Former South Korean men’s basketball star Seo Jang-hoon reflected on winning the gold medal at the 2002 Busan Asian Games and discussed his post-retirement television career during an appearance on the SBS variety program “What Will Genie Do – Secretary Jin,” broadcast on Dec. 9.
Reflecting on the 2002 Busan Gold Medal
During the program, Seo recalled the tense 2002 Asian Games men’s basketball final, where South Korea faced a Chinese squad anchored by 227-centimeter Yao Ming. The match went into overtime, during which Seo scored a crucial 3-pointer to help drive a comeback victory. The win secured South Korea’s first Asian Games gold medal in men’s basketball in 20 years.
In the immediate aftermath of the victory, television interviews captured Seo shedding tears while redirecting praise away from his own performance and toward his teammates. Co-star Lee Seo-jin remarked during the broadcast that the archival footage made him feel emotional as well.
Predictions for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games
Shifting focus to contemporary international competition, Seo evaluated the South Korean men’s basketball squad for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games as a “golden generation.” He revealed that he had accurately predicted the team would win the gold medal ahead of the tournament.
Transition to Television and Emotional Management
Since retiring from professional basketball, Seo has established a career in television, appearing on programs such as “Divorce Deliberation Camp,” “Ask Us Anything,” and “Love War.” Addressing how he handles the intense emotional weight of the stories featured on these shows, Seo explained that he makes a conscious effort to process and release the stress immediately so it does not affect his schedule the following day.
Reflecting on his public profile outside of sports, Seo noted with humor that younger viewers often mistake his identity entirely. “Kid friends think I’m a tall comedian,” he said.
Worth a look
