Get To Know Ham Seo Hee Like Never Before Ahead Of Her World Title Shot At ONE Fight Night 14
Ham Seo Hee’s relentless fighting style has earned her a cult following over the years, but now, she is reaching a wider audience than ever.
Next, “Hamzzang” will face Stamp Fairtex for the ONE Interim Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title in the main event of ONE Fight Night 14 on Prime Video, and legions of fans across the globe are set to witness this massive clash of strikers.
However, despite their familiarity with the South Korean slugger inside the Circle or ring, few know her unique background.
Get to know Ham like never before ahead of her colossal matchup with Stamp in U.S. primetime on Friday, September 29.
She Dreamed Of Becoming A Stage Performer
When you see Ham in combat, it’s like she was born for it, but martial arts never registered in her younger years.
Instead, the young “Hamzzang” dreamed of life in a different kind of spotlight. She wanted to be a celebrity and went to a performing arts academy to work toward that goal.
She enjoyed acting and being on stage, although her ultimate goal was to be a singer.
She Was A Child TV Actor
In the fifth grade, Ham auditioned for a casting agency to start turning her training into a reality.
After getting accepted, the youngster was quickly snapped up for roles in multiple TV shows, including a children’s drama in 2000.
This forged a work ethic that set her up for success in her current career, with long, hard days on demanding sets.
She Was Forced Out Of Acting
While she was officially an artiste, there was always a tough core within Ham that belied her exterior.
And though she wasn’t one to pick a fight, “Hamzzang” would always stand up for her friends – and that got her into trouble.
Regular scuffles meant her parents were often called in to deal with teachers at school, and her mother tore up Ham’s acting certificates as a result.
Switching Paths To Martial Arts
With her performing career now on the rocks, Ham changed course completely and thought she’d like a career in the South Korean army.
She also took up taekwondo in her second year of high school. Because it is the country’s national sport, success can help a new recruit rise through the ranks.
But she ran into another obstacle. “Hamzzang” tried kickboxing and Muay Thai, which she much preferred due to their full-contact nature.
That drained her passion for taekwondo and, ultimately, her desire to be in the army.
Beginning Life As A Fighter
Ham quickly engrossed herself in the striking arts, and the lust for competition came quickly.
With her parents not on board with her new endeavor, she needed her sister to forge their signatures when she started competing as a junior in 2004.
By 2007, she had started fighting internationally in Japan and even tried out mixed martial arts as another way to get matches.
Determined to take the new sport seriously, she began her training at the famous Team MAD gym in Busan in 2010.
Another Way To Pay The Bills
Fighting at a regional level didn’t pay well, but with potential careers as an actor or soldier not panning out, Ham diversified in another unique direction.
“Hamzzang” studied to become a nail technician and worked in a salon alongside her training before she earned enough from fighting to pay the bills.
And from there, the rest is history.
