'Descendants of the Sun' Onyu's Embrace of Child Actor, Korean Athletics' First Relay Gold Medalist 'Namadi Joel Jin'

The child actor who created a warm scene in the 2016 KBS drama 'Descendants of the Sun', where Onyu (SHINee) played the doctor Chi-hoon, has returned after 9 years as a gold medalist rewriting Korean athletics history. The protagonist is none other than Namadi Joel Jin.

The Korean men's 400m relay team, including Namadi Joel Jin, won the gold medal with a record of 38.50 seconds at the '2025 Rhine-Ruhr Summer Universiade' held in Germany on the 27th. The victory of this team, composed of Namadi Joel Jin, Seo Min-jun, Lee Jae-sung, and Kim Jeong-yoon, holds historical significance as it marks Korea's first gold medal in relay events at a global comprehensive competition.

Immediately after the victory, Namadi Joel Jin shared his thoughts on the 29th on his Instagram, posting a photo of himself smiling brightly with the gold medal around his neck. He expressed, 'As it was my first Universiade competition, I will learn a lot from this experience and strive to have a game without regrets. I thank everyone who supported me.'

Many people find Namadi Joel Jin's face familiar. He left a deep impression by playing a child from the Urk region in 'Descendants of the Sun'. In particular, he created a touching yet humorous scene by asking the doctor Chi-hoon (played by Onyu) to buy him a goat instead of shoes, leading to misunderstandings caused by the language barrier. The moment when Onyu embraced him to comfort him moved viewers deeply.

Namadi Joel Jin is a biracial young man born to a Korean mother and a Nigerian father who was a long jumper. He has nurtured his dream of athletics since elementary school and has shown outstanding talent, inheriting his father's athletic genes. Although he acted in his childhood, he ultimately decided to dedicate himself to athletics, his true dream.

This gold medal is even more significant as it sets a new milestone in Korean athletics history beyond just personal achievement. This is the first time Korea has won a gold medal in relay events at a global comprehensive competition, proving that Korean athletics, which has been focused on individual events, can also demonstrate global competitiveness in relays that require teamwork.

President Lee Jae-myung also did not miss this historic moment. He emphasized its significance through his official social media, stating, 'It is especially meaningful that Korean athletics has won in relay events at global comprehensive competitions, including the Universiade.' He continued, 'I hope the glory of the valuable gold medal our athletics team has achieved brings joy and pride to the people today,' conveying his congratulations.

Namadi Joel Jin's story is also gaining attention as an inspiring success story of a multicultural youth overcoming prejudice to win a gold medal for his country. The pure and bright image he showed in 'Descendants of the Sun' as a child has now transformed into that of a proud national representative standing on the podium with the Taegeukgi on his chest.

In the future, greater interest is expected in the journey of Namadi Joel Jin and the Korean relay team. There is anticipation that this gold medal at the Universiade could lead to even greater achievements at the 2026 Asian Games and the 2028 LA Olympics. The boy who once received public love through acting has now grown into a young man who brings hope and inspiration to the people through athletics.