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Women in Love with Boxing!

At the final match of the National Women's Amateur Boxing Championships, the boxer in a red uniform caught everyone's eyes.

It was none other than Lee Si-young, a Korean actress.

Enduring countless punches to her face, the most important body part for any actress, Lee Si-young was crowned the winner. And her victory started a boxing craze among Korean women.

[Interview : Lee Si-young, Actress] "In the future I will do my best both as an actress and a boxer. Thank you".

Let's take a closer look at this new "...ing" trend among Korean women.

At 8 PM on a weekday evening, this boxing gym is crowded with men eager to work out. But recently, more and more young women can be spotted amongst them.

[Interview : ] "How much has the number of female members increased by
[Interview : Jang Won-seok, Head coach] "This gym opened in September of last year. Even back then, the ratio of female to male members was 6:4, and this is still the case. Although the trend itself is quite big, I think Lee Si-young's victory in the amateur championship was a big influence".

A must-have quality for boxing is stamina. Frantically dodging your opponent's punches can leave you breathless and shaky almost immediately.

[Interview : PD] "How long have you been working out
[Interview : Park Hyeon-myeong, Member] "Each round lasts 3 minutes".

[Interview : PD] "Is boxing for 3 minutes effective as an exercise
[Interview : Park Hyeon-myeong, Member] "Because I box with a coach, I use up a lot of energy. Each move requires a lot of power, so it's physically very demanding".

To better accommodate the female members, the gym has been improving its facilities and sprucing up the overall atmosphere.

[Interview : PD] "What has changed since female members began joining the boxing gym
[Interview : Juhn Jai-hong, Member ] "When I first began boxing, most members of the gym were male. But recently a lot of women began to join the gym. Boxing is a rough sport, right[Interview : ] "Don't duck your head. Use your knees! Bend your knees all the way before standing up!"

Throwing all those punches is a great way to get rid of stress!

[Interview : PD] "What made you start boxing
[Interview : Park Hyeon-myeong, Member ] "At first I began boxing to lose weight. But it turned out to be a fun sport, and so here I am, still boxing, 6 months later. People normally join a gym when they want to lose weight. But personally I find that quite boring. Boxing is a great way to relieve stress, and is not as dangerous as many think. That's probably why I'm still doing it".

On the back of such trend, a number of female-only boxing gyms have sprung up recently.

[Interview : PD] "What exactly is a female-only boxing club[Interview : Choi Ji-yeong, Coach] "Even if women want to learn boxing, it's hard for them to start since it's considered a male-only sport. And most boxing gyms have lots of male members, which can be uncomfortable. This female-only boxing club was opened for women so that they can learn boxing and lose weight more comfortably".

In particular, boxing aerobics is quite popular among the middle-aged members, because it's fun and easy to learn.

[Interview : PD] "How much weight have you lost due to boxing
[Interview : Jeong Eun-jeong, Member] "I've lost about 7 kg. I just boxed and didn't really go on a diet. As a result, my body has improved and become more toned".

In Lee Si-young's case, her body fat percentage of 9.9% was reduced by 4.7% after she went on a diet and started boxing.

Likewise, a Korean singer named Solbi, who is currently appearing in a play as a boxer, started doing 4 hours of boxing everyday and lost a whopping 5 kilograms.

[Interview : Choi Ji-yeoung, Coach] "The defensive moves in boxing, which are weaving and ducking, require bending the waist. Ducking also uses the legs a lot. All moves in boxing involve the rebound of the waist, so it offers a great workout for the entire body, including the arms, legs, and the waist".

This is a gym where professional male boxers are trained. But wait! A female student boldly enters this intimating place with a cheerful greeting.

[SOV]
[Interview : ] "Hello!"

Kim Nu-ri, a 27-year-old college student, had first learned to box as a hobby. But soon she became qualified as a boxer, and this year is aiming to acquire a license as a boxing trainer. Many women, like Nu-ri, is beginning to see and enjoy boxing as a challenge in itself.

[Interview : Kim Nu-ri, Boxer] "I used to be a dancer, and I once dreamt of becoming a world-class choreographer. I also wanted to learn a new sport, but couldn't find the right one. Then a friend of mine, who is a boxer, recommended boxing to me. It seemed fun, so I decided to start. I think boxing has changed my life".

Today, Nu-ri is sparring with a special male boxer.

Inside the ring, there is no such thing as playing nice. It's an all-out battle.

[SOV]
[Interview : ] "Yes! Keep attacking! Go on! Keep hitting!"


[Interview : Kim Dong-chil, Head coach] "When it comes to infighting, Kim Nu-ri is just as skilled as male boxers. She is a reckless boxer who attacks a lot, and if she were a man she would have made one excellent boxer".

The match is finally over. Nu-ri's heart is pounding uncontrollably, as if it is about to burst.

[Interview : Kim Wu-seung, Boxer] "Although she is a female, Nu-ri is an amazing boxer. And she is very driven. Most women choose boxing to lose weight, but she works very hard. Unlike others, she doesn't look at the mirror and doesn't seem to care how she may look. She is simply amazing".

Having benefitted physically and mentally from this sport, Nu-ri is giving free boxing lessons to the kids in the neighborhood.

[SOV]
[Interview : ] "We can compete in the amateur championships, right
[Interview : Kim Nu-ri, Boxer] "I want people to have the confidence that they can overcome themselves. I want them to find the true meaning of life through boxing, and to not care about how others may look at them. Only when they see themselves as beautiful can they come across that way for others. So, I hope that they'll be able to love themselves. I think they should find the passion hidden deep within themselves through boxing".

As exhausting as it may be, boxing is a fun sport for women. Once called the "national sport of Korea" in the 70s and 80s, boxing is about to meet its second heyday - and it has the Korean women to thank. We look forward to seeing women's boxing enjoy more love and support in the future.

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