A Korean Female Judo Athlete Anonymously Rescues A Man Who Was Stuck In Crashing Waves

It was belatedly revealed that a 27-year-old female judo athlete rescued a vacationer who was swept away by waves.

According to Suncheon City Hall on August 9, Yang Seo Woo (formerly known as Kang Yoo Jung) rescued a 78-year-old male vacationer who was swept away by waves to a deep area due to a sudden tidal current at Mallipo Beach in Taean on August 5.

The judo athlete was visiting her mother in Mallipo when she saw the dispatched emergency rescue team reequipping themselves before heading back into the rough waves caused by the strong tide. She immediately jumped into the sea and rescued the vacationer.

Yang Seo Woo left the scene immediately after the rescue without revealing her identity. However, the rescued man’s family found out by word of mouth that she was a judo athlete and searched for her online to find her contact information. The daughter of his family expressed her gratitude toward the hero.

We are truly thankful that she jumped into the sea without hesitation to rescue my father in such a critical situation.

—The daughter of the rescued man

Yang Seo Woo’s heroic act became publicly known a few days later when the man’s family called Suncheon City Hall’s Sports Industry Department to say thank you.

The hero told her side of the story and why she decided to run in and help him.

My mother is a haenyo (a female diver) and works in Malllipo, so I went to see her over the weekend. That’s when I ended up rescuing the vacationer. I am familiar with the sea, and I felt that it would become harder to rescue as time passed because the tide was coming in, so I jumped in. I just did what anyone else would have done, but I’m thankful for the love I’ve been receiving.

— Yang Seo Woo

Yang Seo Woo moved the nation with her dedication after she shaved her head to show her fighting spirit and to pass the weigh-in for the women’s -48 Kg category at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She changed her name from Kang Yoo Jung to Yang Seo Woo to take on her stepfather’s last name and use the first name that her parents received from a naming center.

She also made a guest appearance on SBS‘s Today’s Webtoon, starring former I.O.I member Kim Sejeong.