managed to pull him through critical situations,” she said. “I'm so proud that he has grown up healthy and become one of the best canoeists in Asia.”
Kim had hoped to invite his foster parents to the Games, but he reportedly tickets for the canoeing events had sold out well in advance. Instead, he was able to return home with two gold medals and express his gratitude to them.
Kim Hyo-bin, left, who won two gold medals in the men's canoe sprint, holds up his medals alongside teammate and fellow medalist Cho Gwang-hee at Korea House in Nagoya, Japan, Sept. 26. Korea Times photo by Kim Hyeong-jun
Even after leaving the children's home, the people there have continued to be a strong support system for Kim. On his return to Korea on Sunday, his foster parents, along with other family members, left Buyeo early in the morning to welcome him at Incheon International Airport.
Kim placed his gold medals around the necks of the couple who raised him and embraced them tightly. Lee and Choi also offered words of encouragement to Kim as he sets his sights on the world stage, as well as to other children who may follow in his footsteps.
“Who would ever want to come to our home?” Choi said, referring to the children's home. “Even if life takes you in a direction different from what you had hoped for, I hope you will overcome it.”
‘Insufficient support for national team'
Meanwhile, Kim and Cho said after the Games that the Korea Canoe Federation had provided insufficient support and communication.
The federation expressed some frustration over the athletes' criticism but said it was “examining the situation closely and will communicate with athletes and coaches.”
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.
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