Han Ga In trained with former UFC fighter Dong Hyun Kim for her first MMA session and surprised the Korean legend with her striking, stamina, and natural technique.
If you had “Han Ga In sparring with Dong Hyun Kim” on your 2026 bingo card, congratulations.
The actress recently visited former UFC fighter Dong Hyun Kim‘s gym, Havas MMA, for what she thought would be a simple kickboxing lesson. Instead, she walked away throwing elbows, knees, low kicks—and even landing a few shots during a playful sparring session with one of Korea’s greatest MMA fighters.
And yes, Dong Hyun Kim was genuinely impressed.
Han Ga In Wanted a Workout That Wasn’t Boring
Han explained that she’s been trying to focus more on strength and stamina lately. She already exercises regularly, but wanted something a little more exciting than another routine at the gym.
After watching Physical: Asia on Netflix and hearing friends rave about boxing, she figured it was finally time to give combat sports a shot.
Who better to learn from than the man known as “The Stun Gun” himself?
Parents First, Fighters Second
Before anyone threw a punch, Han and Dong Hyun ended up talking about something every parent understands, kids.
The two laughed after discovering their sons are the same age, and Dong Hyun admitted something that honestly made him feel a little more human.
According to him, fighting in the UFC is one thing.
Raising children?
That’s a completely different level of cardio.
Even one of the toughest fighters Korea has ever produced confessed that parenting is harder than training.
“Wait… She’s Actually Good?”
Once the gloves came on, Dong Hyun started teaching Han the basics.
Fighting stance.
Jabs.
Crosses.
Hooks.
Uppercuts.
Elbows.
Knees.
Low kicks.
Basically, she got the beginner crash course in MMA striking.
The funny part?
Dong Hyun kept stopping the lesson because he couldn’t believe how naturally she picked things up.
Most first-timers forget to keep their hands up or stand awkwardly.
Han… didn’t.
He complimented her posture almost immediately and kept telling her she had surprisingly good instincts.
After a few combinations on the pads, even the coaches standing nearby started nodding in approval.
She Didn’t Just Learn…
She Sparred.
The biggest surprise came near the end of the video when Dong Hyun suggested they do some light sparring.
Han looked completely shocked.
“I don’t want to accidentally hit you,” she admitted.
Dong Hyun couldn’t stop laughing.
“If you hit me today, I have to retire.”
That’s probably the safest prediction he’s ever made.
At least… that’s what everyone thought.
Han Ga In Actually Landed Shots
Once the round started, Han slowly settled in.
She threw punches.
Mixed in kicks.
Tried knees.
Even remembered combinations she’d learned just minutes earlier.
Of course, Dong Hyun was moving around comfortably the entire time—he’s a retired UFC veteran for a reason—but Han still managed to connect with several clean shots, including straight punches, an uppercut, and some surprisingly solid low kicks.
Not bad for someone wearing boxing gloves for the first time.
By the end of the round she was completely exhausted, but still smiling.
Honestly, that’s probably how everyone looks after their first kickboxing session.
Dong Hyun Kim Couldn’t Stop Complimenting Her
After the sparring ended, Dong Hyun said what everyone watching was already thinking.
For a complete beginner…
Han Ga In was really good.
He praised her conditioning, saying she barely slowed down during the pad work, and mentioned that she seemed to genuinely enjoy striking.
One of the coaches even predicted she’d improve very quickly if she kept training because her movement already looked natural.
That’s not praise you hear every day from professional fighters.
More Than Just a Celebrity Workout
One of the best parts of the episode wasn’t actually the sparring.
It was seeing Dong Hyun explain why he believes martial arts are for everyone—not just professional fighters.
He talked about how kickboxing is one of the best full-body workouts you can do and why he wants his own children to grow up training Brazilian jiu-jitsu. In his view, martial arts teach confidence, discipline, and self-control long before anyone ever thinks about competing.
Han seemed to agree.
By the end of the video, she admitted she finally understood why so many people become addicted to combat sports.
Final Thoughts
Let’s be honest.
Most celebrity training videos are exactly what you’d expect—someone throws a few punches, everyone claps, and that’s the end of it.
This one felt different.
Han Ga In wasn’t afraid to sweat, get tired, or step into a sparring round with one of Korea’s biggest MMA names. She listened, learned quickly, and earned genuine compliments from Dong Hyun Kim and the fighters around him.
Whether she sticks with kickboxing or eventually gives jiu-jitsu a try, one thing became pretty clear.
Han Ga In has better fighting instincts than anyone expected… including Dong Hyun Kim.
Full video available, courtesy of Han Ga In’s Youtube Channel.
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