The Republic of South Korea welcomed competitors from the Men’s 212 Bodybuilding, Classic Physique, and Men’s Physique on November 11, for the 2023 Monsterzym Pro in Seoul, Korea. This show was a qualifier for the 2024 Mr. Olympia competition.
The 2023 Mr. Olympia competition wrapped up in Orlando, Florida last weekend. It was an unforgettable night in The Sunshine State as seven new champions were crowned while only four titleholders defended successfully. Despite the biggest show of the year just taking place, competitors are already preparing for the next season.
During the last Olympia pay-per-view, Dan Solomon revealed the 2024 Mr. Olympia will celebrate its 60th anniversary back in Las Vegas, Nevada. With the qualifying season in full effect, athletes brought their best to the stage this weekend.
At the Monsterzym Pro show, remarkable performances led to prestigious victories: Jihoon Bang claimed gold in Classic Physique, Juxian He earned first place in Men’s Physique, and Gunwoo Kim triumphed in the Men’s 212 Bodybuilding category. Additionally, Chanyu Xu distinguished herself by winning the Bikini division.
2023 Monsterzym Pro Winners
- Men’s 212 Bodybuilding: Gunwoo Kim
- Classic Physique: Jihoon Bang
- Men’s Physique: Juxian He
- Bikini: Chanyu Xu
2023 Monsterzym Pro Results
Men’s 212 Bodybuilding
Men’s 212 Bodybuilding competitors brought their best to the stage in Korea looking to grant passage to 2024 Mr. Olympia. In the running for gold was Gunwoo Kim, whose muscularity, wide clavicles, and conditioning looked to be on another level. Kim last shared a stage in third at the 2023 NPC Worldwide Korea Natural Pro.
Aside from Gunwoo, Seonghwan Kim was aiming to assert himself as the champ this weekend. His balance and symmetry have long established him as a notable threat in the category. Seonghwan Kim last competed at the 2022 Texas Pro in 15th place. This time out, Gunwoo Kim got the job done on the scorecards. Seonghwan Kim and O Beom picked up second and third place.
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- Winner — Gunwoo Kim
- Second Place — Seonghwan Kim
- Third Place — O Beom
- Fourth Place — Soohyun Park
- Fifth Place — Nam Eun Cho
- Sixth Place — Ho Yeon Jang
- Seventh Place — Kun Wang
- Eighth Place — In Seong You
- Ninth Place — Jongyun Won
- Tenth Place — Justin Yurko
Classic Physique
Classic Physique put on a show in Korea. From the moment he started hitting poses in prejudging, fans, judges, and the crowd were quick to get behind Seong Hun Park. His balanced proportions and detailed quads looked improved on stage today. Having competed in second at the 2022 South Korea Pro, Park was eager to cement himself as the champ.
However, Jihoon Bang was his primary adversary and the two battled for supremacy during the finals. Bang is a consummate professional and has a masterful understanding of his posing routines. Last competing at the 2021 Asia Grand Prix in second place, Bang was out for gold this time out. In the end, Jihoon Bang secured the victory! Seong Hun Park and Li-Hsuan Liu finished runner-up and third.
- Winner — Jihoon Bang
- Second Place — Seong Hun Park
- Third Place — Li-Hsuan Liu
- Fourth Place — Juseong Seo
- Fifth Place — Sangmok Lee
- Sixth Place — Youn Sung Lim
- Seventh Place — Yong Sik Kim
- Eighth Place — Junyoung Yoon
- Ninth Place — Seo Jin Ham
- Tenth Place — Denis Romanov
Men’s Physique
Talent from Men’s Physique wasted no time in presenting their best possible looks on stage in Korea. To establish himself as a frontrunner in the event, Yiming Wei appeared to have brought up the definition of his abdomen as well as his back detail, which was evident, especially during the back relaxed pose.
Meanwhile, Juxian was also shining throughout the finals mainly due to his impeccable chest, shoulders, and arms. He last tested himself at the annual 2022 Mr. Olympia show, where he ended the show outside the top 15. In his latest endeavor, JuXian He left no doubt with the judges and took first place! Yiming Wei and Li Xin finished second and third.
- Winner — Juxian He
- Second Place — Yiming Wei
- Third Place — Li Xin
- Fourth Place — Isaac Tse
- Fifth Place — Xiao Long Hong
- Sixth Place — Seungmu Lee
- Seventh Place — Jian Song
- Eighth Place — Jingyu Xu
- Ninth Place — Tae Won Yong
- Tenth Place — Chin-Jui Yu
Bikini
Bikini athletes were eager to establish themselves as title contenders over the weekend. Mainly, Chanyu Xu was keen on ensuring her 2024 Olympia passage. She brought great balance and aesthetics, complete with a tight waist this weekend. She recently claimed sixth at the 2023 Musclecontest International Vietnam Pro.
The finals also saw Jiaqi Wei aiming to do as much damage as possible. With an eye-pleasing look and flow to her physique, Wei continues to prove herself as a top contender in the class as of late. She took ninth at the 2023 Tokyo Pro in August. It was close but Chanyu Xu pulled off the victory. Jiaqi Wei and Dahye Jeon claimed second and third.
- Winner — Chanyu Xu
- Second Place — Jiaqi Wei
- Third Place — Dahye Jeon
- Fourth Place — Uyanga Bataa
- Fifth Place — Cheuk Nam Yuen
- Sixth Place — Shuai Li
- Seventh Place — Wing Shan Amanda Lam
- Eighth Place — Tae Rin Kim
- Ninth Place — Ye Jin Kim
- Tenth Place — Cecilia Liang
2023 Monsterzym Pro Scorecards
That wraps up all the action in Korea this weekend. Our staff at Fitness Volt wish the winner good luck on the Mr. Olympia stage down the line!
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