Kim Jae-bum
South Korean judoka
金宰范 · 金宰範 · 김재범
- Born
- 25 January 1985, Gimcheon
- Citizenship
- South Korea
- Sport
- judo
- Occupation
- judoka
- Height
- 180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
- Weight
- 78 kg (172 lb)
Kim Jae-bum (김재범) (Korean pronunciation: [kim.dʑɛ̝.bʌm]; born 25 January 1985, in Gimcheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do) is a retired South Korean judoka. Despite being plagued with injuries throughout his career, Kim is known for dominating major competitions at the half-middleweight category (81 kg)—particularly between his Olympic debut in 2008 and his 2012 Olympic finals rematch against Ole Bischof.
Kim has had several nicknames, including "Man of One Arm Wins" for his successes through injury, "Korean Tiger" for his aggressive play and iconic status in South Korean judo, and "Energizer Bunny" for his quick and relentless style of judo.
He was granted exemption from South Korea's mandatory military service in 2010, following his gold medal victory at the Guangzhou Asian Games.
Competitions
| Competition | Year | Result |
|---|---|---|
| judo at the 2008 Summer Olympics – men's 81 kg | 2008 | |
| 2010 Asian Games | 2010 | |
| judo at the 2012 Summer Olympics – men's 81 kg | 2012 | |
| 2014 Asian Games | 2014 |
External links
Facts from Wikidata Q448133 (CC0); quoted introduction from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Data retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: Wikidata (CC0 1.0); Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.