Wonock Chung

Wonock Chung is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education at Northern Illinois University's College of Education. His work bridges recreation, sport management, and public health, with a strong focus on equity and inclusion in leisure programming.

His research interests include improving equitable access to recreation for underrepresented groups such as immigrants and older adults, recreation program development and evaluation, and recreation policy processes. He applies interdisciplinary approaches to understand how leisure contributes to health, well-being, and quality of life.

The recent publications highlight a consistent focus on older adults' leisure behaviors, particularly in the context of group fitness participation and pandemic-related disruptions. His work integrates theoretical models like the Psychological Continuum Model to analyze behavioral continuity in recreation settings.

He teaches key courses in the sport management curriculum, including Sport Sales and Sponsorship, Sport for Development and Social Change, Sport Ticket Sales, and Sport Industry and Organizations.

Dr. Chung advises on recreation and leisure policy and contributes to academic discourse through publications in journals such as Journal of Leisure Research and World Leisure Journal, as well as entries in reference works like the Encyclopedia of Sport Management.