"Nagoya food tastes bad? We book out an entire hotel and bring in a dedicated chef": Chairman Chung Eui-sun's next-level "archery flex"

[Financial News] The 2026 Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya has become notorious for inadequate meals and poor conditions, but that is a distant concern for the Korean national archery team. Chung Eui-sun, chairman of Hyundai Motor Group and the KAA, flew directly to Nagoya, Japan, and stepped forward as a steadfast shield for Korea's archers with unprecedented, extraordinary support.
Hyundai Motor Group said on the 30th that Chung made a surprise visit to Japan the previous day. He had lunch with the men's and women's compound archers competing for a team-event gold medal, serving Nagoya's famous eel rice to boost the team's morale.
The day's meal was held at a dedicated rest area separately arranged by Hyundai Motor Group and the KAA. All members of the compound team attended, including Choi Yong-hee, Kim Jong-ho, Choi Eun-gyu, Park Jeong-yun, Park Ye-rin, Kang Yeon-seo, and coach Sergio Pang.
Chung reassured the athletes one by one, saying, "I am proud of all of you for making it this far despite the difficult conditions." He added, "Don't get nervous. Just stay relaxed and shoot as you normally do. Don't be afraid of failure. Trust yourselves and the effort you have put in, and take on the challenge with confidence."

Immediately after lunch, Chung went to Okazaki Archery Stadium to watch the women's individual recurve preliminaries in person. He encouraged Kang Chae-young and Oh Ye-jin, who had secured places in the quarterfinals, as well as Lee Yun-ji and KAA officials at the venue, demonstrating his passion for archery. On the 30th, Chung also plans to watch the women's compound team event, mixed team event, and men's team event in succession, before having lunch with the recurve team.
The most eye-catching aspect is the all-encompassing, hands-on support Hyundai Motor Group and the KAA prepared for the team. In anticipation of the organizing committee's inadequate facilities, they booked out an entire hotel located just over 20 minutes from the venue and provided it as exclusive lodging for the archers. Near the venue, they also set up an athlete-only rest café and a trailer available for rest at all times, allowing the athletes to enjoy optimal recovery during breaks between events.
The team's meals have also been managed to perfection. The organizers surveyed each athlete's preferences and allergies in advance, removed ingredients the athletes avoid, and arranged for a local Korean restaurant in Japan to work with a dedicated chef dispatched from Korea to provide customized special meals every day.

The thorough preparations made well in advance also stood out. The KAA scientifically analyzed the features of the plaza at Okazaki Central Park and the direction of the wind, then created a perfect replica of the venue at the Jincheon National Training Center. It even held a training camp in Okazaki so the athletes could physically acclimate to the local temperature and wind speed and fully adapt to the routes between their accommodations, training grounds, and competition venue.
Behind the legend of Korean archery, the world's strongest, lies the complete dedication of Hyundai Motor Group, a "guardian angel" that takes responsibility for every aspect of the athletes' needs from behind the scenes.
[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter