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Seo Chae-hyun
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Key Information
| Seo Chae-hyun | |
| Hangul | 서채현 |
|---|---|
| RR | Seo Chaehyeon |
| MR | Sŏ Ch'aehyŏn |
Seo Chae-hyun (Korean: 서채현, born November 1, 2003), is a South Korean professional rock climber who specializes in competition climbing. She won the overall 2019 World Cup title in competition lead climbing in her senior debut season.[2] In 2021 she won the IFSC World Championship in lead climbing.[3] Seo is a two-time Olympian, having represented South Korea at the 2020 and 2024 Summer Olympics.[4]
Early life
[edit]Seo was born into a family of climbers. She started climbing in 2008. Her father owns a climbing gym in Seoul.
Climbing career
[edit]Rock climbing
[edit]In 2018, aged 14, Seo redpointed the 9a (5.14d) graded sport climbing route, Bad Girls Club, at the Wicked Cave, near Rifle, Colorado.[5] On November 22, 2022, aged 19, Seo redpointed the famous 9a+ (5.15a) graded Spanish sport climb, La Rambla, becoming the second-ever woman to redpoint the route.[6][7] During that same trip to Spain, Seo onsighted the 8c (5.14b) graded route, L'Antagonista, in Serra de Montsant, becoming the second-ever female to on-sight a route at that grade.[8]
Competition climbing
[edit]In 2019, she made her IFSC Climbing World Cup debut and won the Lead World Cup season title ahead of Slovenia's Janja Garnbret and Japan's Natsuki Tanii by earning four gold medals, one silver medal, and one bronze medal.[9] In November of that year she participated in the 2019 Asian Championships, winning gold in both lead and bouldering disciplines.[10] She qualified for the first appearance of sport climbing at the Summer Olympics via her placement in the combined event at the 2019 IFSC Climbing World Championships.[11]
In August 2021, aged 17, Seo competed in the 2020 Summer Olympics and finished in eighth place overall in the women's combined event.[4] A month later she went on to win the World Championship in lead climbing.[3]
In 2022, Seo finished the 2022 IFSC World Cup season placed second overall in lead, having earned three silver medals and two bronze medals.[12] She also won gold medals in lead and combined along with a bronze medal in bouldering at the 2022 Asian Championships.[13]
In 2023, Seo finished third in lead at the World Championships.[14] She also represented South Korea at the 2022 Asian Games where she received the silver medal in the women's combined competition.[15]
Seo qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics through the Olympic Qualifier Series. In August 2024, she made her second consecutive Olympic Games appearance and finished in sixth place overall in the newly reformatted women's combined event.[4]
Rankings
[edit]| [4] | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lead | 1 | 17 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 2 |
| Bouldering | – | – | 10 | 10 | 20 | 20 |
| Speed | 80 | – | – | – | – |
| [4] | 2019 | 2021 | 2023 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lead | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Bouldering | 13 | 37 | 45 | 13 |
| Speed | 50 | – | – | – |
| Combined | 13 | – | 10 | – |
| [4] | 2019 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Lead | 1 | 1 |
| Bouldering | 1 | 3 |
| Speed | 15 | – |
| Combined | 4 | 1 |
World Cup podiums
[edit]Lead
[edit]| Season[4] | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 2021 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 2022 | 3 | 2 | 5 | |
| 2024 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2025 | 2 | 2 | 4 | |
| Total | 6 | 7 | 5 | 18 |
Bouldering
[edit]| Season[4] | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Total | 1 | 1 |
Combined (Bouldering & Lead)
[edit]| Season[4] | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Total | 1 | 1 |
Television
[edit]| Year | Program | Original title | Network | Role | Note | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Sporty Sisters 2 | 노는언니2 | E Channel | Guest | Ep. 5, 6, 7 | [16][17] |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "Chaehyun Seo Redpoints La Rambla (5.15a) and Onsights 5.14b". climbing.com. November 30, 2022.
- ^ "'제2의 김자인' 고교생 서채현 떴다". The Hankyoreh (in Korean). July 21, 2019. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
- ^ a b "Seo Chaehyun and Jakob Schubert crowned Lead World Champions 2021". Planet Mountain. September 22, 2021. Retrieved October 23, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i IFSC, ed. (April 14, 2024). "Chaehyun Seo Athlete Profile". Retrieved April 24, 2024.
