Portrait of Kim Jae-bum

Birthday profile

Kim Jae-bum

South Korean judoka

Born
January 25, 1985
Age in 2026
41
Zodiac sign
Aquarius
Birth year
1985

About Kim Jae-bum

Kim Jae-bum (김재범) (Korean pronunciation: [kim.dʑɛ̝.bʌm]; born 25 January 1985, in Gimcheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do) is a retired South Korean judoka. Despite being plagued with injuries throughout his career, Kim is known for dominating major competitions at the half-middleweight category (81 kg)—particularly between his Olympic debut in 2008 and his 2012 Olympic finals rematch against Ole Bischof. Kim has had several nicknames, including "Man of One Arm Wins" for his successes through injury, "Korean Tiger" for his aggressive play and iconic status in South Korean judo, and "Energizer Bunny" for his quick and relentless style of judo. He was granted exemption from South Korea's mandatory military service in 2010, following his gold medal victory at the Guangzhou Asian Games. Kim won a gold medal in the -73 kg class at the 2004 World Junior Judo Championships in Budapest, Hungary. At the 2005 Asian Judo Championships in Tashkent, he won a gold medal in the -73 kg class. Kim was considered one of the Big Three Judokas of the -73 kg class in South Korea, along with Lee Won-hee and Wang Ki-chun. But in 2007, he moved up in weight to avoid the fierce competition, and won a gold medal in the -81 kg category at the 2008 Asian Judo Championships in Jeju.

Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.

Kim Jae-bum timeline

  1. Kim won a gold medal in the -73 kg class at the 2004 World Junior Judo Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
  2. At the 2005 Asian Judo Championships in Tashkent, he won a gold medal in the -73 kg class.
  3. But in 2007, he moved up in weight to avoid the fierce competition, and won a gold medal in the -81 kg category at the 2008 Asian Judo Championships in Jeju.
  4. Despite being plagued with injuries throughout his career, Kim is known for dominating major competitions at the half-middleweight category (81 kg)—particularly between his Olympic debut in 2008 and his 2012 Olympic finals rematch against Ole Bischof.

The world when Kim Jae-bum was born

Kim Jae-bum was born in 1985. The year snapshot below places that birthday in its cultural and historical setting: the music and films people were following, the headlines shaping public life, and the everyday prices families encountered.

Culture in 1985

  • #1 song"We Are the World" – USA for Africa
  • Top movieOut of Africa
  • Top TV showThe Cosby Show
  • Best-selling bookThe Handmaid's Tale – Margaret Atwood

Headlines and milestones

  • Major sports momentMichael Jordan named NBA Rookie of the Year
  • Top headlineLive Aid concert raises awareness for African famine
  • Technology milestoneNintendo NES released in the US
  • Defining fadNintendo NES
  • Notable inventionNintendo Entertainment System (NES) launches in US
  • World population4.85 billion

United States snapshot

  • U.S. leaderRonald Reagan
  • Sports championKansas City Royals (World Series)
  • Also wonLos Angeles Lakers (NBA)
  • U.S. population237.9M

1985 versus 2026

These figures put everyday life in Kim Jae-bum's birth year beside the site's latest United States snapshot.

Measure19852026
Gas$1.12$3.45/gal
Average home$75,500$435,000
Average income$27,735$67,500
Minimum wage$3.35$7.25/hr (federal)
Movie ticket$3.55$11.95
Postage stamp$0.22$0.73
Population237.9M341 million

Sources and editorial standards

This profile combines a biographical source with structured birthday and historical context. Sources recorded for this profile: Wikipedia, International Olympic Committee, Olympedia. See our editorial policy for sourcing, corrections, and review standards.

Read the source biography on Wikipedia. Wikipedia text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.