Wrestling In The Streets Of Seoul

The Hongdae region of Seoul always delivers a healthy dose of the unconventional to those seeking escapism from the conservative work-focused society in South Korea. Home to one of the top fine art universities in the country, the district has become a haven for indie arts, music, and spontaneous events of creative nature. The streets are alive with a spirit that anything can and will happen. That made Hongdae the perfect setting for an evening of gorilla performances by a largely unknown troupe of wrestlers. Pro Wrestling Fit is a South Korean wrestling group that fights anywhere, be it in a gym, club, or even a busy city street. One of South Korea’s only wrestling organizations, they take on stage names to exaggerate their characters’ personas. Some members even don costumes to further play on their theatrical identities. To promote themselves, the troupe showcases their backyard wrestling style at unorthodox venues. This particular event took place during an underground rock show dubbed, “an unholy unity of music and wrestling.” Between the opening act and the headlining band, the PWF wrestlers were introduced and then immediately started sparring. To the delight of the audience, they quickly took their fight out of the club and into the street. Enticed by its offbeat and overtly masculine nature, the audience couldn’t help but chase after and marvel at this aggressive spectacle.