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지나쌤

Actress Lee Si-young chasing two rabbits in acting, boxing

By 문예빈

Published : March 18, 2011 - 10:49

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(Yonhap News) (Yonhap News)
Lee Si-young, a South Korean actress, isn't just a pretty face. She can now call herself a boxing champion. Lee took the national women's amateur boxing championship in the 48-kilogram division Thursday. At 28 years of age, she was the oldest competitor at the event, which was open to boxers from 17 to
34 years old.

After dominating Sung So-mi, a high school freshman, in the final, Lee finally spoke about her new venture in the ring.

"I am going to do my best in acting and also in boxing," Lee said in Andong, 268 kilometers southeast of Seoul, who was all smiles after the third-round win. "I am so happy and honored to win; I didn't expect myself to pull it off."

Lee has starred in hit television shows such as "Boys Over Flowers" and "Playful Kiss." She is currently the host of "Entertainment Relay" on KBS, the longest-running entertainment weekly show on Korean television.

Lee had previously refused to talk to the media about her fledgling boxing career. She explained that she didn't want to take the spotlight away from other, more accomplished boxers.

"I am just a rookie with a long way to go, and there are so many good boxers out there," Lee said. "I didn't want to offend or harm any other boxers."

Lee has won two other amateur titles. She picked up boxing last year after being cast as a female boxer for a television drama. To learn the role, Lee trained at a gym run by Hong Soo-hwan, a former world champion. Though the drama never made the airwaves, Lee didn't take off her gloves.

(Yonhap News) (Yonhap News)

Hong, who held bantamweight and super bantamweight titles in the 1970s, said Lee has the makeup to be a successful boxer.

"She's got a ton of energy," Hong said, adding Lee made the cross-country trip from Andong to Seoul to shoot a film and then traveled back to Andong the night before the final. "We'll prepare her for the National Sports Festival and the 2012 London Olympics."

Lee Seung-bae, head coach of the national team who attended the final, said the actress has good potential as a boxer.

"She is tall and has a long reach, with an accurate left straight," the coach said. "It was a pretty good bout for a rookie. She is still in the early stages, but she could get much better."

Baek Seung-won, who coached Lee, said the actress has "the fire and the perfect physique" to become a professional boxer, but added, "She is a bit old (to turn pro now)."

Entering the national championship or the Olympics doesn't appear to be what her management has in mind.

"Acting is her day job, and boxing is a hobby," said Jung Kwang-sung from GnG Production, Lee's agency. "We've agreed that she can keep boxing as long as it doesn't affect her acting career."

(Yonhap News)


<관련 기사>

女배우 이시영, 복싱신인대회 '깜짝 우승'

3라운드 RSC승으로 완벽한 승리

배우 이시영(29·홍수환스타복싱)이 제7회 전국 여자신인아마추어 복싱선수권대회에서 뛰어난 실력을 발휘하면서 '깜짝 우승'을  차지했다.

이시영은 17일 경북 안동 실내체육관에서 열린 대회 48㎏급 결승전에서 성소미(순천청암고)를 3라운드 1분40초만에 RSC승으로 완벽하게 제압했다.

아마추어 경기에서는 두 선수의 점수 차가 15점 이상 벌어질 경우 심판이 RSC를 선언한다. 이시영은 이날 3라운드에서 17-0으로 멀찍이 앞서면서 RSC승을 낚았다.

이날 경기는 배우 출신 복서가 우승에 도전해 화제를 모았다. 또 상대인 성소미는 수영스타 정다래의 친구로 알려진 성동현(한국체대)의 친동생이라는 점에서 눈길을 끌었다.

1라운드 초반 조심스럽게 탐색전을 펼치던 이시영은 중반부터 긴 팔을 이용해 주도권을 잡았다.

왼손잡이인 이시영은 스트레이트를 정확하게 때려 1라운드에서만 9-0으로 훌쩍앞섰다.

크게 뒤진 성소미는 2라운드부터 점수를 만회하기 위해 반격에 나섰다.  적극적으로 주먹을 휘두르며 공격에 나섰지만 이시영은 당황하지 않고 받아치면서 오히려 점수 차를 더 벌렸다.

이어 3라운드에서도 5점을 보태 짜릿한 우승의 기쁨을 맛봤다. 이시영은  2라운드에서 한 차례, 3라운드에서는 두 차례나 다운을 뺏었다.

현장에서 이 경기를 지켜본 이승배 복싱 국가대표 감독은 "이시영은 키가 크고팔이 긴 등 신체 조건이 상당히 좋다"면서 "왼손 스트레이트가 무척 정확하다. 신인치고는 아주 훌륭한 경기를 했다"고 평가했다.

이 감독은 "전문 선수에 비하면 아직 걸음마 단계라고 할 수 있지만 적극적으로 기량을 연마한다면 많이 나아질 것으로 것으로 보인다"며 "지난해 생활체육복싱대회에 출전한 모습을 지켜본 적이 있는데 그때보다 기량이 또 향상했다"고 말했다.

영화 '위험한 상견례'의 개봉을 앞둔 이시영은 이 영화 홍보활동을 하던  와중에 이번 대회에 출전했다.

이시영은 지난해 여자 복싱선수를 주인공으로 하는 단막극에 주인공으로 캐스팅돼 복싱과 인연을 맺었다.

이후 드라마 제작은 무산됐지만, 복싱에 재미를 붙인 이시영은 지난해 11월  사회인 복싱대회인 KBI 전국 생활체육 복싱대회 48㎏급에도 출전해 우승했다.

또 지난 2월 서울지역 아마복싱대회인 제47회 신인 아마추어 복싱전에서도 우승컵을 거머쥐었다.

한편, 이날 이어 열린 2011 국가대표 선발전에서는 신종훈(49㎏급·서울시청),심현용(64㎏·대전대), 한순철(60㎏·서울시청) 등 베이징 아시안게임 대표선수들이 준결승전을 통과했다. 또 성소미의 오빠인 성동현도 56㎏급에서 결승전 티켓을 확보했다.

(연합뉴스)

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