MMA champion, comedians to counsel underprivileged teens
.jpg?w=728)
Mixed martial arts fighter Kwon A-sol has been appointed an honorary counselor for underprivileged children alongside comedians Hong In-gyu and Yoon Hyung-bin. / Courtesy of Road FC
By Baek Byung-yeul
Mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Kwon A-sol and funnymen Yoon Hyung-bin and Hong In-gyu will counsel underprivileged teenagers.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Gwanak Police Station appointed the three as honorary counselors for teenagers, Monday.
The police station has been providing an after-school program for teenagers called “Green Frog Playground” in cooperation with a non-governmental organization Friending. The three will actively mentor students who join the program.
As part of the counseling, the 28-year-old fighter Kwon said he will teach MMA to juveniles.
“By learning MMA, they will recognize there are many fighters much better than them, and learn manners that they ought not take swings at anyone. With this chance, I would like to teach them the spirit of a fighter,” Kwon said.
Kwon, whose career MMA record is 20 wins and eight losses, became a top fighter in the lightweight class of the Road FC, Korea’s largest MMA organization, last year after defeating Japanese fighter Kume Takasuke.
Comedian Yoon, also known as an MMA fighter, became interested in guiding juveniles while working with the Road FC. “I know there are so many teenagers who need people’s care and love,” Yoon said.
Baek Doo-won, a chief of Friending, said the program gives hope to underprivileged teenagers.
“With the Green Frog Playground program…I will do my utmost to support youth in Korea with Yoon, Hong and Kwon,” Baek said.
Established in 2012, the non-government organization has been helping to reduce school violence and educating underprivileged teenagers by funding and providing classes taught by prominent people.