- ^ Burgman, John (August 22, 2018). "The Korean Crusher: Chaehyeon Seo Sends 5.14d at Age 14". Climbing Magazine. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
- ^ "La Rambla 9a+(5.15a)". instagram.com. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
- ^ "Chaehyun Seo repeats La Rambla (9a+) at Siurana". planetmountain.com. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
- ^ "Chaehyun Seo second woman to onsight 8c, L'Antagonista at Montsant in Spain". PlanetMountain. November 27, 2022. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
- ^ "IFSC CLIMBING WORLD CUP 2019: W O M E N LEAD".
- ^ "ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS - BOGOR (INA) 2019".
- ^ "Who Is Chaehyun Seo? – Korea's Strongest At Just 17!". Climber News. July 23, 2021.
- ^ "IFSC Climbing World Cup Results". IFSC. October 22, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
- ^ "IFSC Asia - Continental Championships (B, L, S, B&L) - Republic of Korea 2022". IFSC. October 16, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
- ^ "Ai Mori and Jakob Schubert Win Lead Climbing World Championships". Gripped Indoor Climbing. August 23, 2023. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
- ^ "Asian Games 2023 sport climbing: World number two Mori Ai wins women's boulder & lead combined title after final cancelled". Olympics. October 7, 2023. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
- ^ "노는언니2". www.imtcast.com. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
- ^ "미리보기 > 노는언니2". www.imtcast.com. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
External links
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Seo Chae-hyun
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Early life
Birth and family background
Seo Chae-hyun was born on November 1, 2003, in Seoul, South Korea.[6][7] She was born into a family deeply involved in climbing, with both parents being avid climbers themselves. Her father owns and operates the Seo Jong-kuk climbing gym in Seoul, where she spent much of her early years immersed in the sport.[8][7]Introduction to climbing
Seo Chae-hyun was introduced to climbing at a young age by her parents, who are both avid climbers and own a climbing gym in Seoul, South Korea.[9][6] Her father, Jongkuk Seo, a former member of the national ice climbing team and a climber capable of 5.14 routes, served as her primary coach and teacher from the outset.[10][6] Her mother, also a competitive climber who once participated in an IFSC World Cup event, further embedded the sport within the family dynamic, where discussions about climbing dominate daily conversations.[10] She began climbing around the age of five or six, with her parents encouraging her to try the sport at their family gym, which became her second home for training.[6][10] Seo took to it immediately, stating that she "liked it straight away" and "never felt like [she] hated it," reflecting an innate affinity that propelled her early progress.[10] Under her father's guidance, focused on building power and coordination, she transitioned from casual play to structured training by age seven, participating in local youth competitions despite initial challenges like finishing last in early events.[10][6] This familial immersion not only fostered her technical skills but also instilled a deep passion, setting the foundation for her rapid ascent in the sport; by her early teens, she was already competing at national levels and exploring ice climbing influences from her father's background.[9][10]Climbing career
Outdoor rock climbing
Seo Chae-hyun began her outdoor rock climbing career at a young age, complementing her competitive training with family trips to notable crags. In 2018, at age 14, she traveled to Rifle, Colorado, where she redpointed the steep limestone route Bad Girls Club (5.14d/9a) after approximately 20 attempts over two weeks, marking one of the hardest ascents by a female climber that young and establishing her potential in sport climbing beyond competitions.[8] During the same trip, she quickly sent Waka Flocka (5.14a/b) and Simply Redlined (5.14a), demonstrating her emerging strength in overhanging terrain and endurance.[8] Her outdoor pursuits intensified in Europe starting in 2022, where she targeted iconic hard routes in Spain. That November, she achieved the second female redpoint of La Rambla (5.15a/9a+) in Siurana after five days and seven attempts, following Margo Hayes' pioneering ascent and unlocking a new grade for herself.