Kang So Yeon, one of the contestants of Physical: 100, is trying to outlast the fierce competition in the South Korean reality series on Netflix.
Physical: 100 consists of 100 contestants as they go head-to-head in a tournament filled with individual and team challenges that rely on their strength, balance, agility, and endurance to win the grand prize of 300 million won ($240,000).
5 Things To Know about Kang So Yeon
Kang So Yeon Was on Single's Inferno Season 1
35-year-old Kang So Yeon was a former cast member of Single's Inferno Season 1.
Single's Inferno is a dating show where six males and six females are stranded on a deserted island as they try to find love.
Speaking with SMCP in July 2022, Yeon talked about her experience in the series and the lessons she learned as part of it, noting that she thought back then, "Maybe it’s [her] fate to do this:"
“A lot of television channels started casting for dating shows, and I thought, ‘Maybe it’s my fate to do this.’ I then heard that Netflix was starting to do a show, and I didn’t have a man at that time so I thought, ‘I should do this’.”
In a separate interview with Cosmopolitan, Yeon explained three things that surprised her when she took part in Single's Inferno, such as the scale of production, the emotional fluctuation, and the contestants' level of concentration:
"The scale of production (e.g., getting on a helicopter to go to a luxury suite and order all the room service you want – previously unseen in Korean shows,) the emotional fluctuation and level of concentration contestants showed during the short 10 days while on the island. And finally, not being able to drink water or listen to music on a hot summer day (40 degrees celsius!)."
Aside from the surprising things that she learned, the Single's Inferno alum shared that accepting "diverse perspectives" is at the top of her list:
"People can interpret the same situation very differently, so it’s best to accept these diverse perspectives. Secondly, you can’t survive alone. And third: happiness isn’t far away."
Kang So Yeon Used to Be in a K-Pop Group
Kang So Yeon, a native of Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do, used to be a member of a K-pop group, WE.
She used the name Rosie and was the only female group member. Rosie was joined by MACHO, Kang Han, and Mando.
WE released their debut single, "Biga," in 2011. The song featured South Korean star Lee Bum Soo.
The group also unveiled a mini-album titled WE the Party in 2012, which included eight tracks like "Chak Chak," "Burning Up," and "Party."
In the same interview with Cosmopolitan, Yeon shared her story of becoming a K-pop idol, detailing her struggles along the way:
"I worked hard for 5 years to release an album but because of issues my agency was going through, I couldn’t release anything. I left the agency afterward and did everything on my own for three years, driving to places without a manager or a stylist."
After experiencing stress, Yeon moved to the United States with her sister to have a sense of freedom:
"From indie movies, modeling photo shoots, and web dramas to TV show hosting – I barely got any time to sleep and my body started giving in to the stress. So I took off to the States with my sister (who is also my best friend) and just traveled and worked out a lot, happily spending the savings I had from working so hard."
In June 2022, Yeon unveiled her first single, "Loca Loca," from Warner Music Korea.
Kang So Yeon is a CEO
Kang So Yeon thrives on the business side of things because she is the CEO of Hitfit Boxing, a boxing gym in South Korea.
After getting back to Korea from the U.S., Yeon, via Cosmopolitan, said that she always wondered why her home country doesn't have great boxing gyms, leading to establishing Hitfit Boxing as her first venture in the world of entrepreneurship:
"When I came back [from America], I started wondering “why doesn’t Korea have great boxing gyms?” That’s how we started working on the business. It was our first entrepreneurial attempt and the business has been doing well for 4 years, so I’m very grateful."
Regarding balancing responsibilities as a CEO and being a celebrity, the 5'8 South Korean star admitted that it's "always been a tough challenge" for her. Still, she said that keeping things simple and having clear intentions are at the top of her mind to keep her composed:
"This has always been a tough challenge for me. I’m always looking for a way to protect my own well-being while also not harming others. It’s important to keep things simple, be clear about your intentions, and be kind. Things don’t always work out in the way or at the time you want, but always try your best and never lose that side of you."
Kang So Yeon Has Starred in Several Commercials
Kang So Yeon, who was born on May 23, 1988, has starred in several golfing commercials and worked with brands like Castlebajac and Callaway.
Aside from appearing in commercials, Yeon is known for her roles in various movies and TV shows, such as Superstar Survival, Witches, Mr. Idol, Bunker, Office Reality—Children of the Empire, and A Guy Who Reads Baseball.
Kang So Yeon Has Her Own YouTube Channel
Aside from her celebrity status and business-minded persona, Kang So Yeon also shares content on her YouTube channel (@kangsoyeon__), which includes fitness content, sports videos, videos about Physical:100 and Single's Inferno, and travel videos.
How To Follow Kang So Yeon Online
For more updates about Kang So Yeon, fans can follow her on Instagram (@kangsoyeon__), TikTok (@kangsoyeon_), and YouTube (@kangsoyeon__).
Physical: 100 is now streaming on Netflix.
Read more about other 100 Physical contestants:
Who Is Emmanuel from Physical: 100? 4 Things to Know About the Bodybuilder
Who Is Justin Harvey from Physical: 100? 4 Things to Know About the Actor
