South Korea claimed both Poomsae titles on Thursday, October 1, as Taekwondo competition began at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games in Japan. Jung Ha-eun won the women’s individual event, while Yun Kyu-sung secured the men’s individual gold at Toyohashi Gymnasium.

As outlined in MASTKD’s earlier coverage, Poomsae opened the sport’s programme as the Games entered their final stretch. Kyorugi will follow on October 2 and 3, while October 2 will also feature Virtual Taekwondo’s debut as an official medal event.

Two individual events combining Recognized Poomsae and Freestyle

The Poomsae programme featured two medal events: men’s individual and women’s individual, with no Pair or Team competitions.

A defining feature of the format was that Recognized Poomsae and Freestyle did not award separate titles. Each athlete performed one recognized routine and one freestyle routine, with the average of the two scores determining the overall result. Each event awarded one gold, one silver and two bronze medals.

The format required athletes to meet two different demands: executing a prescribed technical sequence in Recognized Poomsae and delivering an original composition in Freestyle. Success depended on their combined performance across both routines.

Competition included semifinal groups followed by an eight-athlete final. The top four competitors from each group advanced, with the athletes finishing third and fourth in the final both receiving bronze medals.

Jung Ha-eun leads the women’s podium

Jung Ha-eun won the women’s title with 9.310 points, ahead of Juliana Mykhail Candelaria of the Philippines, who earned silver with 9.130. Thitaree Kaewolanwasu of Thailand, with 9.040, and Yuiko Niwa of Japan, with 8.910, took bronze.

The result gave South Korea its second consecutive women’s individual title, following Cha Yea-eun’s victory at Hangzhou 2022, which was held in 2023.

Yun Kyu-sung extends Korea’s winning streak

In the men’s individual event, Yun Kyu-sung scored 9.380 points, finishing one tenth of a point ahead of Navin Pinthasute of Thailand, who earned silver with 9.280. Jeus Gabriel Derick Yape of the Philippines, with 9.090, and Darren Yap of Singapore, with 9.040, completed the podium.

South Korea maintained its perfect record in the men’s individual event since Poomsae joined the Asian Games programme in 2018. Kang Min-sung won in Jakarta, Kang Wan-jin followed in Hangzhou, and Yun Kyu-sung continued the streak in Japan.

The competition also produced a milestone for Singapore. Darren Yap became the country’s first-ever Taekwondo medalist at the Asian Games. He will return on October 2 to compete in Virtual Taekwondo.

All Poomsae medalists

Women’s Individual

• 🥇 🇰🇷 Jung Ha-eun — South Korea: 9.310 points.
• 🥈 🇵🇭 Juliana Mykhail Candelaria — Philippines: 9.130 points.
• 🥉 🇹🇭 Thitaree Kaewolanwasu — Thailand: 9.040 points.
• 🥉 🇯🇵 Yuiko Niwa — Japan: 8.910 points.

Men’s Individual

• 🥇 🇰🇷 Yun Kyu-sung — South Korea: 9.380 points.
• 🥈 🇹🇭 Navin Pinthasute — Thailand: 9.280 points.
• 🥉 🇵🇭 Jeus Gabriel Derick Yape — Philippines: 9.090 points.
• 🥉 🇸🇬 Darren Yap — Singapore: 9.040 points.

Next: Kyorugi and Virtual Taekwondo’s debut

Aichi-Nagoya 2026 will change Taekwondo history

With the Poomsae titles decided, competition will continue on Friday, October 2, and Saturday, October 3, with Kyorugi, offering eight gold medals across the Olympic weight categories:

• Men: −58kg, −68kg, −80kg and +80kg.
• Women: −49kg, −57kg, −67kg and +67kg.

October 2 will also mark Virtual Taekwondo’s debut as an official Asian Games medal event. The mixed individual tournament will bring together 16 athletes, with men and women competing in the same event. Darren Yap will be among the participants after his historic Poomsae bronze.

Toyohashi will therefore move from recognized and freestyle routines to sparring and virtual competition before Taekwondo concludes on October 3. Across its three-day programme, Aichi-Nagoya 2026 will award 11 Taekwondo titles: two in Poomsae, eight in Kyorugi and one in Virtual Taekwondo.

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