5 Korean Athletes to Watch Out for at Rio

From left, Lee Yong-dae, Son Heung-min, Jin Jong-oh, Ki Bo-bae and An Chang-rim

The Rio 2016 Summer Olympic is just around the corner and Korean athletes are ready to compete in the 17-day sporting event. Here are five of them with the most likely chance of winning a gold medal.

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Shooter Jin Jong-oh aims to become the first Olympian to win the gold in the discipline for the third straight Olympics. A man of strong mentality, he may achieve other feats as well, such as grabbing the most gold medals or the most medals.

In football, Son Heung-min is expected to play a major role as an attacker. He has joined the Olympic team as a wild card.

Archer Ki Bo-bae hopes to win gold medals at both the individual and team events after she achieved the feat in London in 2012. If she wins the gold in the individual competition, she will become the first female archer to dominate the event for the second straight time.

Judoka An Chang-rim, the world's No. 1 in the men's under-73kg category, is one of the main candidates to win the gold. A third-generation Korean Japanese, he is representing Korea at Rio. The last time Korea won a gold in the category was in 2004 when Lee Won-hee grabbed the gold in Athens.

Badminton player Lee Yong-dae, who won the gold in mixed doubles at the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, hopes to dominate the men's doubles along with his partner Yoo Yeon-seong. Lee and Yoo are currently ranked No. 1 in the world in the discipline.