[11] Shortly after, in Montsant, she onsighted L’Antagonista (5.14b/8c), becoming only the second woman to onsight a confirmed 5.14b after Janja Garnbret, and also onsighted Hidrofobia (5.13d) on the same trip, highlighting her exceptional on-sight ability on pocketed endurance lines.[11] In late 2024, Seo continued her European progression with a redpoint of Open Your Mind Direct (5.14d/9a) in Santa Linya during November, further solidifying her capacity for high-endurance cruxes.[5] She capped the year by onsighting Fish Eye (5.14b/8c) in Oliana, her second such ascent at the grade and a rare feat for women in sport climbing.[5] Early 2025 saw her flash El Gran Blau (5.14a/b) on her first day at Oliana, the second recorded flash of the 50-meter endurance testpiece originally established by Dani Andrada.[12] Most recently, in November 2025, she redpointed Papichulo (5.15a/9a+) in Oliana despite wet conditions from prior rain. During the trip, she also redpointed Joe Blau (5.14c/8c+) and two 8c routes, securing her second ascent at the grade and affirming her status among the world's elite female sport climbers.[5][13]| Route | Grade | Location | Style | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bad Girls Club | 5.14d (9a) | Rifle, Colorado, USA | Redpoint | 2018 | ~20 attempts over 2 weeks; one of youngest female sends at grade.[8] |
| La Rambla | 5.15a (9a+) | Siurana, Spain | Redpoint | 2022 | Second female ascent; 5 days, 7 tries.[11] |
| L’Antagonista | 5.14b (8c) | Montsant, Spain | Onsight | 2022 | Second woman to onsight 5.14b.[11] |
| Open Your Mind Direct | 5.14d (9a) | Santa Linya, Spain | Redpoint | 2024 | November send on endurance route.[5] |
| Fish Eye | 5.14b (8c) | Oliana, Spain | Onsight | 2024 | Second onsight at grade for Seo.[5] |
| El Gran Blau | 5.14a/b (8b+) | Oliana, Spain | Flash | 2025 | Second flash ever; first day at crag.[12] |
| Papichulo | 5.15a (9a+) | Oliana, Spain | Redpoint | 2025 | Second 5.15a for Seo; sent in wet conditions.[5] |
Competition climbing
Seo Chae-hyun began her competitive climbing career at the youth level in 2017, competing in the Asian Youth Championships in Singapore where she placed fourth in lead and fifth in boulder.[3] Her breakthrough came the following year at the 2018 Asian Youth Championships in Chongqing, where she won gold in lead, silver in boulder, and finished seventh in speed, establishing her as a top junior talent in Asia.[3] Transitioning to senior competitions in 2019, Seo quickly made an impact by winning gold medals in both lead and boulder at the IFSC Asian Championships in Bogor, Indonesia, and securing her first World Cup victory in lead at the Kranj event in Slovenia.[3] At the 2019 IFSC World Championships in Hachioji, Japan, she earned fourth place in lead, narrowly missing the podium after a strong semifinal performance.[3] Her lead climbing prowess became evident, with consistent top finishes in that discipline, while her boulder results showed promise but less dominance, and speed remained a weaker area, often outside the top 15.[3] In 2021, Seo achieved her career highlight by winning the lead gold at the IFSC World Championships in Moscow, topping all routes in qualification and semifinals before outperforming rivals in the final.[3] This victory solidified her status as one of the world's elite lead climbers. Building on this momentum, she claimed lead gold and combined gold at the 2022 Asian Championships in Seoul, along with a silver in lead at the Jakarta World Cup.[3] Seo's competitions in 2023 and 2024 highlighted her versatility in boulder and lead formats. She secured bronze in lead at the IFSC World Championships in Bern and silver in boulder at the Brixen World Cup, demonstrating improved bouldering skills.[3] Entering 2025, Seo shared gold in lead at the Wujiang World Cup and earned bronze at the IFSC World Championships in Seoul, marking her third career World Championship medal.[3][14] Throughout her career, she has prioritized lead climbing, where her technical precision and endurance have yielded the most success, while training continues to address weaknesses in speed and combined formats.[3]Olympic career
2020 Tokyo Olympics
