Mia Kang facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mia Kang
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Kang on Uproxx in 2017
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| Born | 30 December 1988 |
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| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) |
| Hair color | Brown |
| Eye color | Brown |
| Agency | IMG Models |
Mia Kang (born December 30, 1988) is a fashion model, Muay Thai fighter, and television host from Hong Kong. She is also known for encouraging people to feel good about their bodies, a message called body confidence.
Kang was often picked on as a child for her weight. At age 13, she lost a lot of weight and was soon discovered by a modeling agency. She modeled across Asia and Europe while she was in high school and college.
After earning a master's degree in finance, she worked with money and investments. But she missed modeling and returned to it in New York City. She won the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue model search in 2016.
Even with her success, Kang was unhappy. She felt pressure from the modeling world to be extremely thin, which led to unhealthy eating habits. She discovered a martial art called Muay Thai in Thailand, which changed her life. Training helped her respect her body and develop healthy habits. Today, she continues to model and hosts the TV show Spy Games.
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Early Life and Modeling
Mia Kang was born and grew up in Hong Kong. Her father is British, and her mother is South Korean. Because of her mixed background, she often felt like she didn't fit in with other kids at her international school.
As a young girl, Kang was bullied for being overweight. When she was 13, a doctor warned her about health problems related to her weight. This motivated her to make a big change. She began eating very little and lost half her body weight in just a few months.
This sudden change in her appearance got her noticed. Her dance teacher suggested she try modeling, and at 13, she started her career. One of her first big jobs was for a Levi's jeans campaign.
After high school, Kang modeled in major cities like Tokyo, Singapore, and London.
Education and a Different Career
Kang believed education was very important. She went to Bristol University in England and earned a degree in philosophy and economics. Later, she got a master's degree in finance and financial law from the School of Oriental and African Studies.
After finishing her studies, she stopped modeling to work in finance in London. She was on a path to becoming a consultant, but she realized she wasn't happy and decided to give modeling another try.
Return to the Fashion World
In 2015, Kang moved to New York City to focus on her modeling career. One of her first jobs was with the famous magazine Sports Illustrated. She became the first model from Hong Kong to appear in the magazine.
In 2016, she won the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model Search after people from all over the world voted for her. This meant she would be featured in the 2017 issue as a "Rookie" model.
However, behind the scenes, Kang was struggling. She felt constant pressure to be thin and followed extreme diets. This made her very unhappy and she knew she needed a change.
Finding Strength in Muay Thai
In 2016, while on a vacation in Thailand, Kang discovered Muay Thai, a type of martial art. She saw fighters training and decided to join them, at first thinking it would just help her lose weight for modeling.
But the training did much more. She trained for months, six days a week. The intense workouts taught her to respect her body for its strength, not just its size. She started eating healthy foods to fuel her body for training. She gained weight and muscle, going from a size two to a size six.
Kang decided she wanted to compete in a professional Muay Thai fight. Her modeling agency was worried an injury could end her career, but she was determined. Sports Illustrated even promised to film her fight for a documentary.
On May 7, 2017, Kang had her first professional fight against a Thai fighter. She won by technical knockout in the third round. After her victory, she became interested in mixed martial arts (MMA).
Kang says that Muay Thai taught her to love her body and saved her from an unhappy time in her life. She now speaks out about body confidence, encouraging women to be strong and healthy. She even started an all-female boxing club in New York City.
In 2018, she posted a picture on Instagram comparing her very thin body from 2015 to her stronger, healthier body. The post received thousands of "likes" and was featured in news stories around the world.
Kang still models, but she no longer tries to fit into the smallest sizes. She is proud of her healthy body, which is now a size eight or ten.
In 2020, she became the host of Spy Games, a reality TV show where contestants compete in spy-themed challenges.
Helping Others
Kang makes an effort to support charities. She helps a Muay Thai gym in Thailand that supports children in a poor area. In 2017, she raised money for a project that helps rescue people from dangerous situations by skydiving from 18,000 feet.
Her Book
In 2020, Kang released a book called Knockout. In it, she shares her personal story of learning to love herself after struggling with body image issues. The book focuses on how Muay Thai helped her become strong and confident.
