"A national representative is a national representative forever": Wushu athlete Jo Seung-jae delivers overwhelming martial arts performance after 5kg weight loss

Jo Seung-jae, a former Asian Games silver medalist and national Wushu athlete, delivered an overwhelming martial arts performance reminiscent of a scene from a martial arts film. Appearing on TV CHOSUN's 'Ten Million Masters Show,' Jo captured the attention of the audience with intense movements and sharp weapon utilization.

A 'life-risking' stage prepared by losing 5kg

Jo Seung-jae underwent an extreme preparation process for this stage. Having taken a break from training for approximately five years, he approached his training for this program with the mindset of an athlete preparing for a competition. In particular, he demonstrated his determination for the stage by focusing on weight control, losing 5kg in just two weeks to maintain peak condition.

"It has been about five years since I completely let go of exercise, but while preparing for this program, I returned to the mindset of an athlete preparing for a match," he said, adding, "I risked my life to lose 5kg." This process is seen as a way to prove his pride as a national representative beyond a simple variety show appearance.

From double swords to staff techniques: A performance recreating martial arts films

On stage, Jo Seung-jae showed the essence of Wushu, a traditional Chinese martial art. He began the performance with 'dosul' (sword techniques) using sharp double swords, followed by 'kwonsul' (fist/staff techniques) using a staff. As the flashy double sword action intersected with powerful staff movements, the cast members reacted by saying, "It felt like watching a martial arts film."

Notably, this stage included high-difficulty direction following actual competition standards. While typical competitions feature movements lasting about 1 minute and 30 to 40 seconds, Jo prepared a longer sequence of approximately 4 minutes and 30 seconds for this stage. Composed under the assumption of a competition situation where preliminary and final rounds must be held at once, the performance clearly demonstrated his strong physical strength and concentration.

"A national representative is a national representative forever"... Overwhelming charisma

After finishing the stage, Jo Seung-jae expressed his conviction as a martial artist, stating, "A national representative is a national representative forever." His charismatic gaze and disciplined movements left a strong impression on the cast. Reactions at the scene followed where people were captivated by his gaze and martial arts skills, with praise pouring in for the completeness of the stage composition.

The performance shown by Jo Seung-jae is significant in that it goes beyond a simple martial arts demonstration and serves as a result of the intense efforts of a national representative who pushed himself to restart exercising.

Source: TVCHOSUN JOY (YouTube)