Swimming at the Asian Games had long been dominated by the teams from China and Japan. In fact, those two nations had won every single relay in the swimming pool at the continental showcase since 1958. If a relay was being swum, the only two favourites for 65 years would be either China or Japan.

But leading into 2023, Korea swimming had emerged as a freestyle power on the men’s side, something that Hwang Sun-woo had helped build in his young career.

Rising the World Ranks

Hwang had been tabbed as one of the rising star Korean athletes in the lead-up to the Tokyo Olympics, having been selected as one of the flag bearers for the opening ceremony at age 18. In press conferences held before the Games, he stated his fandom of Jennie and Yeji, members of K-pop girl groups Blackpink and Itzy, respectively, to which Yeji posted a photo on social media of the finger heart gesture in support of Hwang before the 200m freestyle final in Tokyo.

After he set the world junior record in the 200m freestyle ahead of the Games in late 2020, he was considered an outside shot for a medal in the wide open race. In his first major international meet, he was leading the 200m freestyle final for 175 meters before falling apart and finishing a mere seventh place. In the 100m, he set the Asian record in the semifinals before finishing fifth in the final.

He didn’t come home with any medals, but it was a promising international debut for the Korean. And his 200m freestyle speed also helped Korea qualify its first men’s relay to the Olympics since 1996, where they placed 13th in the 4x200m.

A year later at the World Championships in Budapest, Hwang’s influence on Korean swimming really showed.

On the first night in the Hungarian capital, Kim Woo-min, age 20, made the final of the 400m freestyle, while Hwang, age 19, won silver in the 200m freestyle two nights later with a new national record of 1:44.47. It was the nation’s first medal at the World Championships since Park Tae-hwan won the 400m freestyle in 2011.

Together, Hwang and Kim teamed up with Lee Ho-joon and Lee Yoo-yeon to break the national record and finish sixth in the 4x200m free at those Worlds in Budapest. It was a sign of good things to come for the team that was in a medal position for about 500 meters - all four of the swimmers were under the age of 22 and were less than three seconds away from a medal. With Hwang leading the charge, perhaps the likes of Kim and Lee could boost the team to a medal at a major international meet in the coming years.

Train to Fukuoka

As momentum gained for the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka, many were starting to see the Koreans as a popular upset pick for the 4x200m bronze medal. The team of Hwang, Kim, Lee, and Yang Jae-hoon were out-touched for a medal in the last five meters at the World Short Course Championships at the end of 2022. From a flat start, their best long course times in 2023 were faster overall than Australia’s best four.

Not only had Hwang become one of the top 200m freestylers in the world, but Kim was ranked in the top ten in the world in the 400m freestyle, and Lee was ranked highly in the 200m. The Koreans were quickly building a freestyle monopoly, and the depth was on display in Fukuoka.

Hwang and Lee made the final of the 200m freestyle at the 2023 Worlds, the first time that Korea had two swimmers make a final in the same event. Hwang was out-touched at the finish for the gold medal but still swam a best time for the bronze at 1:44.42, while Lee was sixth at 1:46.04.

Many Korean reporters that made the short trip to Fukuoka talked to the pair after the race in a mixed zone session that lasted nearly 20 minutes.

“I’m really happy and satisfied that I beat my personal best,” Hwang said to reporters in Fukuoka after the 200m freestyle. “We had Lee Ho-joon with me in the final and I personally think it is a great development for Korean swimming so I feel very proud of that.”

With Hwang and Lee, a relay medal in the 4x200m was a real possibility based on how they were swimming, and more people started to believe.

But on the night of the 4x200m freestyle, Hwang swam nearly two seconds slower than his individual race from three nights prior at 1:46.35. The Koreans still swam a national record at 7:04.07 with big 1:44 splits from Kim and Lee, but had Hwang replicated his swim from the individual, they’d be in medal contention alongside the bronze medalists Australia.

Taking down the Kings

Two months later at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Hwang was swapped from the lead-off leg to the anchor on the 4x200m. Yang, who was the weak link and the oldest of the bunch at age 25, led off in a huge best time of 1:46.83, while Lee (1:45.36) and Kim (1:44.50) followed suit to give their superstar Hwang clean water.

As he dove in with a two second lead on China, it was a huge moment for the sport of swimming in South Korea.

Hwang anchored in 1:45.04, and the Koreans smashed the national and Asian record with a 7:01.73, which was faster than Australia’s bronze medal in Fukuoka. For the first time in over six decades, it was neither China nor Japan at the top of the podium for a swimming relay at the Asian Games.

“As everyone knows, relay events need a team of four athletes and they have to be in a good condition in order to make a good result,” Hwang told World Aquatics through a translator. Hwang also won the individual gold medal in the 200m freestyle at the Asian Games in a continental record at 1:44.40.

“I am extremely proud of the gold medal and appreciate the teammates’ effort and dedication. Also, winning medals at international level competitions as a national team athlete is a truly joyful and precious experience. I want to be on the podium with my colleagues at the World Championships, which will be a powerful motivation to me and my teammates.”

Hwang’s success has made him a household name in Korean sport as he has amassed over 139,000 Instagram followers. His status as an elite swimmer has raised the profile of swimming in a country where baseball, soccer, and speed skating dominate.

“I could actually feel that there are many fans supporting me since the Tokyo Olympics,” Hwang said. “I can also actually see many sports fans are getting more interested in swimming. It is a huge support and encouragement for swimmers. I will always try to perform my best to meet the expectations of the fans.”

Doha and Paris Calling

In 2023, Hwang had the luxury of having his two biggest meets of the year in Asia - the World Championships in Fukuoka a mere hour and 15 minute flight from Seoul, while the Asian Games in Hangzhou a two hour flight across the East China Sea. This year however is a different story, with the Doha World Championships and Paris Olympics further west.

