Brent Newdick won bronze in the decathlon two years ago in Russia, New Zealand's only medal of the campaign.
That was a significant drop from the 2011 games in China, when New Zealand's swimming team came home with all 12 of the country's medals.
University of Otago students Tori Peeters, Kate Godfrey, Rachael Kennedy and Ollie Armstrong-Scott are all competing in Gwangju, starting on Saturday.
More than 13,000 athletes from 141 countries will be competing in the 28th biennial event, which is more than the approximate 10,000 competitors who take part in Olympic Games.
In some sports, fields are expected to be tougher than at Commonwealth Games, as sporting powerhouses such as Russia, China and the United States are sending large contingents.
New Zealand's athletics team, which includes Otago and national javelin champion and record holder Peeters, consists of 30 athletes, its largest-ever contingent.
The swimming team is made up of 16, while the remaining 20 are competing in table tennis, rowing, fencing and artistic gymnastics.
World University Games
Otago athletes
Kate Godfrey (swimming)
Rachael Kennedy (rowing)
Tori Peeters (athletics)
Ollie Armstrong-Scott (diving)
