PARIS – Veteran B-boy Hongten was eliminated during the group stage of the inaugural Olympic breaking competition held at La Concorde 1 in Paris on Saturday. Competing under his legal name, Kim Hong-yul, Hongten finished third in Group C, missing the cut for the quarterfinals as only the top two from each group advanced.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Hongten's competition began with a challenging matchup against Lee of the Netherlands, where he lost 2-0 with scores of 7-2 and 6-3. He then faced Lagaet of France, managing a split in their two rounds. His final and crucial battle against Jeffro of the United States ended in a partial victory, winning only one necessary round to advance. Jeffro ultimately topped the group, winning five rounds, while Lee secured the second spot with four round wins.
The judges, a panel of nine, assessed each performance based on five key criteria: vocabulary, technique, execution, originality, and musicality. While Hongten performed strongly in vocabulary, which involves the variety of moves executed on the floor, and originality, his scores in execution and musicality were less consistent, impacting his overall performance.
At 39, Hongten is one of South Korea's most celebrated B-boys, with a silver medal from last year’s Asian Games among his accolades. His participation in the Olympics marked a significant milestone, as breaking made its debut at the Paris Games. However, it was announced that the sport would not be featured in the 2028 Olympics, making this competition a unique opportunity for athletes like Hongten.