Techball Gold Medalist Lee Jun-seok: Resigning Just Before Becoming a Full-time Employee—A Life Reversal

He threw in his resignation even with the prospect of becoming a full-time employee at a large corporation right before him. He chose the dream stage, which might never come again, over a stable job. Lee Jun-seok, the first Techball gold medalist at the Asian Games, shared the grueling challenges hidden behind his gold medal and the dream he could not give up, delivering a deep resonance.

Lee Jun-seok appeared on the tvN entertainment program 'You Quiz on the Block' broadcast on the 14th, looking back on his time living as a Techball athlete. Although he is the protagonist who won the first-ever gold medal in Techball, which was adopted as an official sport at the Asian Games for the first time, he confessed that he himself did not fully realize the glory. He said, "Personally, when I was resting, I rested the same way at home, so it didn't feel real, but coming here, I feel like I actually did something." While his daily life did not change much, the weight of the path he walked was by no means ordinary.

Lee Jun-seok played as a soccer player in the K3 League until the age of 21. For him, who was looking for a new career path after taking off his soccer cleats, Techball was a challenge that was both familiar and unfamiliar. He was introduced to the sport through the recommendation of a coach he knew, but realistic barriers blocked him from even starting his athletic career. Even preparing the equipment to be used in matches was not easy. Lee Jun-seok recalled, "The cheapest entry-level model is a little less than 3 million won by today's standards," adding, "I tried to solve it on my own, but it was impossible. Since I was also 21, it wasn't easy." Ultimately, he was able to take his first steps with his mother's help.

Times came when talent alone was not enough to endure. International competitions were suspended due to COVID-19, and in a situation where even a Techball professional team did not exist, it was difficult to guarantee his future as an athlete. To make a living, Lee Jun-seok worked as a contract production worker at a large corporation while continuing his training. Despite the grueling labor of standing for 12 hours, he did not stop training. After work, he would run home, visit the gym during breaks, and try to touch the ball somehow. Even in a situation where immediate results were not guaranteed, he disciplined himself with the single belief that an opportunity would eventually come.

His challenge did not stop within the country. Lee Jun-seok traveled to Hungary, the home country of Techball, at his own expense. After exchanging messages with local player Ádám Blázsovics, he improved his skills by receiving direct coaching. Blázsovics evaluated Lee Jun-seok by saying, "He is a player any coach would covet. He did exactly what I requested." His attitude of absorbing instructions and making them his own even in an unfamiliar environment was the driving force that allowed him to move toward the world stage.

The most decisive choice came in February this year. As the adoption of Techball as an official sport at the Asian Games was confirmed, the dream stage approached Lee Jun-seok as reality. It happened to be the same time he was on the verge of being converted to a full-time employee at a large corporation. Between a stable job and an uncertain athletic career, he ultimately chose to submit his resignation. His words, "Since it is a dream stage, I thought, 'I can just start economic activities again,' and since I didn't know when I might stand on this stage, I wrote my resignation and left," contained the desperation of not wanting to miss the opportunity.

The reason Lee Jun-seok's story is special lies in the risks he took to reach that result, rather than the gold medal itself. From preparing expensive equipment to labor for a living, overseas training, and the decision to give up full-time employment, none of the choices were easy. Especially for athletes in unpopular sports, it is a reality that is difficult to sustain with passion alone. The reason he was able to continue training even during the period when international competitions and professional teams disappeared was because of his belief in his own potential and the help of those around him.

Amidst recent controversies surrounding remarks made by some members of the national soccer team regarding military service exemptions, the choice shown by Lee Jun-seok makes one rethink the meaning of the name "national athlete" and the medal. Since the sports and situations are different, the two cases cannot be simply compared, but it is worth reflecting on what processes athletes go through to wear the national emblem and stand on the international stage, and what responsibility and effort lie behind those achievements. For Lee Jun-seok, the gold medal was not a sudden stroke of luck. It was the result created by the time he did not let go of the ball even in the face of an uncertain future and his determination to lay down a stable life for his dream.

Read the original (Korean)