Ma Dong-seok brings his punch to variety TV with ‘I Am Boxer’
Actor Ma Dong-seok / Courtesy of Lotte Entertainment
Actor Ma Dong-seok is making his first-ever leap into variety entertainment with tvN’s new boxing survival program “I Am Boxer,” raising expectations about whether his trademark intensity will translate to the small screen.
“I Am Boxer” is a survival show designed by Ma, a boxing gym head with 30 years of experience, who aims to revive K-boxing through a competition format.
Produced by Lee Won-woong of “The Iron Squad” and writer Kang Suk-kyung of “Physical: 100,” the program features Kim Jong-kook and Dex as hosts while top fighters and celebrities compete for the title of strongest boxer.
The participant lineup is as striking as the cast. Former Oriental champion Kim Min-wook, 14-time National Sports Festival winner Kim Dong-hoe, gold medalist Guk Seung-joon, military athlete Lee Chae-hyun, actor Jang Hyuk, Korea’s first UFC light heavyweight fighter Jung Da-un and UDT veteran–turned–artist Yuk Jun-seo are set to compete.
As Ma put it, “This is the kind of match people normally pay to watch,” signaling a star-studded and physically dominant roster.
Known to audiences as an actor and producer, Ma appears in the program as a master mentor. He began boxing in middle school and now coaches both amateur boxers and actors.
In a teaser released ahead of the premiere, he said, “You cannot know a boxer’s talent until they step into the ring. The ring is equal for everyone, and the one who remains standing longer wins,” offering advice rooted in experience.
Poster for "I Am Boxer" / Courtesy of tvN
A new challenge after mixed reception in recent projects
Ma earned the rare achievement of surpassing 30 million cumulative admissions with the “The Roundup” series, solidifying his reputation for unmatched action and screen presence. His signature “one-punch action” even became a recognized subgenre.
But repeated similar roles led to divided evaluations. His film “Holy Night: Demon Hunters” and his comeback drama “Twelve” posted underwhelming results, with critics pointing to predictability and fatigue with the familiar formula. Some noted that the once-guaranteed “one-punch action” no longer felt fresh.
For Ma, “I Am Boxer” presents an opportunity. As both on-screen mentor and behind-the-scenes creator, he is expected to showcase new dimensions of his talent. He oversaw everything from the show’s overall format to ring size, glove weight, props and game rules, and even participated directly in recruiting participants.
Lee said the collaboration came together naturally. “Since 2022, we had been exploring ways to produce a boxing survival show. By chance, we met Master Ma Dong-seok and realized we shared the same vision,” he said. “From that point, production moved quickly.”
He added, “The production team is confident in making broadcast programs and survival formats, but when it comes to boxing, we learned heavily from Master Ma’s long experience and insight.”
“I Am Boxer” will premiere on Dec. 21 on tvN.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.