Ahead of TV CHOSUN's Chuseok special 'Korea-Japan super match: ssireum vs. sumo,' Japanese sumo representatives provoked and warned Korean ssireum, saying "you're so skinny you look like sundae" and "if you don't bulk up you'll be crushed." Even the Korean ssireum representative who stands 192 cm tall and weighs 142 kg held his breath and asked, "Do we look small?" The Chuseok special 'Korea-Japan super match,' airing at 10 p.m. on the 6th and 7th, has generated heated interest even before broadcast by arranging the first-ever televised showdown between professional ssireum and professional sumo wrestlers for the holiday. Commentator and strategy analyst Kim Gu-ra, caster Jo Jeong-sik, ssireum reserve and manager Jung Joon-ha, and ssireum legends Lee Man-gi and Lee Tae-hyun will serve as coaches, raising expectations. The matches will be held under agreed-upon ssireum rules, sumo rules, and a mixed ruleset combining both sports. The tallest member of the Korean ssireum team is Im Jin-won (192 cm, 142 kg), known as a master of technical ssireum. Also, Kim Min-jae (190 cm, 146 kg), regarded as the strongest active ssireum wrestler, boasts the heaviest weight. Yet even these athletes, who cannot be called small, became "the little guys(?)" in the face of the sumo professionals' physiques. The Japanese sumo team's captain Tomokaze is 184 cm and 184 kg, with matching height and weight figures, and even Kayo, who is short for a sumo wrestler at 170 cm, weighs 167 kg, projecting an intimidation more than 20 kg heavier than the ssireum representatives.
Seemingly conscious of that physical advantage, sumo team captain Tomokaze said, "The little guys can't beat us. Bulk up. Otherwise you'll be crushed," showing great confidence. Wakenokaze also made a shocking remark, saying, "Ssireum wrestlers are so skinny they look like 'sundae.'" To the ssireum representatives, who are smaller but strong in gripping, coach Lee Tae-hyun fired them up, saying, "Don't try to do sumo. We grab the mawashi (sumo wrestlers' belt). Our ultimate goal is victory too." Countering that, sumo team coach Nakamura also vowed, "We must not let the Korean athletes leave feeling good. We will win no matter what," igniting fighting spirit. The historic super match of ssireum vs. sumo, fought for the pride of Korea and Japan, will be revealed in the full broadcast.
[Photo] Provided by TV CHOSUN
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