“I am still hungry.” Korean Sumo Player’s Japanese Dream

In the early days, he felt nausea when he smelled Jankonabe (the food of sumo players which was cooked with meat, fish and vegetables). He ate nose drippings and tears together when he put it in his mouth despite the disgust. He spent six years like that. He embraced his mother and cried out when he got the apartment last year. He is 27-year-old sumo player Kim Seong-taek. He is called Spring-Japan-King in Japan instead of his name. Sumo is thoroughly ranked from Yokozuna to Jo-no-Kuchi by 10 degrees. He is now a well-known player after he became Makuuchi, first-group ranked first as a Korean.

Kim was a Korean Wrestler who has been well until his junior year at Inha University. He was attracted by pro team when he became the champion for “unlimited weight” during the university championship. Then why did he leave for Japan?

“I hated the tiresome poverty. I would earn only about ten-million won a year if I do Korean Wrestling, and I would have to quit it in my late 20s. In addition, Korean Wrestling was everything I knew… So I decided to earn money as a sumo player even if it was held against me.”

His mother is 62-year-old Choi Ok-soon who has suffered since the passing of her husband when Kim was 3 years old. Kim was hurt to see his mother have to work as a cleaner of his university in order for her to raise her two sons and daughter.

He left for Japan in November of 1998 after leaving school without finishing. There he faced a tough reality. His first job was cooking Jankonabe and cleaning in the ranked sumo world. He had to assist senior rankers and do miscellaneous affairs before he became Maku-Shita, the 7th rank. It was also hard work to eat Jankonabe whether willing or not in order to gain weight.

“I am a big eater who can devour 20 orders of Bulgogi at a time, but it was painful to eat Jankonabe every day. However the thoughts of my mother helped me to do it.”

His 120kg’s of weight increased to 151kg. Kim was promoted to Juryo, the sixth rank in May of 2002, and finally got the rank of Makuuchi in January of 2003.

“I made almost 500 million won. I saved the money and bought an apartment in Incheon last May to let Mother stay in it. I wept with joy.”

Kim visited Korea on February 9 to join, “Sumo Performance in Seoul” held at Chang-choong Gymnasium in Seoul on February 14 and 15. 40 players are supposed to take part in this event. If he beats Kotoryu in the first round, he will take on Ashasoryu who is from Mongo and is Yokozuna, the highest rank. Kim stated, “I am not in the best condition due to a cold, but I’ll show Korean fans good games.” His “Japanese dream” has been growing. Let’s expect to see Spring-Japan-King’s excellent skill in Korea.

Soon-Il Kwon stt77@donga.com