Asian Culture, Lifestyle and Entertainment
Martial arts, combat sports and pop culture
Actress Lee Si-young has joined the South Korean national boxing squad after winning a tryout tournament on April 24. She can now represent Korea in international competitions, and also in contention for a spot in the 2014 Asian Games.
It’s not uncommon to see national athletes venturing into showbiz, it’s definitely rare the other way around (officially the first in South Korea). Congrats, and brava!
Cool video… a fusion of dances, acrobatics and taekwondo at Busan Film Festival in South Korea in October 2011. The street show was held to promote Thai-Korean martial arts film, The Kick, which was showcased at the annual movie event.
[Update 2015] The performance was done by a taekwondo-entertainment group called the K-Tigers which have become quite popular since then. They have regular shows here and there and have featured on TV several times.
Trailer for Indonesian film, The Raid, which won plaudits at the Toronto Film Festival last month. Some say it’s one of the best action movie in years; and there’s also news that it’s getting a Hollywood remake. Violent content warning…
Pretty enthralling trailer. The storyline is simple – about a SWAT team being entrapped in a safe house for the world’s most dangerous assassins and gangsters. Plenty of flying bullets, close combat battle and Silat, a form of Southeast Asian martial arts.
Movie directed by Welsh born Gareth Evans and starred Iko Uwais, a real life Silat master. This is the duo’s second collaboration.
Hong Kong Airlines has made it compulsory for their cabin crew to learn Wing Chun, a famous Chinese martial art which focuses on close-ranged battle.
It’s said that it will help the flight attendants to be better prepared against drunkards and troublemakers, which the airline encountered every 2-3 days.
I don’t think the lesson is of much use though; you can’t punch a passenger regardless, not in front of dozens of other on-flight customers. Besides, martial art is not something that can be learnt in a few hours, or even days. The situation might end up worse if the flight attendants attempt the techniques.
Two little Japanese kids’ taekwondo sparring…
Korean actress Lee Si-young recently made headline by winning her first boxing championship, presumably in an amateur (or intermediate) tournament.
It’s not uncommon for celebrities to have a hobby like every other person, but it’s definitely unusual to see a pretty actress taking a combative sport seriously.
Most celebrities would avoid taking part in something that could leave a scar or bruise on their face. She’s cool, good luck to her future tournaments.
[Update] She made it into the South Korean national team in 2013, brava!!!