From the Ring to the River: Lim Sujeong Races at Home in the Seoul SUP Open

On July 5 & 6, the Han River in the heart of Seoul transforms into a global SUP arena as the APP World Tour lands in Korea’s capital for the first-ever Seoul SUP Open! Among the standout athletes racing on home waters is Sujeong Lim (Lim Sujeong in Korean, where the family name comes first), a true Korean trailblazer. A former Muay Thai and K-1 champion turned international SUP competitor, Sujeong has defied expectations at every stage of her athletic journey. From conquering her fear of water to winning world medals and ultra-distance races, she’s grown into one of Korea’s most inspiring paddlers. As she prepares to compete where her SUP story began—on the Han River—Sujeong shares her path from the ring to the river, her love for KAPP events, and why this race means so much more than medals. Meet the fighter-turned-paddler bringing fierce spirit to Seoul’s SUP debut and make sure to follow the action t

Sujeong, before we dive into the Seoul SUP Open, can you tell us about your best achievements in SUP and maybe in your martial arts career too?

I have won several competitions several martial arts such as Muay Thai and kickboxing and I have experience in the ring as the first female K-1 athlete from Korea.

SUP was a completely new challenge. I won gold medals in the Inflatable 5K category at the ICF World Championships in 2023 and 2024, and won the 34km challenge at the Thailand Ultra Race in 2024. This year, I was selected to represent Korea at the 2025 ISA World Championships.

From Muay Thai champion and K-1 Max Korea trailblazer to stand-up paddler—what inspired such a dramatic transition, and what did SUP bring you that martial arts couldn’t?

I came to know about SUP by chance at a time when I experienced a personal crisis. At that time, what I needed was not an escape, but rather a ‘space to breathe’, and SUP provided me that feeling.

Actually, I was initially very afraid of water. But the moment I stood on the board and start paddling, I didn’t think about anything, and that fear soon turned into comfort and freedom. I still remember that as if it was yesterday.

When I was in martial arts, I always lived under the pressure of achieving results, but now I enjoy the process of preparing for a competition and train.

How has your fighting background—especially your mindset and physical training—shaped the way you paddle and compete today?

Although martial arts and SUP are two very different disciplines, to me they share the same process of challenging myself to overcome the limit.

In the end, they are both a fight with myself. When things get tough, I always tell myself, “This is just the beginning” and get back up.

I learned how to endure in the ring, and now how to flow on the water. In the past, I only went strong, but now I am learning how to move more flexibly and go smoothly. SUP helped me to make me even stronger and more flexible.

The last KAPP event in Busan in 2023 was quite a dramatic one, with strong winds and big waves. What do you remember most about that experience—and what did it teach you?

Honestly, right up until the race day I thought to myself ‘I wish it was canceled’. The wind and waves created an environment I had never experienced before. However, I went through and carried on to eventually cross the finish line. The feeling of not giving up and challenging myself overthrew the fear I had inside of me.

After passing through the rough sea, I became stronger, and now I do not panic no matter what the conditions are. The conditions at sea that day and the KAPP helped me grow one step further.

You’ve clearly developed a strong liking for the KAPP events. What makes them special for you as an athlete, and how have they helped your growth in the sport?

For me, KAPP competitions are not just fast paced races. Every year, there is something to learn and to challenge.

The KAPP organizes competition that are world-class in terms of operation, course, media, and everything else. I have grown a lot as a SUP athlete through their competitions. I love these competitions even more because it gave me the courage to challenge myself on the world stage.

How excited are you to compete this weekend in the 1st edition of the Seoul SUP Open, the first KAPP event in the capital of South Korea? What are your expectations in terms of conditions, organisation and results.

The Han river in Seoul is the place where I first started SUP, so it is exciting to see that it is now being the stage to hold this major international SUP competition!

I’m really looking forward to this competition because all the previous KAPP competitions I attended were great.

This time, more than looking for the results, I think it will be a time to recall the moment when I started my SUP journey. I will be on the starting line again, having grown more than before. 😊 I’ll do my best for this competition without regrets! 🤙💪

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