Before becoming one of South Korea’s most recognizable UFC veterans, Dong Hyun Kim nearly walked away from mixed martial arts. During a return to Japan, the former UFC welterweight reunited with Chang Hyun Kim, a longtime friend whose encouragement helped put his fighting career back on track.
Long before Dong Hyun Kim became a household name in South Korean combat sports, the man known as “Stun Gun” was struggling to find his place in mixed martial arts.
In the latest episode of his YouTube channel, Stungun TV, the former UFC welterweight returned to Japan for a training camp that unexpectedly became a journey through his fighting past.
Titled “The Man Who Led Dong Hyun Kim to the UFC Appears | Japan Training Camp EP. 2,” the episode features an emotional reunion with Chang Hyun Kim, a longtime friend and former training partner who played an important role in keeping Dong Hyun’s MMA ambitions alive.
Through stories of financial hardship, grueling weight cuts, and their early days competing in South Korea, Dong Hyun revealed how close he came to pursuing an entirely different life.
The Friend Who Brought Dong Hyun Kim Back to Fighting
Before establishing himself as a professional MMA fighter, Dong Hyun Kim had briefly stepped away from the sport.
At the time, he was working various jobs, including at Seoul’s Namdaemun Market, while considering his future outside competitive fighting.
That changed when Chang Hyun Kim, a younger friend he had known through judo, contacted him about pursuing a career in mixed martial arts.
Chang Hyun wanted to become a professional fighter and reached out to Dong Hyun, who already had experience in the sport.
Their conversation reignited something Dong Hyun had been contemplating.
Rather than continuing down separate paths, the two decided to pursue fighting together.
They packed their belongings into a car and traveled from Daejeon to Seoul, where they began building their lives around MMA.
Looking back, Dong Hyun acknowledged that without Chang Hyun and another important figure from that period, he might have ended up working in an entirely different profession.
The decision ultimately became one of the defining turning points in his career.
While Chang Hyun was not solely responsible for Dong Hyun’s eventual UFC success, his encouragement helped bring the future UFC veteran back into the sport at a critical moment.
Surviving on 300-Yen Meals in Japan
During the episode, Dong Hyun Kim revisited the Tokyo neighborhood where he once lived and trained as an aspiring fighter.
Walking through familiar streets brought back memories of a time when money was extremely limited.
He recalled surviving on inexpensive meals costing approximately 300 yen while training alongside Chang Hyun.
One particular barbecue restaurant remained etched in his memory.
After exhausting training sessions, the two would regularly pass the restaurant and smell grilled meat coming from inside.
But even meals priced around 880 yen seemed expensive compared with their daily food budget.
Dong Hyun remembered dreaming of becoming successful enough to walk into the restaurant and order whatever he wanted without worrying about the cost.
Remarkably, despite eventually achieving international recognition and financial stability, he admitted that he still had never eaten there.
The restaurant had become a symbol of a place he once believed was beyond his reach.
The memory offered a rare glimpse into the financial struggles that preceded his rise to the UFC.
Remembering the Early Days of Korean MMA
As the conversation continued, Dong Hyun Kim and Chang Hyun revisited their experiences competing during the formative years of South Korean mixed martial arts.
Among the promotions they discussed was Gimme Five, an early MMA event series held at COEX in Gangnam, Seoul.
Unlike modern MMA competitions, the events featured unusual rules that placed strict limitations on ground fighting.
Dong Hyun Kim recalled that fighters were given approximately 20 seconds to work on the ground before the action was restarted standing.
The format created a fast-paced environment where competitors had limited opportunities to establish positions or develop submissions.
The two also remembered Chang Hyun’s fighting career, including a particularly devastating knockout that left Dong Hyun visibly emotional.
Dong Hyun recalled crying after watching his friend suffer the defeat.
Despite his inconsistent training habits, Chang Hyun had earned the nickname “Lazy Genius” because of his natural athletic ability and fighting instincts.
According to Dong Hyun, Chang Hyun possessed remarkable talent but frequently struggled with maintaining a disciplined training schedule.
Their stories offered a humorous yet revealing look at the unpredictable environment surrounding Korea’s early MMA scene.
A Reunion Years in the Making
The episode’s central moment arrived when Chang Hyun unexpectedly traveled to Japan to reunite with Dong Hyun.
After hearing repeated stories about their friendship, members of the Stungun TV production team became curious about the man who had played such an important role in Dong Hyun’s fighting journey.
A spontaneous phone call led to Chang Hyun arranging a flight to Japan.
When he finally arrived, the reunion immediately turned into a series of jokes and stories about their younger years.
The two recalled sharing cramped accommodations, traveling to training sessions together, and enduring difficult weight cuts while pursuing their careers.
One story involved Chang Hyun attempting to lose approximately 15 kilograms before a fight.
Another centered on the questionable decision to eat jajangmyeon despite still having considerable weight to lose before weigh-ins.
They also laughed about their former living arrangements, including disagreements over who had abandoned whom for more comfortable housing.
Although much of the conversation was lighthearted, the shared memories reflected the difficult circumstances both men endured while attempting to establish themselves in professional fighting.
From Financial Struggles to a Different Life
Another memorable sequence followed Dong Hyun and his companions enjoying an upscale Japanese omakase dinner in Tokyo.
The restaurant, operated by a chef connected to fellow Korean MMA legend Sung Hoon Choo through his younger sister’s marriage, offered an experience far removed from the inexpensive meals Dong Hyun remembered eating during his early fighting years.
Throughout the dinner, Dong Hyun expressed appreciation for the food and the opportunity to share the experience with people close to him.
The contrast was striking.
Years earlier, he had dreamed of being able to afford a simple barbecue meal without worrying about money.
Now, he was enjoying an elaborate dining experience while reflecting on the sacrifices that had helped shape his career.
For Dong Hyun, the experience served as a reminder of how much his life had changed.
He explained that moments like these motivated him to continue working hard and creating opportunities to share meaningful experiences with friends and family.
The People Behind a UFC Career
Dong Hyun Kim eventually became one of the most successful South Korean fighters of his generation, competing against elite opposition throughout his UFC career.
However, his latest Stungun TV episode demonstrates that the road to reaching the Octagon was far from straightforward.
Before the international recognition, major fights, and television appearances, there were years of uncertainty, financial struggles, and moments when continuing to pursue MMA seemed increasingly difficult.
Chang Hyun Kim’s encouragement helped redirect Dong Hyun Kim toward fighting during one of those uncertain periods.
Their friendship, forged through judo and strengthened by shared experiences in MMA, became part of the foundation of Dong Hyun’s eventual success.
While Dong Hyun ultimately achieved the greater international recognition, the episode makes clear that he has not forgotten the people who helped him along the way.
The reunion also serves as a reminder of the generation of Korean fighters who pursued professional MMA before the sport offered the opportunities and visibility available today.
For Dong Hyun Kim, returning to Japan was more than another overseas training camp.
It was an opportunity to revisit the experiences that shaped his career and reconnect with someone who helped change its direction.
Before Dong Hyun Kim became “Stun Gun” in the UFC, he was simply a young fighter trying to find his way. And when his future in MMA was uncertain, Chang Hyun Kim helped convince him to keep fighting.
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