Bong Seok Choi is a South Korean IFBB Pro League Men’s Physique competitor — and the man who first carried his country’s flag onto the Olympia stage in this division. 🇰🇷
He has won four IFBB pro shows, all of them in Asia, and he has competed at the Mr. Olympia four times: 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2025.
This is his verified story: the Japan Pro breakthrough, three Asia Grand Prix titles, and where he stands in 2026.
📋 Bong Seok Choi Quick Facts
| Full Name | Bong Seok Choi |
| Nationality | South Korean |
| Division | Men’s Physique |
| Pro Status | IFBB Pro — competing as a professional by November 2019 (his pro-card qualifying show is not documented in primary sources) |
| Pro Wins | 4 (2019 Japan Pro, 2021 Asia Grand Prix, 2022 Asia Grand Prix, 2024 AGP Pro All Stars) |
| Olympia Appearances | 4 (2020, 2021, 2022, 2025 — tied 16th each time) |
| Date of Birth | Not published |
| Height | Not published |
| Competition Weight | Not published |
| Status (2026) | No recorded contest appearance in 2026 — no retirement announcement |
🏆 Who Is Bong Seok Choi?
Choi competes in Men’s Physique, the division judged on an athletic upper body, a tight waist and polished stage presentation rather than maximum size.
Before the IFBB Pro League, he built his name at home. Korean sources credit him with five straight NABBA Korea Grand Prix titles, and NPC News Online’s official record shows him winning the Men’s Physique overall title at the 2018 Monsterzym Korea Open.
Off stage, he is a gym owner in Seoul: he co-runs LX Fitness, with locations in Jamsil-dong and Munjeong-dong in Songpa-gu, and he is also active as a YouTuber.
🥇 2019: The Japan Pro Breakthrough
Choi’s first verified pro victory came in November 2019, when he won the Men’s Physique title at the IFBB Japan Pro.
Korean coverage describes it as a landmark result: the first overseas pro show victory by a Korean Men’s Physique athlete. It also booked his ticket to the biggest stage in the sport. 🏆
🌎 2020–2021: Back-to-Back Olympia Trips
In December 2020, Choi made his Mr. Olympia debut in Orlando, Florida, finishing tied for 16th in a deep Men’s Physique field — the first Korean athlete to stand on that stage in the division.
He returned in 2021 the same way he had arrived: by winning at home. Choi took the 2021 Asia Grand Prix Pro title in Korea, ahead of Bum Su Park, and placed 16th at his second straight Olympia.
🔥 2022: Arnold Classic Debut and a Third Olympia
March 2022 was the busiest month of Choi’s career. He opened it in Columbus, Ohio, placing fifth in Men’s Physique at the Arnold Classic — the first Korean athlete to compete in the division at that show.
Two weeks later, on March 20, he won the Asia Grand Prix Pro in Seoul, beating Yoon Sung Lee into second place to qualify for the Olympia for a third time.
He closed the year with seventh place at the Japan Pro in November, then finished tied for 16th at the 2022 Mr. Olympia in Las Vegas, in a large group that also included Jason Huynh.
🥈 2023: Two Runner-Up Finishes
Choi came close twice in 2023. On October 8 he finished second at the AGP Korea Pro in Gyeonggi, behind winner Junho Lee.
In December he travelled to the District of Taiwan Pro and took second again, this time behind Farouq Ishimoto. BarBend noted he had gone in as the favourite — the silver medal still marked a consistent season, even if it meant no Olympia trip that year.
🏆 2024: The All Stars Win and a Fourth Olympia Ticket
Choi’s 2024 season began quietly, with seventh place at the Hong Kong Pro on September 4.
Three weeks later, on September 29, he won the AGP Pro All Stars in Korea — his fourth IFBB pro title. Because the 2024 Olympia qualification period had already closed, the win earned him a place at the 2025 Mr. Olympia instead.
📊 Bong Seok Choi Verified Contest Record
| Year | Contest | Place |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Japan Pro | 1st 🏆 |
| 2020 | Mr. Olympia | Tied 16th |
| 2021 | Asia Grand Prix Pro | 1st 🏆 |
| 2021 | Mr. Olympia | 16th |
| 2022 | Arnold Classic | 5th |
| 2022 | Asia Grand Prix Pro | 1st 🏆 |
| 2022 | Japan Pro | 7th |
| 2022 | Mr. Olympia | Tied 16th |
| 2023 | AGP Korea Pro | 2nd |
| 2023 | District of Taiwan Pro | 2nd |
| 2024 | Hong Kong Pro | 7th |
| 2024 | AGP Pro All Stars | 1st 🏆 |
| 2025 | Mr. Olympia | Tied 16th |
Every placing above is taken from official IFBB Pro League scorecards, the NPC News Online contest database, or the major outlets that publish those scorecards — not from fan pages or unsourced databases.
✅ Bong Seok Choi in 2026: Still a Pro, No Stage Appearance Yet
Choi’s most recent contest was the 2025 Mr. Olympia in Las Vegas, where he finished tied for 16th in a field won by Ryan Terry.
He has no recorded contest appearance in 2026, and he did not compete at the 2026 Mr. Olympia, held in Las Vegas from September 24–27, 2026.
No retirement announcement has been published, so the accurate description is inactive in 2026 so far — not retired. His four pro titles and four Olympia appearances already make him one of the most accomplished Men’s Physique athletes South Korea has produced. 💪
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Bong Seok Choi?
Bong Seok Choi is a South Korean IFBB Pro League Men’s Physique competitor. He has won four pro shows — the 2019 Japan Pro, the 2021 and 2022 Asia Grand Prix, and the 2024 AGP Pro All Stars — and competed at the Mr. Olympia four times.
How many times has Bong Seok Choi competed at the Mr. Olympia?
Four times: 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2025. He finished tied for 16th on each appearance, in some of the largest Men’s Physique fields in the show’s history.
When did Bong Seok Choi turn pro?
The specific show where he earned his IFBB pro card is not documented in the primary contest sources checked for this biography. He was already competing as a professional by November 2019, when he won the Japan Pro, and NPC News Online records him winning the Men’s Physique overall at the 2018 Monsterzym Korea Open before that.
Is Bong Seok Choi the first Korean Men’s Physique athlete at the Olympia?
Yes — Korean sources credit his 2020 debut as the first Men’s Physique Olympia appearance by a South Korean athlete, following his 2019 Japan Pro win, the first overseas pro victory by a Korean in the division.
Is Bong Seok Choi still competing in 2026?
He has no recorded contest appearance in 2026 and did not compete at the 2026 Mr. Olympia. He has made no retirement announcement, so he remains an IFBB pro who is currently inactive on stage.
What are Bong Seok Choi’s height, weight and age?
His date of birth, height and competition weight are not published in official IFBB or NPC sources. Figures repeated on profile-aggregator sites could not be verified against a primary source, so they are listed here as “Not published” rather than guessed.
🔥 Final Thoughts
Bong Seok Choi opened the door for Korean Men’s Physique athletes: a first pro win in Japan, three more titles at home in Korea, and four trips to the Olympia stage.
Whether or not he returns to the stage, that trailblazing record — built entirely on verified results between 2019 and 2025 — is secure. 🏆