These Korean fitspo influencers are aged 57 and 62, but you wouldn't know it

At 62 and 57, the ripped physiques of husband-and-wife duo Kang Changdong and Kim Sunok will put many 20-somethings to shame.

For those unacquainted with the couple from South Korea, their road to fitness and health started way back in 2021, but only caught worldwide attention in May 2022, after a TikTok video by their daughter Grace went viral.

"POV when your crazy fit Asian parents visiting me in LA all the way from Korea and all they care about is workout, protein and athletic clothes," Grace had written in the clip, which showed her ultra-fit parents exercising in the backyard of their Airbnb.

The video went viral, garnering more than three million views, with many viewers obsessed over how amazing Grace's parents looked for their age.

Another clip she posted days later, which drew more than eight million views, again showed her parents working out, this time with the couple's toned abs on display.

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"POV your fit parents won't even skip gym day on family vacation."

Netizens were flabbergasted and demanded to know what they looked like in their 20s and how the pair got started on their fitness journey.

Grace shared that her parents, who got married when her mum was 23 and dad was 28, were far from fit when they first started dating.

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"My mum was overweight and she always felt bloated but at the same time my dad was super skinny because he was exercising a lot [as an amateur kickboxer]," Grace explained.

It was only at the age of 45 that Sunok picked up pilates to help heal her "minor back pain", Grace shared.

Changdong, on the other hand, "used to have a beer belly all the time", which Grace attributed to Korea's drinking culture.

After Changdong was diagnosed with pre-diabetes around 2017, however, along with a knee problem that resulted in him being unable to walk for longer than half an hour without pain, "he had to lose weight in order to take the pressure off his knee", Grace went on to explain.

But their devotion to health and fitness went into high gear only in 2021, said Grace in the video.

Changdong, then a university lecturer, was interviewed by a student who asked him what was on his bucket list.

He decided right then that he wanted to take a "body profile photo" showing off a toned physique.

Providing some context, Grace explained that there was a trend in South Korea at the time for people to work out for a few months before taking photos of their bodies as a memento.

Noting that her dad "always follows through with what he says", the challenge to tick off the item on his bucket list began.

"My parents do everything as a package, so my mum was going to join his journey without question," Grace added.

The changes to their exercise routines and diet took place gradually over nine months, ramping up only during the last five months.

It culminated in their having their profile photos shot in May 2022. Goal accomplished.

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But it seems even two years after going viral, Changdong and Sunok have kept up with their healthy regimen.

In a post this year in April, which detailed what they eat in a day, the couple shared their healthy diet, starting with a cup of warm water upon waking up and a yoghurt with salad for breakfast. Lunch is a salad with a protein shake, fruits for snacks, and a steak and salad (again) for dinner.

And despite a wonky knee for which he'd recently undergone surgery, Changdong's 'dad bod' is still a thing of envy, while his wife Sunok's sculpted abs and well-toned arms are not what we would associate with someone in their late 50s.

The pair travelled to Los Angeles in June to attend Grace's wedding, where mother and daughter shared a first dance and dad broke into a touching song at the ceremony.

But it was another post by Changdong that got netizens watery-eyed.

In a clip on June 13, he indicated that the reason he'd "rushed his knee surgery and recovery" was so that he could walk his daughter down the aisle and share a dance with her at the ceremony.

Cue tears.

The couple's videos on their lifestyle have also inspired many and proven that it's never too late to get started on the road to health and fitness.

"Who are these 30-year-olds and why are you following them around?" wrote one netizen in awe.

"Goals," commented several others. 

If this is what being in one's 50s and 60s can look like, sign us up.

ALSO READ: This 78-year-old Singaporean grandma does pull-ups and strength training exercises to stay healthy

candicecai@asiaone.com