The Best of Part 1 ft. Hong 10 • Legendary B-Boy
Red Bull BC One All Stars / 7 Commandoz / Drifterz
(born Kim Hong-Yeol) is a two-time Red Bull BC One World Champion (2006 and 2013). A former member of the Korean crew Expressions, he is a current member of 7Commandoz and Drifterz Crew.
Recognized for being one of the most creative and strength-driven B-Boys in the world, his signature moves include the Hong 10 Freeze, where he lifts his legs up horizontally over his body, balancing only on his head and hand. Yeol means ten in Korean, hence his nickname.
Hong 10's first World Final victory was in 2008, in São Paulo, Brazil. His second was in his hometown of Seoul, at the notoriously challenging 10-year anniversary battle, which brought back all previous world champions to battle six of the best up-and-comers. His major solo and crew titles span all the top international events, including UK BBoy Championships, Battle of the Year, New Taipei BBoy City and Freestyle Session Korea.
The first time Kim saw breaking was on a video he borrowed from a friend. It was the US Freestyle Session 3, and he was blown away by what he saw, so he started breaking with his friends. He 's still surprised by what happened and how he got where he is now, considering all they used to do was play and fool around together.
Kim loves snowboarding and wakeboarding, is an avid photographer and reader. While his family is often worried about his health and his future, they stand behind him and his choice to be a B-Boy, always cheering for him in competitions. Kim's crew is like family to him as well. They are his strength, his peers, his critics and his number-one support system.
The scene in Korea is constantly growing. B-Boys are in commercials, music videos and TV shows and there are several battles each month. People are highly interested in breaking, and Koreans are proud that their countrymen have won so many international competitions. But Hong 10 is worried that the scene is becoming commercialized and over-exposed, and that this trend could lead to its destruction, the way it did in America in the 80s.
Hong 10's battle strategy is to know his opponents and to be flexible and responsive to their attacks. He paces out his endurance and strength to last until the final rounds of a competition. He has developed his endurance to outlast his competition by vigorously training his cardiovascular system. He has a big repertoire, and is an expert at knowing when to drop which move.
Over the course of his successful career, Hong 10 has learned that winning isn't everything. For him, the best dancers respect the art and nurture breaking culture in preparation for the next generation. He continues to grow and evolve, like the South Korean scene he started in, and he's excited about where this road will take him.
▸ TOPBUZZ
https://goo.gl/xmiSwd
•
