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Every Rose has its thorn: Office worker transforms into ruthless professional wrestler by night

Published: 05 May. 2026, 07:00 Updated: 05 May. 2026, 14:13

Poison Rose, left, demonstrates a wrestling scene in a practice ring in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi, on April 19. [WOO SANG-JO]

Roses are beautiful, but also have sharp thorns. That duality may be what defines 30-year-old wrestler “Poison Rose.”

The Connecticut-born brawler leads a regular corporate life by day, but after dark she transforms into a ruthless professional wrestling champion at Pro Wrestling Society Korea.

In the ring, she is “Poison Rose,” a fighting name seemingly inspired by her obsession with singer Uhm Jung-hwa's hit 1998 dance track “Poison.”

“An elementary school student once whispered [to me], ‘Teacher, do you know Poison Rose?’” the wrestler, who wished to only be identified by her stage name, told the JoongAng Ilbo in an interview. “I had to pretend I didn’t — it wasn’t easy.”

Her signature move is the so-called rose vine, in which she hangs upside down outside the ropes and traps her opponent’s neck using her legs. Another skill, dubbed “poison kiss,” is a neckbreaker delivered from behind as she falls with her opponent. The poison kiss move, also known as the hangman's neckbreaker, was often employed by 1980s WWF wrestler Rick Rude for his finisher.

She does not hesitate to resort to underhanded tactics either, such as her “poison mist,” in which she secretly sprays opponents with a liquid called toxic fog when the referee isn’t looking. And she doesn't mind if other wrestlers complain — she usually scoffs at them.

Poison Rose poses in a practice ring in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi, on April 19. [WOO SANG-JO]

Poison Rose, who majored in international relations, settled in Korea in 2017. She was first drawn here by her fascination with the Korean drama “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God” (2016–2017) and her love of dakgalbi, Korea’s spicy stir-fried chicken dish.

She worked as a native English instructor at schools, including Seoul Samjeon Elementary School. She spent nearly a decade teaching young Koreans, from kindergartners to highschoolers, before joining a private company recently.

Poison Rose's wrestling career began in 2023 after she serendipitously came across a notice for recruiting professional female wrestlers on social media. At the time, she couldn't stop watching the film “Nacho Libre” (2006), in which actor Jack Black's character is monastery cook by day and masked luchador, or acrobatic Mexican wrestler, by night.

Outside the ring, however, the take-no-prisoners combatant becomes almost unrecognizable. At a gymnasium in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi, she was seen waving sweetly and smiling at a young girl in the crowd.

Poison Rose teaches English in an undated photo. [POISON ROSE]

Having trained in gymnastics, trampoline, horseback riding, fencing and tennis as a child, Poison Rose had a diverse athletic background as her foundation for a wrestling career. She debuted in 2024, after about a year of training, and soon found herself wrestling in front of 3,000-person crowds.

“Although I always taught my students to be patient, my own patience disappears once I step into the ring,” said Poison Rose. “When the lights are on and crowds are cheering, I feel emancipated, like being someone else. The feeling I get after using my techniques to beat opponents who are bigger than me is electric.”

Poison Rose said the thrills and pain of the ring should change the perception of wrestling as merely a show.

“In one case, I fought until the end of the match without realizing my wrist was broken,” she said. “I went to the emergency room right after winning.”

A poster for the film ″Nacho Libre″ (2006) [SCREEN CAPTURE]

When asked whether matches are scripted, Poison Rose simply smiled and shrugged off the question. “I’m not so sure,” she said. There was, however, “a time when a mother watching an eight-person mixed match almost jumped into the ring.”

Her earnings are modest, limited to small appearance fees. She works during the day and trains at night and on weekends.

Incumbent champion Poison Rose will compete against her rival Succubus to defend her title at KBS Arena in western Seoul on May 9.

“Now that I’m champion, I’ll defend my title fair and square,” she said, leaving open the possibility of a turn toward a more heroic persona.

“I want to bring more attention to the women’s wrestling scene in Korea. I want to prove that women are formidable, while inspiring children to find their courage to take on the world.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY PARK LIN [[email protected]]