Kim Min-jae (21, Yeongam-gun Folk Ssireum Team)메이저사이트 is called the ‘treasure of the wrestling world’ by Hwang Kyung-soo (77), president of the Korean Ssireum Association. It deserves it. Kim Min-jae has continued his undefeated record in individual competitions (17 victories) since last year, winning the Baekdu Jangsa in succession at the Lunar New Year’s Day and Mungyeong Market Competition this year. Last year, when he was a sophomore at Ulsan University, he also won the title of ‘University Student World Champion’ in 37 years since Inje University professor Lee Man-gi (60, then Kyungnam University senior) in 1985.
Kim Min-jae first met Professor Lee while attending the ‘Ssireum Promotion Revitalization Conference’ held in Seoul on the 17th as a representative of active players. Prof. Lee reached out to Min-jae Kim first and encouraged him, saying, “I am sure he will be able to become a big star for 10 years if he goes without looking at wrestling.” Kim Min-jae expressed his aspirations, saying, “I want to become a player who thinks of ‘Kim Min-jae’ when it comes to wrestling, just like my seniors did.”
● Kim Min-jae’s low center of gravityKim Min-jae, who is 189 cm tall and weighs 140 kg, has a field badge. Deulbaejigi is a technique that grabs the opponent’s loincloth, lifts it to the height of the boat, and then slightly turns one’s body to knock the opponent over.
Yongin University Professor Lee Tae-hyeon (47), who won the Cheonhajangsa three times, said, “Kim Min-jae’s field keeper has a lower center of gravity than other players.” It’s the same reason. That makes it even more effective.”
This is possible because, literally, “strength is business.” Kim Min-jae lifts 290kg of squat, 290kg of deadlift, and 200kg of bench press (per rep) based on the maximum weight. As a result of the measurement by the Jeonnam Sports Science Center, Kim Min-jae’s back muscle strength (lifting power with back muscles) reached 276 kg. Kim Tae-wan, head of the Jeonnam Sports Science Center (Doctor of Science), said, “This is the highest record in our center’s history, surpassing those of track and field throwers.”
Power isn’t the only good thing. The response time to sound is also 0.229 seconds, which is equivalent to that of sprinters. Kim Min-jae is also said to have good footwork for a Baekdu-level player, and his technique of chasing down opponents while following them is also excellent.
● “First of all, five times under heaven”
Kim Min-jae, who was born in Jangheung-gun, Jeollanam-do, won the Jangheung-gun Children’s Ssireum Championship when he was in the third grade at Myeongdeok Elementary School and was scouted by the Gwansan-cho Ssireum Club before stepping into the sand. The parents, who farmed seaweed, wanted their eldest son to study, but after persuasion from the leaders who noticed Kim Min-jae’s talent, they eventually allowed him to become a player.
In fact, even in middle and high school, Kim Min-jae was a player who was hidden in the shadow of Choi Seong-min (currently Taean County Office), who was the same age as him. In his school days, he was behind Seong-min Choi with 1 win and 4 losses. Minjae Kim, who thought ‘there is still a lot to learn’, chose to go to Ulsan University instead of joining the unemployment team after graduating from Yeosu Technical High School. Then, last year, he gained confidence and joined the unemployment team after becoming a Cheonhajangsa.
Encouraged by the advice of Kim Ki-tae, 43-year-old coach of the Yeongam-gun Folk Ssireum Troupe, “Always think of it as the first game,” Kim Min-jae won the Baekdu Jangsa title by defeating Choi Seong-min in the final match at the Mungyeong Championships last month. The technique that knocked Choi Seong-min down in the last game was, of course, the field badger.
After the meeting, Kim Min-jae, whom we met at the Dong-A Media Center in Seoul, said, “First of all, the goal is to become a world champion five times.” Kim Min-jae, who is sincere in wrestling even as a hobby, to the point of ‘watching wrestling videos’, explained that he has the confidence to become a player who does not disappoint fans’ expectations.
What Kim Min-jae wants more than becoming a world champion and riding a palanquin is the recovery of popularity in wrestling. Kim Min-jae said, “Ssireum is an event that has different charms with flashy skills in the light weight class and heavy weight in the heavyweight class.” “I will do my best so that more people can feel the charm of ‘intuition.