Choi Hong-man Confesses Loneliness Due to Height on 'You Quiz on the Block'

Former wrestler and fighter Choi Hong-man, known as the 'Techno Goliath,' opened up about the profound loneliness he experienced due to his immense height.

Appearing on the tvN variety show 'You Quiz on the Block' on the 5th, Choi Hong-man shared stories from his days as a sumo wrestler and mixed martial artist, as well as his periods of inactivity.

He revealed that he was quite small in middle school, nicknamed 'Millet Seed,' but experienced rapid growth from his second year of middle school through high school, growing about 1 cm per month. However, Choi admitted, "I started sumo late, so my techniques were clumsy, and I was treated like a 'utility pole' just because I was tall," recalling the past.

When MC Yoo Jae-suk mentioned hearing that Choi's loneliness was harder than growing pains, he replied, "Because the school situation wasn't good, I lived alone in a dormitory converted from underground classrooms." He added, "Because I was so tall, there was a distance between me and other people." Choi further elaborated on his isolation, stating, "I didn't have a single friend. The only friends I had were the insects in the dormitory, and I only remember communicating with them."

Choi confessed, "I've never slept with the lights off, and I still don't." He continued, "I cried every day. More than the training, the loneliness was the hardest part," receiving words of comfort from the MCs.

He later shared that his skills truly flourished from his sophomore year of college, leading him to win competitions and stand out.

Choi Hong-man debuted as a sumo wrestler in 2002, winning the Cheonhajangsa and 3-time Baegdujangsa titles, before transitioning to mixed martial arts in 2004. After winning sumo matches, his dancing skills, despite his 217cm stature, earned him the nickname 'Techno Goliath.'

Netizens expressed sympathy for Choi Hong-man's past struggles and sent encouraging messages. Comments like "Cheer up, Hong-man hyung!", "He must have been so lonely as a child", and "I hope you are happy now" flooded in.