| Summary: | This study aims to understand the process by which <i>ssireum</i> (traditional Korean wrestling), which was labeled a declining industry, has regained its popularity owing to the impact of the media. The study was conducted as a case study with ten <i>ssireum</i> athletes who participated in the television program “The Rhapsody of <i>Ssireum</i>.” Additionally, text analysis was performed based on in-depth interviews and auxiliary data collection. As a result, four media-driven transformative trends in <i>ssireum</i> were observed: a shift of the public’s interest from online to offline under the influence of media, shift in the public’s perception of <i>ssireum</i> athletes’ body, birth of <i>ssireum</i> stars with nicknames matching the characteristics of popular <i>ssireum</i> athletes, and <i>ssireum</i> athletes’ increased sense of responsibility toward <i>ssireum</i> matches felt under the spotlight of the media. Admittedly, media exposure of <i>ssireum</i> athletes has increased significantly compared to the past. However, for the popularization of <i>ssireum</i>, a sport unique to Korea, the athletes, and the <i>ssireum</i> association need to make a sustained effort.
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