A Korea-Japan 'ssireum vs. sumo' match takes place for Chuseok.
In episode 1 of TV Chosun's Chuseok special 'Korea-Japan super match: ssireum vs. sumo,' which will be released tonight (6th) at 10 p.m., a tug-of-war preliminary match to test each side's "pulling strength" will be held ahead of the main confrontation.
For the Korean ssireum team, Kim Min-jae, the "ssireum monster" who achieved the grand slam of the four major ssireum tournaments—Seollal, Dano, Chuseok and Cheonhajangsa—stepped forward. Kim Min-jae, who is 190cm tall and weighs 146kg, said, "I really hate losing. I will win no matter what," expressing his determination. For the Japanese sumo team, captain Tomokaze, with an unprecedented physical size of 184cm and 184kg, steps forward. At Kim Min-jae's appearance, Tomokaze also said, "Everyone is on guard," showing tension.
Amid tension, a 30-second tug-of-war began, and as soon as it started Tomokaze sat down and shook Kim Min-jae. Kim Min-jae began to be helplessly pulled by Tomokaze, who used his weight to drag him, and later said, "I've never lost a tug-of-war before, but that feeling was the first time in my life, so I was very flustered," expressing his feelings. Hong Ji-heun, the youngest of the ssireum team, also said, "I thought Min-jae hyung was the strongest, but I was surprised he was easily pulled," and was shocked by the power of sumo. The result of the tug-of-war preliminary match, which was more nail-biting than the main game, can be seen in the broadcast.
From the preliminary match, the sumo team's coach Nakamura protested the match rules and refused to compete, saying, "Ssireum is about endurance but we are about explosiveness. Why should we conform to your rules? We can't do this anymore." Strategy analyst Kim Gu-ra and caster Jo Jeong-sik said, "So do we have to redo the match?" showing their embarrassment. With each country's pride at stake, attention is focused on the outcome of the first-ever adrenaline-filled head-to-head 'Korea-Japan super match: ssireum vs. sumo,' a two-part series full of tension.
[Photo] Provided by TV Chosun.
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