January 2023

Q. Hello. Would you please introduce yourself to our readers?

Hello. My name is Kim Minjae. I¡¯m a member of the Yeongam-gun Folk Ssireum Team.

Q. I think ssireum is an unfamiliar sport to our overseas readers. Would you give us a brief explanation?

Ssireum is a Korean folk sport that was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2018. It is said to have started in ancient times on the Korean Peninsula. The rules of ssireum are very simple. Each wrestler wears a satba (thigh band) around their right thigh and waist. It is a competition of strength and technique as you hold onto one another¡¯s satba as you wrestle. It is considered a defeat if any part of the body above the knees touches the floor. In the Ssireum Pro League, wrestlers need to win two out of three matches in the preliminary round and semifinals, and three out of five to win the final round.

Q. How did you become a ssireum wrestler?

I grew up in Jangheung-gun, Jeollanam-do Province. My elementary school held a children¡¯s ssireum competition once a year. I participated in the competition for the first time when I was in third grade. I won, even though it was the first time I had ever tried the sport. The director of my school¡¯s ssireum club took notice and suggested that I give ssireum a try. I¡¯ve always been more inclined to physical activity. I wasn¡¯t really interested in studying, so I thought about getting involved in sports. As fate would have it, my school had a ssireum club. That¡¯s how I got involved.

Q. You have immersed yourself in ssireum for nearly ten years. What do you feel is the charm of ssireum?

I personally like the fact that there are no violent movements in ssireum where you hit or strangle your opponent. It¡¯s never just a simple contest of strength. It¡¯s a competitive sport that focuses on strength as well as psychology, technique and strategy. It¡¯s always new and exciting, no matter how many times you watch or participate.

Q. You said that ssireum is a battle of strength, psychology, technique and strategy. From your point of view, which element do you think is the most important?

Ssireum is a sport that is played face-to-face, so if you feel intimidated psychologically, your strength and technique will suffer. I think the most important thing is having a strong mind and confidence. Next, I would say strength. Technique is important, but it often depends on the strength that¡¯s applied to it. There is no one move that has an absolute advantage in ssireum. Depending on how you strategize, you can lose a match if your opponent uses doechigi (a counterstroke used in ssireum).

Q. What kind of techniques are there in ssireum?

There are 55 different techniques in ssireum. They are classified according to the body part used by the wrestler and are largely divided into hand, leg and waist techniques.

Q. You have immersed yourself in ssireum for nearly ten years. What do you feel is the charm of ssireum?

I personally like the fact that there are no violent movements in ssireum where you hit or strangle your opponent. It¡¯s never just a simple contest of strength. It¡¯s a competitive sport that focuses on strength as well as psychology, technique and strategy. It¡¯s always new and exciting, no matter how many times you watch or participate.

Q. Which technique do you feel is your strongest?

Definitely deulbaejigi. It¡¯s a technique in which you lift your opponent to rotate their center of gravity, then flip them to the ground. My biggest strength is that I have better agility and flexibility than other wrestlers in my weight class.

An image from the finals of the 2022 Cheonhajangsa Ssireum Competition ¨Ï Korea Ssireum Association

Q. You are truly invincible when you add agility and flexibility to overwhelming strength. You won the final and became the cheonhajangsa in June 2022. You garnered a lot of attention as the first university student to win in 37 years. How great did that feel?

Matches are held by weight class in ssireum. There are four weight classes: Taebaek, Geumgang, Halla and Baekdu. There is one competition, the Champion Ssireum Grand Festival, in which wrestlers can compete without restrictions in weight class. The title of cheonhajangsa is given to the person who wins the final match. It is known as the most representative and honorable title in the world of ssireum.

Q. How did you feel when you won the championship title?

I felt unbelievably good for a few days, but I began to feel as though there was a heavy burden placed on my shoulders as the title represents ssireum. I automatically became cautious of my actions. I made a resolution to have the technique and character worthy of the title of cheonhajangsa.

Q. Even before you became the cheonhajangsa, people could see the birth of a new ssireum star as you recorded an undefeated streak in the 2022 professional ssireum competition. Could you tell us about your daily routine?

I do aerobic exercise every day from 6:00 to 7:00 a.m. I then do strength training from 10:00 AM to 12:00 p.m. From 3:00 to 5:30 p.m., I practice combat, and in the evening, I do personal training. I¡¯m having dinner with my team tonight, but I plan on doing some personal training after dinner. I think other wrestlers have a similar lifestyle.