World Ice King Challenges Cold Endurance.
China News Service, Tianjin, December 24 (Reporter Zhang Daozheng) — Tianjin Haichang Polar Ocean World launched a polar ice and snow project called “Antarctic Fairy Tale Village” on the 24th. The “World Ice King” Jin Songhao appeared at the launch ceremony wearing only shorts to challenge his cold endurance.
Jin Songhao, an ethnic Korean from Huachuan County, Heilongjiang Province, is 58 years old. In January 2011, Jin endured 120 minutes inside a glass container filled with ice blocks atop Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie, Hunan, where temperatures were minus 10°C. He surpassed the world record of 115 minutes set by Dutchman Wim Hof, becoming the new “Ice King” of the world. That same year, he also buried himself nude in a snow pile in Arxan, Inner Mongolia, for 46 minutes and 7 seconds, setting a new Guinness World Record.
“This is already my third visit to Tianjin Haichang Polar Ocean World. I used to be a guest of the penguin family, but now I’ve become good friends with every member of the penguin family, so I come to visit my old friends every year,” Jin Songhao said emotionally during a media interview at the “Antarctic Fairy Tale Village.”
In August 6, 2011, Jin Songhao set a new record of being buried in ice nude for 128 minutes at the penguin pavilion in Tianjin Haichang Polar Ocean World, and on July 15, 2012, he competed in the “Polar Ice Man Battle” with cold-endurance expert Cui Deyi.
Unlike previous challenges where he was inside ice, this time Jin will enter the snowy environment wearing only shorts and be covered in snow. “It’s not too cold in Tianjin this time, so I’m taking on the challenge of being buried nude in a snow pile for 80 minutes, bringing a lucky number to Tianjin.”
Guests and visitors at the launch ceremony also picked up shovels and spades to personally shovel snow and help build Jin Songhao’s “snow hut.” Tianjin Haichang Polar Ocean World specially built another “snow hut” next to Jin Songhao, where visitors could challenge the Ice King on-site and take photos with him. The queue of visitors was exceptionally enthusiastic.
Relying on years of cold endurance training and astonishing perseverance, Jin Songhao demonstrated his extraordinary cold resistance to visitors of the “Antarctic Fairy Tale Village,” and even sang requested songs on the spot, bringing the ice challenge to a climax — an act that drew gasps of amazement from the crowd.
On the day of the event, Jin Songhao was not alone in getting up close with the ice and snow. Also joining were the enchanting Arctic foxes and the adorable gentlemanly penguins. Wang Miao, the project leader of the “Antarctic Fairy Tale Village,” said in an interview: “This is the first outdoor exhibition of polar animals. At the 'Antarctic Fairy Tale Village,' we will arrange occasional close encounters between these polar creatures and visitors, depending on weather conditions.”