Sandersen wins Denmark’s first taekwondo title while honouring her Korean roots

Eva Eun-kyung Sandersen opened the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games with a golden performance in women’s individual poomsae on Thursday, 17 July, securing Denmark’s first-ever FISU Games medal in taekwondo.

For the 24-year-old pharmacy student from the University of Copenhagen, the victory was not only the result of athletic discipline, but also a personal milestone rooted in family history and cultural identity.

A legacy shaped by two homelands

Sandersen was born in Denmark, but her story begins decades earlier in Korea. Both of her parents were adopted from Korea to Denmark as children. They later met through a Korean adoptee community in Denmark, fell in love, and built a family rooted in two cultures.

At home, Korean customs were alive and present. “We eat kimchi, we do Korean barbecue in the garden, and our house is decorated with Korean things like hanji folding screens and norigae,” the newly-crowned FISU champion said. Even their dog was named Bingsu, a nod to the popular Korean dessert.

Yet growing up in Denmark with Korean heritage was not without questions. “My face looks Korean, but I was raised Danish. I speak Danish. I think in Danish,” she explained. “But I also feel a deep connection to Korea. I guess I’ve always been navigating both.”

Taekwondo as cultural compass

Taekwondo entered her life at age nine, when her mother—Malene Sandersen, a former Danish national taekwondo athlete and now a referee—suggested she try it. Though initially intimidated by her first training session, Eva quickly found herself drawn in. “Taekwondo helped me mature and grow,” she said.

But more than that, it gave her a cultural and emotional connection to her Korean roots. In 2022, she lived in Seoul for six months, studying Korean at Ewha Womans University and training locally. “I wanted to understand how Korean athletes train, and I wanted to be closer to the culture,” she said. “Even though I was born in Denmark, I feel like taekwondo gave me a way to experience Korea.”

One of her most heartfelt dreams is to one day meet her biological grandparents in Korea. “I want to tell them in Korean how grateful I am. That their daughter raised someone strong and kind. That I love my parents very much,” she shared.

More than a medal

When Eva stepped onto the podium in Essen on Thursday, tears rolled down her face. It wasn’t just about the medal— it was about everything behind it. From recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon in 2020, to walking the line between two national identities — Eva’s victory was, above all, a moment of wholeness.

“I’m Danish. I’m Korean. I’m both,” she said. “This medal is part of that story.”

The Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games take place from 16-27 July. Watch all the competitions live on fisu.tv. Click on the link to find the full schedule.

Written by Soyoung Bang, FISU Young Reporter, Korea

The Young Reporters Programme exemplifies FISU’s commitment to more than sports competitions. At every FISU World University Games, a group of talented aspiring sports journalists are chosen to cover the competition.