Mixed martial arts fighter Choi Hong-man, the former ssirum (traditional Korean wrestling) champion, has transformed into a rapper, performing alongside model-turned-singer Kang Soo-hee in a duo called Beauty and the Beast.
The duo will release their first album next month. On Thursday Choi had his pictures taken for the album's cover at a nightclub in Gangnam in southern Seoul.
"I always dreamed of becoming a singer whenever I saw singers performing on TV." The 2.18-m tall goliath continued, "If I weren't this tall, I'd work in showbusiness. I gave up my dream at the age of 15 when I started ssirum. Now my wish has come true, although belatedly."
The duo will make its debut in mid-December with a quick-tempo track called "Pride." "Although I'm about to debut as a singer, I'm an athlete and sports is the most important thing to me," he said.
Choi still fights, and next month he will head to Japan to prepare for a match with Jerome Le Banner in Yokohama on Dec. 8.