Seo Chae-hyun represented South Korea in the women's combined sport climbing event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, marking the discipline's debut in the Olympic program. The Games, postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, were held from July 23 to August 8, 2021, at the Aomi Urban Sports Park. At 17 years old, Seo qualified for the event by securing gold in lead at the 2019 IFSC Asian Championships in Bogor, Indonesia, earning one of South Korea's two allocated quota spots.[3][15] In the qualification round on August 4, 2021, Seo demonstrated her lead climbing prowess by reaching the 40th hold on the 15-meter wall, topping the field in that discipline and contributing to her second-place overall finish with 85 combined points across speed, bouldering, and lead. Her speed performance was weaker, placing 17th with times of 10.1 seconds and 11.74 seconds over two runs on the 15-meter standardized wall, while she earned solid bouldering points with two tops and four zones out of four problems. This result advanced her to the final among the top 8 competitors.[16][17][18] The final round on August 6, 2021, followed a knockout format for speed before bouldering and lead disciplines. Seo finished eighth overall with 112 points, impacted by her relative inexperience in the combined format that equally weighted all three disciplines. She excelled in lead, reaching a high point that placed her among the top performers, but lower scores in speed—where she ranked eighth—and bouldering limited her standing. Janja Garnbret of Slovenia won gold with 5 points, ahead of silver medalist Miho Nonaka of Japan (45 points).[19][20][21] Seo's Olympic debut highlighted her potential as a lead specialist, setting the stage for future international success, including a world championship title later that year. Her performance also boosted visibility for sport climbing in South Korea, inspiring younger athletes in the growing domestic scene.[22]2024 Paris Olympics
Seo Chae-hyun represented South Korea in the women's boulder and lead combined event at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, where sport climbing took place at Le Bourget Sport Climbing Venue from August 5 to 10.[2] As a two-time Olympian and 2021 IFSC World Champion in lead climbing, she entered the competition as a medal favorite, having secured her Olympic spot through strong performances in the Olympic Qualifier Series.[23][24] In the semi-finals, Seo struggled in the bouldering portion, finishing 13th with 44.2 points out of 100 after completing two tops and four zones across four problems.[25] She rebounded strongly in the lead semi-final, scoring 72.1 points by reaching 38 holds on the route, which propelled her to a combined semi-final total of 116.3 points and 8th place overall, qualifying her for the eight-athlete final.[26][24][27] During the final on August 10, Seo placed 6th in bouldering with 28.9 points, achieving one top and three zones.[28] In the lead final, she excelled again, scoring 76.1 points by controlling 42 holds, the second-best performance behind only Janja Garnbret of Slovenia.[29] Her overall final total of 105.0 points earned her 6th place, with Slovenia's Janja Garnbret winning gold (168.5 points), the United States' Brooke Raboutou taking silver (156.0 points), and Austria's Jessica Pilz securing bronze (147.4 points).[28][30] This result marked an improvement from her 8th-place finish in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, underscoring her growth as a lead specialist despite bouldering challenges.[31]Competition achievements
IFSC World Cup results
Seo Chae-hyun debuted in the IFSC Lead World Cup in 2019, securing podium positions in all six events that season, with five gold medals in Inzai, Xiamen, Kranj, Briançon, and Chamonix, and a silver in Villars.[3] This strong performance marked her as an emerging talent in international competition climbing and earned her the overall lead title. In 2021, limited by the COVID-19 pandemic to a single event in Ljubljana, she claimed silver.[3] The 2022 season saw her return to form, earning three silvers in Innsbruck, Briançon, and Jakarta, along with bronzes in Chamonix and Edinburgh, and a fourth-place finish in Koper, culminating in second place overall in the lead discipline.[3][32] Her 2023 results were more variable, with top finishes of fourth in Villars and Koper, fifth in Innsbruck, and eighth in Chamonix, though she did not podium that year.[3] In 2024, Seo achieved bronzes in Wujiang and Innsbruck, a fourth in Seoul, and ninth in Koper.[3] The 2025 season represented a resurgence, highlighted by shared gold with Erin McNeice in Wujiang, silver in Bali, gold in Chamonix—her seventh career World Cup gold—seventh in Keqiao, seventh in Madrid, and silver in Koper, positioning her first overall in the lead rankings as of September 2025.[3][33][34]| Year | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Best Non-Podium | Overall Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 5 | 1 | 0 | N/A | 1st |
