Of all the athletes featured here at The Muscular Asian Woman, it is surprising how many inquiries I have received about South Korean bodybuilder Mi-Hee Yu (유미희).  The only item ever published here was a photo in the "Random Photos" area to your left, yet I still get messages asking for more images and background.  It has taken some time, but I finally have some more information.

A couple of Korean newspapers have picked  up on her story.  Ms Yu began as an aerobics instructor at the age of 20, but after giving birth to two children, she wanted to lose some weight.  Currently weighing 51 kg at 157 cm tall, Ms Yu told the Weekly Chosun that she decided she has to change when she weighed 80 kg after the birth of her daughter 12 years ago.  In the JoongAng Daily article, she said, "As I was still running gym classes, I had no choice but to lose the weight so that the gym members could be inspired by my example."  With her husband's encouragement, she decided to take up bodybuilding.  Living in Seoul, Ms Yu has now been training since 1996, and took the title of Ms Korea 2007 last year, along with the couples title.  Both Ms Yu and her husband, who is also a bodybuilder, compete in couples posing.  

Choosing to be a female bodybuilder in Korea is not an easy path.  For example, the Korean public still sees the bodybuilder's physique as undesirable. Ms Yu mentioned in the JoongAng Daily article: "It's fine if they have their opinions about my body but the comments are often so ignorant and vulgar." Additionally, financial support is also an issue.  Female bodybuilders are not yet members of the Korean National Athletic Meet, meaning awards given during national and regional competitions are not compensated.  Male bodybuilders, on the other hand, are National Meet members.  In the Weekly Chosun, Ms Yu explains that Male bodybuilders can even qulaify for unemployment benefits, but not the females.

"With the additional fees for tanning, buying oil, as well as nutritional supplements, it is hard to survive with just bodybuilding," Ms Yu says. "You must have a day job." The number of female bodybuilders in South Korea has remained around the same since 1995, when professional competitions for women were first held.  

Ms Yu continued: "Women have to work nine to ten times harder than men to form muscles. During the [competition] season, I work out every day for three to four hours and stay on a strict diet of unseasoned chicken breasts, egg whites, potatoes, asparagus, sweet potatoes and nutritional supplements. This diet also adds to the cost of being a bodybuilder."

Right now, Korea only holds amateur bodybuilding competitions. Acccording to the JoongAng Daily, "In the bodybuilding world, professional competition means athletes tend to take steroids and, on occasion, the judges turn a blind eye--while amateur competitions are strictly opposed to drug use and enforce a universal ban."  Ms Yu said, "I personally do not take steroids because I’m afraid of the side effects.  Since I have a family and children, I tend to be extra careful about that kind of thing."

We at The Muscular Asian Woman admire her discipline and tenacity.

More soon,



Links
Weekly Chosun: 미즈코리아 유미희씨"근육 키웠더니 몸무게 30kg 빠졌어요" 2007
JoongAng Daily: "Muscle-bound maidens make their big move" 2007