<Photo description: Korean and U.S. recurve teams, which won first and second place in the men’s team final at the Gwangju 2025 Hyundai World Archery Championships, held on September 10, wearing KOLON SPORT’s ARCHER SOX archery shoes.> 

(*Athlete Kim Je-deok did not wear KOLON SPORT archery shoes due to a sponsorship with another brand.)

- ARCHER SOX, dubbed Korea’s secret weapon for peak performance, earns international acclaim

- Athletes from the U.S., Saudi Arabia, and beyond visit KOLON SPORT’s booth, validating its innovation at global competitions

- Positive reviews continue as athletes highlight potential applications beyond archery

The KOLON Industries FnC Organization (KOLON FnC) has announced that its outdoor brand KOLON SPORT served as an official sponsor of the Gwangju 2025 Hyundai World Archery Championships, held from September 5 to 12 in Gwangju, where it officially unveiled its first archery shoe, the ARCHER SOX, developed with KOLON SPORT’s proprietary technology, on the global stage.

KOLON SPORT first introduced the ARCHER SOX at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, inspired by KOLON Group Honorary Chairman Lee Woong-yeul’s question: “Why are there shoes for golf and tennis, but none for archery?” Recognizing the sport’s need for precision and stability, KOLON SPORT developed a first-of-its-kind performance shoe engineered to support the body’s intricate balance and movements essential for accurate shooting.

The Gwangju 2025 Hyundai World Archery Championships is one of the world’s three major archery tournaments, held every two years, and this year it drew international attention as approximately 731 athletes and staff from 76 countries visited Korea to participate. For the event, KOLON SPORT provided around 1,200 uniforms for volunteers and staff and set up an on-site experience booth where athletes could try on and purchase the brand’s archery shoes and related products such as the Archery Hat.

The ARCHER SOX drew significant attention for its technical excellence tailored to the demands of precision sports. The shoe features 162 independent lugs on a Vibram outsole to ensure unwavering traction on any surface, combined with Vibram Megagrip technology for exceptional stability even on 45-degree inclines. The upper is crafted using a seamless PU casting process that minimizes pressure points, while the BOA Fit System allows for fine adjustments depending on foot shape or competition conditions. The GORE-TEX lining also provides waterproof comfort during rainy or challenging outdoor conditions.

Although frequent rain early in the tournament left the field muddy and difficult to navigate, athletes wearing KOLON SPORT’s archery shoes were able to maintain stable performance throughout their matches. As the only brand operating a footwear booth at the event, KOLON SPORT attracted athletes from the United States, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and other countries, all showing keen interest in the specialized archery shoes. Since archers have traditionally competed in hiking or running shoes, many on-site referred to the footwear as “Korea’s secret weapon.” Some athletes even purchased the shoes on the spot and competed in them.

Korean athletes also delivered gold-medal performances in ARCHER SOX. On September 10, Lee Woo-seok and Kim Woo-jin of the Korean men’s recurve team wore KOLON SPORT’s archery shoes as they captured gold in the team finals. Their American counterparts, who finished second, also competed in the same model, further highlighting the product’s international credibility. Notably, Lee Woo-seok, a member of the KOLON X10 BOY’Z archery team, played a key role in product testing from the early development stages, contributing to the shoe’s precision and performance. He commented that the shoe had “significantly improved his stability and scores,” while teammate Kim Woo-jin praised it as “the best footwear I’ve ever used.”

U.S. archer Brady Ellison, who competed wearing KOLON SPORT’s archery shoes, also praised their performance, saying, “The shoes don’t slip and have such great traction that they could even perform well as golf shoes.”

KOLON SPORT is now accelerating development of the second-generation ARCHER SOX, conducting rigorous field testing with members of the KOLON X10 BOY’Z archery team. The upgraded model aims to be worn by Korea’s national archery team at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

A KOLON SPORT representative said, “This championship provided an excellent opportunity to showcase our ‘K-archery shoes’ to the world. As Korea continues to lead the global archery stage, we will continue investing in research and innovation to help athletes perform at their best.”

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<Photo description: Korean and U.S. recurve teams wearing KOLON SPORT’s ARCHER SOX archery shoes in the men’s team final at the 2025 Hyundai World Archery Championships on September 10.>

<Photo description: U.S. archery team competing in KOLON SPORT’s ARCHER SOX archery shoes during the men’s team final.>

<Photo description: Saudi Arabian archery team members posing in front of the KOLON SPORT booth while wearing the brand’s ARCHER SOX archery shoes.>