| 2021 | 0 | 1 | 0 | N/A | N/A |
| 2022 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 4th | 2nd |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4th | N/A |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4th | N/A |
| 2025 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 7th | 1st |
IFSC World Championships
Seo Chae-hyun has competed in the lead discipline at every IFSC World Climbing Championships since her senior debut in 2019, establishing herself as one of South Korea's premier lead climbers on the international stage. Her performances have consistently placed her among the top contenders, with podium finishes in two consecutive editions from 2021 to 2023. These results highlight her technical proficiency and endurance on challenging routes, often topping or nearly topping the finals despite intense competition from global elites.[3] At the 2019 IFSC World Championships in Hachioji, Japan, the 15-year-old Seo made her senior international debut, finishing fourth in the women's lead final after qualifying strongly but falling short of the podium in a field dominated by experienced athletes like Janja Garnbret. This early achievement marked her rapid rise, coming just months after her first senior World Cup wins.[3] Seo's breakthrough came at the 2021 IFSC World Championships in Moscow, Russia, where she claimed gold in women's lead, becoming the youngest winner in the event's history at age 17. She topped both qualification and final routes flawlessly, outperforming a strong field including Natalia Grossman and Miho Nonaka to secure South Korea's first lead world title. This victory solidified her reputation as a prodigy in the discipline.[3][35] In 2023, at the IFSC World Championships in Bern, Switzerland, Seo earned bronze in women's lead, tying for third place with Brooke Raboutou and Laura Rogora after a competitive final where she reached high on the route but was edged out by gold medalist Oriane Bertone. This podium extended her streak of top-three finishes, demonstrating consistency amid evolving route styles that emphasized power and precision.[36] At the 2025 IFSC World Championships in Seoul, South Korea, Seo finished sixth in women's lead with 6.0 points in the final held at KSPO Dome. Hosting the event on home soil, she advanced to the final alongside teammates like Jang Ha-eun but placed behind the medalists in a competitive field.[37][3]| Year | Location | Discipline | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Hachioji, Japan | Lead | 4th | Senior debut; strong qualification performance.[3] |
| 2021 | Moscow, Russia | Lead | 1st (Gold) | Topped all routes; youngest world champion.[3][35] |
| 2023 | Bern, Switzerland | Lead | 3rd (Bronze) | Tied for third; consistent top qualification.[36] |
| 2025 | Seoul, South Korea | Lead | 6th | 6.0 points in final; home event.[37][3] |
IFSC Asian Championships
Seo Chae-hyun made her international senior debut at the 2019 IFSC Asian Championships held in Bogor, Indonesia, where she demonstrated exceptional prowess in both bouldering and lead disciplines. Competing as a 16-year-old, she secured gold medals in the women's boulder and lead events, establishing herself as a rising star in Asian competition climbing. Her performance in the combined ranking resulted in a fourth-place finish, while she placed 15th in speed, highlighting her focus on the more technical formats.[3] In 2022, Seo returned to the IFSC Asian Championships in her home country at Seoul, South Korea, further solidifying her dominance on the continental stage. She claimed gold in the women's lead event and the combined boulder and lead format, contributing to South Korea's strong showing with seven medals overall. A bronze medal in the boulder discipline rounded out her achievements, underscoring her versatility across formats despite the challenges of competing before a home crowd.[3][38] The following table summarizes Seo's key results at the IFSC Asian Championships:| Year | Location | Discipline | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Bogor, Indonesia | Boulder (Women) | 1st[3] |
| 2019 | Bogor, Indonesia | Lead (Women) | 1st[3] |
| 2019 | Bogor, Indonesia | Combined (Women) | 4th[3] |
| 2019 | Bogor, Indonesia | Speed (Women) | 15th[3] |
| 2022 | Seoul, South Korea | Boulder (Women) | 3rd[3] |
| 2022 | Seoul, South Korea | Lead (Women) | 1st[3] |
| 2022 | Seoul, South Korea | Boulder & Lead Combined (Women) | 1st[3] |