Woo Ji-won

Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Woo Ji-won

Role / Field:

South Korean retired professional basketball player, nicknamed "Prince of the Court."

Born:

1973-04-02

Century / Era:

1973s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Woo Ji-won (born 2 April 1973) is a South Korean retired professional basketball player. He played for three different teams over a fourteen-year career, the longest of which was spent at Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus, who retired his number 10 shirt after his retirement. He was nicknamed "Prince of the Court" (코트의 황태자). Woo enjoyed playing baseball and ran track as a child. He started playing basketball when his elementary school started a basketball team and recruited him to join, despite his short stature for his age.

Career & Major Achievements

From there, he began focusing on basketball and attended Samseon Middle School and Kyungbock High School in Seoul, both known for their basketball teams. He graduated with a degree in law from Yonsei University, unusual for college athletes as the majority studied sports science, physical education or a related major. One of his middle school and high school classmates was future national teammate and best friend Chun Hee-chul. Woo's time at Yonsei University coincided with what is often retrospectively dubbed the "golden era" of domestic college basketball. He and his teammates, as well as their counterparts from traditional athletic rivals Korea University, enjoyed a level of popularity similar to that of idol singers and A-list actors/actresses due to their skills and good looks.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Together with his Yonsei teammates Lee Sang-min and Moon Kyung-eun and Korea University's Hyun Joo-yup and Chun Hee-chul, among others, they were collectively dubbed "Oppa Troupe" (오빠부대) by the media. Woo and his Yonsei teammates drew significant attention after they defeated a Busan Kia team which boasted the senior amateur league's most formidable offensive players, the "Hur-Dong-Taek Trio" (Hur Jae, Kang Dong-hee and Kim Yoo-taek) during the 1993-94 season. In 1996, Woo was signed by the Incheon-based team of Daewoo Securities, which has since become Daegu KOGAS Pegasus, and is among the last generation of players who began their senior careers during the semi-professional pre-KBL era. He took the National Basketball Festival, then the main basketball competition, by storm on his debut for Daewoo, scoring 24 points in a 78-71 win against Tongyang. In 1998, he and Chun enlisted for mandatory military service and were assigned as public service workers, rather than the Sangmu basketball team.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1973 (1973-04-02): Birth of Woo Ji-won — South Korean retired professional basketball player, nicknamed "Prince of the Court."
2. 1993: 1993 Milestone — Woo and his Yonsei teammates drew significant attention after they defeated a Busan Kia team which boasted the senior amateur league's most formidable offensive players, the "Hur-Dong-Taek Trio" (Hur Jae, Kang Dong-hee and Kim Yoo-taek) during the 1993-94 season.
3. 1996: 1996 Milestone — In 1996, Woo was signed by the Incheon-based team of Daewoo Securities, which has since become Daegu KOGAS Pegasus, and is among the last generation of players who began their senior careers during the semi-professional pre-KBL era.
4. 1998: 1998 Milestone — In 1998, he and Chun enlisted for mandatory military service and were assigned as public service workers, rather than the Sangmu basketball team.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Woo Ji-won

True or False: “Woo Ji-won's 70-point scoring record in a single KBL game was officially invalidated by the league.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The records remain in the KBL's official record book, although they are often described as taboo topics.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. S. Neill — Contemporary (Died in 1973) (1973): Scottish progressive educator, founder of Summerhill, championing self-governance.
• Abebe Bikila — Contemporary (Died in 1973) (1973): Ethiopian Olympic marathon champion, known for his barefoot victories in Rome and Tokyo.
• AC/DC — Contemporary (Born in 1973) (1973): Iconic Australian hard rock band known for raw, high-energy 'rock and roll'.
• 5th Dalai Lama — Shared historical date (04-02 · Died) (1682): Spiritual and political leader of Tibet, unifying the region under the Ganden Phodrang.
• A. P. Hill — Shared historical date (04-02 · Died) (1865): Confederate general who distinguished himself in the American Civil War.
• Adrien Brody — Historical peer (Born in 1973) (1973): Acclaimed American actor known for intense, emotionally charged character portrayals.
• Aishwarya Rai — Historical peer (Born in 1973) (1973): Iconic Indian actress celebrated for beauty and versatile performances in Hindi and Tamil cinema.
• A. N. Sherwin-White — Historical peer (Died in 1993) (1993): British academic and ancient historian, specializing in Roman law and society.
• Adam Ondra — Historical peer (Born in 1993) (1993): Czech professional rock climber, specializing in lead, bouldering, and competition.
• 6ix9ine — Historical peer (Born in 1996) (1996): American rapper known for aggressive style and controversial public persona.
• 1973 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1973
• April 2 (04-02) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on April 2

Frequently Asked Questions about Woo Ji-won