Purpose: The purpose of this study is to look back on the life of Kim Kwang-Sun and study his life & achievements after retirement, which is meaningful to the history of Korean sports and education. The participant of the study was limited to Kim Kwang-Sun, a Seoul Olympics boxing gold medalist, who is selected through purposeful sampling.
Method: Data were collected from eight times interviews (two hours pre interview), related news articles and participation observations. The data analysis was carried out by categorizing data in to 4 categories and 9 subcategories relevant to the study, reduced from a total of 8 9categories, using domain analysis method and taxonomic analysis method conceptualized by Spradley (1980). To ensure the accuracy of the data and thorough analytical examination, the data were studied through an outsider’s view using triangulation conceptualized by Mandelbaum (1973). It was verified by a sports administration professor who has extensive experience in life studies in order to minimize biased observations.
Results: This study explored what life of Kim Kwang-Sun had been through, the first Fly weight gold-medalist Korean boxer with the most gold medals from international competitions. It had great meaning to the history of Korean sports in an educational point of view.
Conclusion: The findings from the study are as follows ; first, he started off boxing as a means to entering university, but then it became a turning point for his life; secondly, Kim pursues and succeeds to become an international gold-medalist after becoming a National athlete; thirdly, Kim is the first gold-medalist world cup boxer in the history of Korean Boxing, with a record of most gold medals in international competitions; fourthly, Kim is the first Fly weight gold medalist boxer in Seoul Olympics, and is living a successful life after retiring as an educator and business man.