Breakdancing debuts at Olympics: Pioneer Kim Hong-yul reflects on street to arena journey

HANGZHOU: Breakdancing, the acrobatic dance form originating from the streets of 1970s New York, has earned its place at the Asian Games for the first time, marking its debut at the Olympics next year.

In the late 1990s, pioneering South Korean “B-boy” Kim Hong-yul was captivated by the dominance of hip-hop on the airwaves and the allure of breakdancing, which he deemed “the coolest thing in the world” during his teenage years.

For some of the seasoned “B-boys” and “B-girls,” these competitions may represent both their inaugural and final opportunities for a medal and broader recognition, given the encroachment of middle age.

In Hangzhou on Friday, dancers clad in baggy T-shirts, tracksuits, and baseball caps took center stage, flipping, jigging, and spinning on their heads to a pulsating beat in the official showcase of “breaking.”

A DJ laid down tracks, an MC pumped up the contestants, and an overwhelmingly youthful audience waved glow sticks and cheered.

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Kim, a 38-year-old full-time B-boy and two-time Red Bull BC World Champion, successfully advanced to Saturday’s knockout rounds after numerous dance “battles” against opponents. Picking up breakdancing at the age of 13, he expressed his joy at witnessing his “culture” gaining recognition at top sporting events.

“It feels really great. I’ve been literally staying with my culture, and this culture keeps growing up, and I’ve been keeping watching it, so I’m happy for it,” remarked Kim, who belongs to a select group of older dancers in a competition typically dominated by contestants in their teens and 20s.

Sensing the ticking clock, he reflected on the reduced practice hours with age, noting, “When I was young, it was almost a whole day of practice, but now I’m getting old, two or three hours a day is enough.”

The debut of breaking at the Asian Games holds special significance for Kim and his peers, as it presents not only the chance for medals but also qualifications for the Paris Olympics next year.

Meanwhile, Japan’s 40-year-old Ayumi Fukushima showcased her prowess in the women’s qualification round, outperforming opponents half her age and impressing judges with her agility and musical sense.

Kim emphasised a “lost generation” of breakdancers between those born in the 80s and the youngest contestants on Friday, a period when the genre faded from prominence in popular culture.

However, a recent surge in commercialised breakdancing competitions and reality TV shows has sparked a revival, particularly in Asia.

Dancing under the stage name “Hong 10,” Kim expressed hope that the inclusion of the discipline in the Asian Games would inspire “many kids trying this and understanding this and evolving this.” Looking toward the future, he added, “Maybe five years later, ten years later, I wanna see something I never expected.”

When questioned about whether the recognition of breakdancing by major multi-sports events would compromise its original counterculture spirit, Kim was optimistic, stating, “Just because it becomes a sport, we’re not gonna get rid of our previous culture, we’re gonna keep this culture… it’s gonna be great.”