Choi Hong-man. [Newsis]
Choi Hong-man. [Newsis]

Former ssireum wrestler and mixed martial arts fighter Choi Hong-man opened up about his past relationships on a television program.

On Saturday, Choi appeared on the MBC variety show "Omniscient Interfering View," inviting comedians Kim Won-hun and Jo Jin-se to his Seoul home for a meal and a catch-up.

During the episode, Choi said he had been thinking a lot lately about whether he should get married.

When Kim asked whether any women around him had expressed interest, Choi said the answer might surprise people. "There are actually a lot — more than you'd expect. I fly a lot, and flight attendants send me notes quite often. They say they've been fans for a long time and make comments that show they like me," he said, drawing surprised reactions from the group.

Kim followed up by asking whether any had gone so far as to give him their contact information or social media handles. "That's happened a few times," Choi said. "I've been flying since I was young, so I've naturally built connections with people who work in that field. My first girlfriend was a flight attendant, and so was the woman I dated the longest."

The mood shifted when it was revealed that a tattoo on Choi's left wrist bore the initials of a former girlfriend.

Asked why he had never had it removed, Choi said he wanted to hold on to the memory. "She's the one I was with the longest. She's the only one I got a tattoo for," he said.

Kim then asked which would hurt more — getting the tattoo removed, or knowing that a future girlfriend might be hurt seeing it. Choi drew laughs when he replied, "I'll say it right here: if I get a new girlfriend, I'll have it removed."

Choi first made his name as a ssireum wrestler before transitioning to combat sports, competing on the K-1 and MMA circuits. He has since become a regular presence on television variety programs.


choigo@heraldcorp.com