Gripped Magazine
Chaehyun Seo Fractures Skull, Wins National Championships Two Weeks Later
On March 5, Chaehyun Seo fell hard while training and suffered a fractured skull and concussion. Unbelievably, only a little over two weeks later, she competed in the South Korean National Championship and took home two gold medals – one for Lead and the other for Boulder. The National Championships were held from March 20 to 22.
“Double gold once again,” said Seo on Instagram. “This double means a lot more than before. I got a skull injury on the 5th of March. I hit hard to the ground while training, and my skull fractured. The concussion was severe, so I suffered from a headache for about a week. I was just focused on my recovery, and I thought a lot about whether I would be able to participate in this comp. But step by step, I felt much better, and I tried a lot to overcome the trauma from falling, and gradually participating seemed possible.
“So [I] was just grateful for joining every round and every climb I had without injuries. Still, I need to be very careful. But on the other hand, my recovery is also going well. Thank you [to] everyone who cared a lot for me. I will try to make the best shape for the World Series.”
Seo is one of the most formidable climbers on the World Cup circuit, often making finals and even besting Olympic gold medalist Janja Garnbret. In 2025, Seo placed second overall in the Lead World Cup season. It was her second silver for the overall Lead season, her first being in 2022, and in 2019, she won gold. She placed third in the 2025 Lead World Championships, third at the 2023 Championships in Bern, and first in 2021 in Moscow.
Seo doesn’t just excel on the international circuit – she is also an absolute crusher on rock. On November 1, 2025 (her 22nd birthday), she flashed El Gran Blau 5.14a/b. In late 2024, she clipped the chains on Open Your Mind Direct L1 5.14d and onsighted the ultra-popular Fish Eye 5.14b. Seo’s hardest redpoint is La Rambla 5.15a, which she ascended in 2022 in only five days and seven tries. In 2022, she also onsighted L’Antagonista 5.14b, her first onsight of the grade.
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