Korea Cup 2025: Freedivers Shine at Jeju Island Depth Events

This year’s Korea Cup brought freedivers together at Jeju Island for two inspiring depth competitions, celebrating achievements, community spirit, and a volunteer-powered event entering its 10th year.

By Kristina Zvaritch
Photo © Lee JongKee

The first edition of the Korea Cup depth competition was held in 2017. Since then, it has evolved into a yearly, highly anticipated series among Korean freedivers, offering year-round opportunities in pool and depth competitions. This year’s edition of the depth Korea Cup included June and October competitions for individual athletes and a November edition for team participants.
 
Competitions are held near Munseom—an island part of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserves—near the city of Seogwipo on Jeju Island. Athletes were ferried via a shuttle boat to the main competition boat, which features two counter ballast systems, 5-8 judges, assistant judges, and a dedicated 14-16 person safety team. In the months leading up to the competition, the safety team trains at Deep Station, a 35m (115ft) deep pool in Yongin, and the staff holds a comprehensive pre-competition rehearsal the day before each event. In the nine long years of the Korea Cup, there has only been success, with no major accidents or blackouts.

June at the 2025 Korea Cup

Resting on pool noodles before heading to the competition line. Photo © Lee JongKee.

June saw 22 competitors for the 2-day competition, which featured 50m (164ft) of depth and water temperatures ranging from 20–22°C (68­–71°F). The first day’s event was unfortunately canceled due to poor weather, but the competition staff and athletes rallied on the second day. 

The top athletes in each discipline were celebrated, including Bak Seul with 50m (164ft) and Ahn Jong-hyun with 40m (131ft) in CWTB. Park Young-yoon and Kim Soo-hyun wore monofins to depths of 40m and 20m (66ft), respectively. In FIM, Yun Hoon-bin and Oh Yeom-jae both touched down at 40m, while Chang Seung-ah reached 30m (98ft) of depth. And in CNF, Chang Seong-ah reached 30m while Choi Ha-ra achieved 25m (82ft).

Korea Cup’s October 2025 Event

The October edition of the 2025 Korea Cup. Photo © Lee JongKee.

From October 15–19, 19 athletes traveled to Seogwipo to compete. Competition days were organized by discipline: Day 1 featured CWT/CWTB, Day 2 CNF, and Day 3 FIM. This time, however, competitors could announce up to 80m (262ft) of depth, and water temperatures were 27°C (81°F) at the surface and 22°C (72°F) at 70m (230ft).

Jacek Polak (POL), who competed in the 2022 edition of the Korea Cup, returned this year to take 2nd place overall among the men’s division. Day 2’s CNF event was particularly challenging with strong winds and currents, but athletes handled themselves well with no blackouts or major incidents. The day resulted in three white cards, five yellow cards from early turns, and 10 red cards. 
 
Prizes were awarded to the overall male and female winners who competed in each discipline:

Men’s Overall Winners

1st – Sungdae Kim (KOR)
2nd – Jacek Polak (POL)
3rd – Hyeonggeun Shin (KOR)

Women’s Overall Winners

1st – Namhee Kwon (KOR)
2nd – Seongeun Kim (KOR)
3rd – Minhee Lee (KOR)

Behind the Scenes

The staff behind the October edition of the 2025 Korea Cup. Photo © Lee JongKee.

The Korea Cup's nine-year safety record and smooth operations are no accident—they're the result of a dedicated volunteer team, says competition organizer and Molchanovs Wave 3 Instructor Trainer, Bongjae Kim. He couldn't be happier with the event, enjoying seeing athletes encouraging others and achieving their best in a fair and safe environment, and noting that 70% of the competition staff have been with the Korea Cup over the past three years. “They volunteer every year, and our strong teamwork and shared passion are what make this event possible,” he told Molchanovs. 
 
“As an organizer, the most enjoyable moment was gifting Molchanovs gear to our safety team,” who were equipped with the SPORT Bifins 3 Fiberglass for effortless finning, SPORT Wetsuit 3mm Outside-Lined to stay warm, and CORE Freediving Masks and Snorkels. “I’ll never forget the excitement on their faces when they received the equipment. Every year, our staff volunteers their time to support the competition, and this time, I was truly happy to give them something meaningful in return. This was only possible thanks to Molchanovs’ generous support.” Molchanovs also provided PRO Freediving Buoys for ultra-safe warm-up lines.

The experienced safety divers at the 2025 Korea Cup loved the SPORT Bifins 3 Fiberglass and SPORT Outside-Lined 3mm wetsuits. Photo © Lee JongKee.

“The safety team gave very positive feedback, especially about the SPORT Bifins 3 Fiberglass. Many were initially concerned that fiberglass fins might require more effort than their usual carbon fins, but after using them, they said they didn’t feel much difference in power or comfort. They also found the 3mm Outside-Lined wetsuits to be well-fitting, flexible, and warm, even though they are off-the-rack models.”

What’s Next for the Korea Cup?

A safety diver at the 2025 AIDA Korea Cup poses with a bubble ring. Photo © Lee JongKee.

Athletes and freediving fans are looking forward to the 3rd depth event of the 2025 Korea Cup series, the November Team competition, scheduled for November 1-3. Bongjae assured us that next year’s event, celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Korea Cup, will be even larger and extra special. It’s tentatively scheduled for late October 2026; exact dates will be confirmed in March. Interested athletes can register on the website.

About Dper Freedive

Dper Freedive, a freediving school located in Seogwipo, hosts the Korea Cup. Operating since 2016, they provide Molchanovs and AIDA courses to students and hold annual competitions for athletes. They aim to discover and nurture new freedivers by providing a safe and fair environment in which to challenge themselves. Dper Freedive also provides pre-competition coaching and workshops. More details are available on the competition website.

Stay tuned for our report on November’s Korea Cup Team competition and all other Korea Cup-related updates by following Dper Freedive’s Instagram: @dperfreedive.