It hasn’t stopped him in the past, as he won the 2021 World Short Course title in Abu Dhabi, and individual Worlds silver in Budapest in 2022, but it’s a challenge he is preparing for.

“I will prepare and adjust my condition according to the competition schedule,” Hwang said. “Besides, I am confident in adapting to a new environment and maintaining good condition for the competition. I am not overly concerned about it. I have good memories of performing in the competitions held in Europe and the Middle East before, so I am looking forward to swimming at the upcoming events.”

Leading into another Olympic year, Hwang, who will turn 21 in May as the youngest member of the current 4x200m relay, is headlining a young Korean team into the World Aquatics Championships in Doha looking to solidify qualification for the Paris Games. The team of Hwang, Kim, Lee Ho-joon, Lee Yoo-yeon and Yang Jae-hoon flew south to Australia to train with coach Michael Palfrey in Sippy Downs, Queensland for a training trip ahead of the World Championships, a spot that Hwang has frequented before his major meets.

After their success at the Asian Games, the Koreans will be sending their best team to Qatar for the World Championships, where a gold medal is not out of the realm of possibilities for the team this year.

“It has been a satisfying 2023,” Hwang said. “I don’t think I could have won so many medals without support from the fans.

Together, the Korean freestylers have helped spark a new era for the nation. With Hwang’s success individually, the rest of the national team has stepped up and started to rise. At the Asian Games in September, the Koreans won six gold medals as a team, including four of the six men’s freestyle events. Before this year, the most gold medals Korean swimming had ever won at the Asian Games was four in 2010. If Hwang and his teammates continue on this trajectory, they could make history again for South Korea - no Korean relay team has qualified for an Olympic final in swimming.

“I think Korean swimming has grown a lot over the past few years,” Hwang said. “In the past, there were only few Korean swimmers qualified for the Olympics, but now there are many swimmers qualified for various events, including world championships and the Olympics. There are many Korean swimmers who could possibly advance to the finals, not just participating in the competition. It is really encouraging that we can prepare for the Olympics together. I am really looking forward to showing what I have prepared for the Olympics with colleagues.”

Q&A Time with Hwang Sunwoo

How is your preparation going for the World Aquatics Championships? Have you travelled to Australia previously for training purposes?

I arrived in Australia for training last week. Since it is summer here, the weather is quite hot and humid. Also swimming pool here is outdoors, so there are some difficulties in getting used to the new training environment. However, I think training is going well even if it is only the first week of training. I am preparing in Australia for the upcoming World Aquatics Championships.

This my third time coming to Australia before competitions. I came to Australia for training twice in 2022 and 2023. A new training environment and method always helped me to enhance my performance. I think it helped me improve my skills by training in a new environment and new sports methods.

Where do you live and who is your coach? Who is in your training group?

I am currently training with coach Michael Palfrey in Sippy Downs, Queensland. I am training with Men’s 800m freestyle relay national team, Kim Woo-min, Lee Ho-joon, Lee Yoo-yeon and Yang Jae-hoon.

Coming off of Bronze in Fukuoka and two golds in Hangzhou, how are you feeling ahead of these Worlds in Doha and what are you hoping to accomplish before the Olympics?

Last year, there were many big events, including the World Aquatics Championships and the Asian Games. It has been a satisfying 2023. I earned bronze medals in 200m freestyle along with a new personal record at the world championships and several medals at the Asian Games.

I don’t think I could have won so many medals without the support from the fans. The World Championships will be held again ahead of the Olympics. I want to win a medal and break my personal record at the world championships. I also want to set a new Korean record not only in individual events but also in the 800m relay with my colleagues.

Korean swimmers won four of the men's freestyle gold medals at the Asian Games, and you have seemingly played a big role in that improvement. How have you noticed the differences in the national team in this Olympic year?

I think Korean swimming has grown a lot over the past few years. In the past, there were only a few Korean swimmers who qualified for the Olympics, but now there are many swimmers who qualified for various events, including world championships and the Olympics. Many Korean swimmers could advance to the finals, not just participating in the competition. It is really encouraging that we can prepare for the Olympics together. I am really looking forward to showing what I have prepared for the Olympics with colleagues.

How special was it to win the 4x200m freestyle relay at the Asian Games alongside Kim Woo-min and Lee Ho-joon?

The gold medal in the 800m freestyle relay at the Asian Games is a proud achievement. As everyone knows, relay events need a team of four athletes and they have to be in good condition to make a good result. I am extremely proud of the gold medal and appreciate the teammates’ effort and dedication.

Winning medals at international level competitions as a national team athlete is a truly joyful and precious experience. I want to be on the podium with my colleagues at the World Championships, which will be a powerful motivation for me and my teammates.

How big are you in Korea?

Yes, I could feel that many fans are supporting me since the Tokyo Olympics. I can also see that many sports fans are getting more interested in swimming. It is a huge support and encouragement for swimmers. I will always try to perform my best to meet the expectations of the fans.

Most of your major meets have been in Asian cities like Tokyo, Fukuoka and Hangzhou. Do you change up any of your preparation when you have to fly west, like you will to compete in Doha and Paris? 

Last year, all major competitions took place in Asia, so there were no external difficulties. However, most of the major competitions, including the World Aquatics Championships and the Olympics, are in countries where I have to take long flights and adjust to new time zones. These are challenges that I have to overcome to do better at the major championships, but I will prepare and adjust my condition according to the competition schedule. Besides, I am confident in adapting to a new environment and maintaining a good condition for the competition.

I am not overly concerned about it. I have good memories of performing in the competitions held in Europe and the Middle East before, so I looking forward to swimming at the upcoming events.