South korea: South Korea has not clinched a gold medal in Asian Games men's handball since 2010, with Qatar dominating the past three tournaments, reflecting the Middle East's growing influence in the sport. This year, Cho Young-shin, the head coach from South Korea's victorious 2010 squad, returns to lead the team with aspirations of reclaiming the top spot on the podium. At a national team press conference held on Wednesday, Cho expressed his optimism about his team's prospects, stating they are poised to surprise the handball world. "I know we have not lived up to expectations lately, but I think we can set the tournament on fire this time. We will do our best to become the best team in Asia again," Cho emphasized at the Jincheon National Training Center, located 85 kilometers south of Seoul. He praised his players' individual skills and highlighted their strong team dynamics, asserting that this current squad could be the greatest South Korean team ever.
According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea's recent performance in men's handball has been less than stellar, finishing fifth at the Asian championships in January, with Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait occupying the top three positions. Qatar and Bahrain, in particular, have emerged as dominant forces in Asian men's handball, securing either first or second place in five of the last seven Asian championships. Qatar defeated Bahrain to win gold medals at both the 2018 and 2023 Asian Games, and they bested South Korea in the 2014 finals.
Cho's confidence in this year's team stems from their improved teamwork and defensive strategies. "In the past, we tended to give up easy goals. We wanted to tighten things up at our own end, especially against opponents' fast breaks," Cho explained. He also noted the team's strategic shift on offense, focusing on high-percentage plays and exploiting defensive gaps rather than rushing to score. The men's tournament will consist of four teams in Group A and five teams in Group B, with all four nations from Group A and the top four from Group B advancing to the quarterfinals. Quarterfinal matchups will feature cross-group play, with Group A winners facing the fourth-ranked teams from Group B, and vice versa.
South Korea finds itself in Group B alongside Bahrain, Kuwait, Iran, and Kazakhstan. Group B matches will take place at Kasugai City Gymnasium in Kasugai and Entrio in Inazawa, near the main host city. Cho identified the opening game against Kuwait on September 21 as crucial for his team, drawing lessons from their 31-27 loss to Kuwait at this year's Asian championships. "Back then, our players were in the middle of their domestic club seasons, and we only had about 10 days to prepare. We were not as efficient as we wanted to be," Cho reflected. The team has since analyzed their past performance and worked on improving their offensive efficiency against Kuwait's defense. Cho remains confident that his players will avoid repeating their earlier mistakes come September.