KBJJF to Host Seoul Open
Korea's Bursting Competition Scene on Full Display
Adam Wardzinski vs Cristopher Ilagan | 2018 Seoul Internatinal Open
Korea is in the midst of a jiu-jitsu renaissance. The Asian country has seen an explosion in both jiu-jitsu popularity and competition prowess over the last few years. Seoul is set to host Korea’s first IBJJF Open event since 2019. The weekend’s event will be held in Suwon, South Korea and features over 1,000 competitors.
Top international athletes such as Minho Yoon and Jun Yong Cho represent an ascending competitive landscape within Korea. The Seoul International Open boasts a remarkable competitor list from elite academies such as Wire Jiu-Jitsu, John Frankl Jiu-Jitsu, Bon Jiu-Jitsu and others. Anticipation is peaking for the 2026 Seoul event that is sure to deliver fantastic action.
Kai Takasugi from Alma Fight Gym Homies leads a strong light-featherweight division. Kai is back in action after securing a silver medal at the 2026 Asian Championships.
Wire Jiu-Jitsu standout Minho Yoon returns to the competition mats in Seoul. Wire is one of the strongest Korean competition teams in Asia and boasts athletes such as Minho who is a former Asian Champion and European Championship bronze medalist. Minho will contend for the featherweight title against twelve fellow competitors.
Former Asian Champion Jaeyoung Lee alongside Youngseung Cho headline the lightweight division. Wire Jiu-Jitsu and John Frankl Jiu-Jitsu are well-represented with these two talents.
Jackson Nagai is slated to compete in the six-athlete middleweight division. Jackson is one of the most active elite black belt competitors in the world, yet the weekend will tell whether Jackson makes it out to Seoul.
Izabel Seki of Team Nogueira, Ching-Wen Huang of Atos, and Eonju Im of Tri-Force Jiu-Jitsu are slated to face off in Seoul. Izabel Seki remains the favorite, however, all three competitors possess the skill to take the division.
Yoonseo Ha of Tri-Force U.C.T. is registered in the no-gi featherweight division. Yoonseo secured the New York Spring Open gold medal and a master 1 Pan bronze medal in 2026. Kyungjae Kim is also in the featherweight division as a reigning Asian Championship bronze medalist. The Carlson Gracie Team athlete is projected to meet Yoonseo in the finals.
Avturkhanov Said-Magomed of Strela Team joins the no-gi ultra-heavyweight division. Avutkhanov is the reigning Asian Championship bronze medalist and recently secured double-gold in London Spring No-Gi competition.
Follow all the brackets at bjjcompsystem and stay tuned to official IBJJF Channels for updates and highlight content.
Finalize your plans to visit the 2026 Jiu-Jitsu Con. The event is one of the most entertaining and action-packed weekends of the year! Head over to the official event page for more information!
