Who is Team South Korea's Kim Dong-hyun on Physical: Asia? Everything we know about the mixed martial artist

In the Netflix series Physical: Asia, Team South Korea is captained by veteran mixed martial artist Kim.

From his record in the UFC to his current media presence in Korea, Dong‑hyun brings both athletic credibility and familiarity to the show.

Physical: Asia: Kim Dong-hyun’s early life and Mixed Martial Arts career

In Physical: Asia, elite athletes from eight countries battle for national pride and physical supremacy.

Kim Dong-hyun serves as the captain of Team South Korea in the series, representing his country and leading a squad that includes fellow Koreans such as Amotti, Yun Sung-bin, Kim Min-jae, Jang Eun-sil, and Choi Seung-yeon.

Dong-hyun was born on November 17, 1981, in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea.

He trained early in judo from age 14 and later in taekwondo and hapkido.

He fights out of Busan Team M.A.D. with a southpaw stance and a reach of 76 inches.

His MMA record reached 22 wins, 4 losses, and 1 draw (plus 1 no contest) during his active years; his nickname is “Stun Gun”.

In his UFC debut at UFC 84 against Jason Tan, he won via technical knockout in the third round, making him the first South Korean to win in the UFC octagon.

Over his career, he also defeated Nate Diaz, John Hathaway (via knockout), and others, while his defeat to Colby Covington at UFC Fight Night 111 in 2017 marked his final UFC appearance.

In Physical: Asia, Kim described his feelings on recognising a fellow UFC veteran in Team Japan:

“Since I was a Mixed Martial Arts fighter, I was surprised when a fighter from the UFC entered. I was really taken aback. It was Okami Yushin. I thought, ‘Do I have to fight him?’ I had all sorts of mixed feelings.”

This quote underscores the competitive mindset he brings to Physical: Asia and the crossover between MMA and the show's fitness-competition format.

Transition to media & television

Following his MMA career, Kim transitioned into Korean variety and entertainment.

He appeared on shows such as Master in the House, The Return of Superman, Law of the Jungle, and others, building a media-friendly profile.

Dong-hyun is on Instagram as: stungunkim where he has over 300k followers and posts regularly.

According to a fan on Reddit:

“For credentials, he’s the S.Korean who has the most UFC wins and at one point the highest ranked S.Korean mixed martial arts fighter in the world…He’s got a great resume and has the reputation of being that athletic good guy in his country... Young and old people love him.”

This combination of athletic credibility and public likeability made him a strong candidate for captaincy on Physical: Asia.

Role on Physical: Asia

As captain of Team South Korea on Physical: Asia, Kim Dong-hyun is the athlete-leader guiding a team of six high-profile Koreans.

The show’s creators listed Kim among the cast as the MMA fighter representing Korea.

His responsibilities extend beyond competition: mentoring his team members, strategising for challenges, and acting as the public face of Team Korea

His quote about facing Okami Yushin reveals his mindset going into the challenges: he understands both respect and rivalry.

The format of Physical: Asia pushes national teams into multiple athletic and endurance events—Kim’s background in MMA gives him experience in high‐pressure competition and physical combat, though the show emphasises endurance, teamwork, and adaptability more than one-on-one fighting.

Given that Physical: Asia focuses on team performance over individual wins, Kim’s shift from lone-combat MMA to team leadership becomes a central narrative.

His presence blurs the lines between combat veteran and endurance athlete.

Stay tuned for more updates.