Around 2009, the year he turned 26, he entered a contest at the suggestion of the instructor at his gym and placed, then began his career as a bodybuilder in earnest. In 2017, he won first place for the first time, in the sports model division at the World Grand Prix.
In 2020, he won his first grand prize at NPC Natural Seoul and took seven grand prizes at FitnessStar NFC. In 2021, he won grand prizes at the INBA Korea Asia Championship and the ICN Korea Grand Prix.
The breakthrough yearThe year he turned 40, he appeared as a bodybuilder on Netflix’s Physical: 100, and his name became known. Sports Donga writes that Ma Sun-ho and others rose to stardom early on.
That year he also appeared on Channel A’s Cheonha Jeil Jangsa 2 and Momsseul Geotdeul, and in September won the sports category grand prize at the Creator Awards. In 2024, he appeared on MBC’s Radio Star, JTBC’s The Gentlemen’s League 3 and MBC’s King of Mask Singer.
In 2025, he appeared as a contestant on TV Chosun’s Mr. Trot 3 and as a guest on JTBC’s Knowing Bros, and in August he threw a first pitch at Jamsil Stadium.
In 2026, he was set to take part in Sejong City’s Hangeul Run as a workout creator. His YouTube channel is described as having about 330,000 subscribers.
Ma Sun-ho (born Feb 20, 1983) placed in his first contest around 2009, the year he turned 26, at his gym’s suggestion, and became known on Jan 24, 2023, the year he turned 40, when Netflix’s Physical: 100 was released. In 2021, the year he turned 38, he won the ICN Korea Grand Prix.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.
Entered a contest at the suggestion of the instructor at his gym and placed, then began his career as a bodybuilder in earnest.
Source 01 · Insight (Korean) · Natural bodybuilder Ma Sun-ho · opens in a new tab The article says around 2009. The name and date of the contest could not be confirmed.Until then he had never won first place; he won for the first time after switching to sports model while dieting.
Source 01 · Insight (Korean) · Natural bodybuilder Ma Sun-ho · opens in a new tabWon his first grand prize in the classic physique division at NPC Natural Seoul, 12 years after he began training. He then took seven grand prizes at the FitnessStar NFC Anyang and Suwon contests.
Source 01 · Insight (Korean) · Natural bodybuilder Ma Sun-ho · opens in a new tab The dates of the two contests could not be confirmed. The report is dated July 17, 2020.Served as a judge at the contest held in Incheon and received an award of merit from the organizers.
Source 02 · Sports Seoul (Korean) · ICN award of merit · opens in a new tabWon the grand prize and the overall title in the men’s bodybuilding pro division at the contest in Songdo, Incheon. He said then that he ran Victory Gym in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province.
Source 03 · Open News Agency (Korean) · INBA Korea Asia Championship · opens in a new tabWon the grand prizes in the bodybuilding and classic physique divisions and an ICN pro card at the contest in Wonju, Gangwon Province, taking four titles.
Source 04 · Sports Seoul (Korean) · ICN Korea Grand Prix · opens in a new tabAppeared as a bodybuilder contestant and made the Top 20 before being eliminated. Sports Donga writes that Ma Sun-ho and others rose to stardom early on.
Appeared on the physical team and, in the first episode, wrestled Park Gwang-jae of the basketball team.
Source 08 · Xports News (Korean) · Cheonha Jeil Jangsa 2, first episode · opens in a new tabAppeared with Kim Min-kyung and Physical: 100 contestants including Jo Jin-hyung, Nam Kyung-jin and Jang Eun-sil. He attended the press conference on June 29.
Source 09 · News1 (Korean) · Momsseul Geotdeul press conference · opens in a new tab The first broadcast date is that announced in the press conference article.Gave three sessions for 15 young people, through Sept. 12.
Source 10 · Open News Agency (Korean) · Geumcheon District’s “Nado Physical 100” · opens in a new tab The start date is from the article’s announcement.Received it at the awards ceremony of the Youth Day Creator Festival at Yeouido Park.
Source 11 · JoongAng Economist (Korean) · 5th Creator Awards · opens in a new tabUploaded to his YouTube channel “Ma Sun-ho” a video with Kim Jong-kook as a guest.
Source 12 · Digital Times (Korean) · Kim Jong-kook fmPROJECT · opens in a new tabAppeared as a Marine Corps reconnaissance unit veteran and had a staring contest with Young K, a KATUSA (Korean Augmentation to the U.S. Army) veteran.
Source 13 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Appears on Radio Star · opens in a new tabAppeared as an applicant in the physically strongest division.
Source 14 · OSEN (Korean) · The Gentlemen’s League 3, Draft 47 · opens in a new tabAppeared as “Sleepless Tropical Night” in the first-round duet match.
Source 15 · Singlist (Korean) · King of Mask Singer · opens in a new tabGave two sessions, on the 13th and the 20th. The article says he has more than 180,000 YouTube subscribers.
Source 16 · Asia Economy (Korean) · Geumcheon District’s “Nado Physical 100” season 2 · opens in a new tab The start date is from the article’s announcement.A scene aired in which he tells manager Ahn Jung-hwan that his playing time had shrunk.
Source 17 · Biz Enter (Korean) · The Gentlemen’s League 3 lead vest training · opens in a new tabAppeared as a Mr. Trot 3 contestant, and his stage was shown in that day’s broadcast. He is also on the list of contestants in the Cheonmanbu division.
Source 18 · Biz Enter (Korean) · Mr. Trot 3 unreleased special · opens in a new tabSource 19 · Top Star News (Korean) · Mr. Trot 3 preliminary round 1 · opens in a new tab The result of the competition could not be confirmed.Told the story of how he came to know BTS’s V.
Source 20 · Star News (Korean) · Knowing Bros, episode 477 · opens in a new tabThrew the ceremonial first pitch at a 2025 KBO League game.
Source 21 · OSEN (Korean) · Bodybuilder throws a first pitch · opens in a new tabPosted a video of a two-week trip to Los Angeles to help with the workouts of BTS’s V, Jung Kook and RM.
Source 22 · Sports Kyunghyang (Korean) · LA vlog · opens in a new tabCompleted the 15-obstacle race at Imjingak in Paju.
Source 23 · Gyeonggi Ilbo (Korean) · DMZ OPEN Peace Race · opens in a new tabWas among the workout content creators taking part, announced by Sejong City. The event is held on Hangeul Day, Oct. 9. His YouTube channel was described as having about 330,000 subscribers.
Source 24 · Geumgang Ilbo (Korean) · 2026 Hangeul Run · opens in a new tabA video was posted in which he appears with Lee Seok-hoon, Son Jun-ho and the divorce attorney Park Min-cheol.
Source 25 · MyDaily (Korean) · Kim Jong-kook GYM JONG KOOK video · opens in a new tabEND OF SELECTED RECORDSSelected records, 2009–2026 · not a complete list of work. “Key moment” is an editorial label, not a measure of success.
What did they do, and at what age?
AgeTrail lines up the key moments of a life by age.
Debut and breakthrough are marked separately, and every record has a source.
Sports · South Korea
Feb 20, 1983 —
Ages are counted from the birth year 1983: the year of the event minus 1983, birthdays aside. “Key moment” labels and the connecting story are AgeTrail's editorial reading.
Fact-checked: 2026.09.30 · An independent archive, not affiliated with the person or their agency.