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| B-boy Kim Jong-ho, also known as Leon, poses after an interview with The Korea Times at Fusion MC dance studio in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-min |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
When the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that breakdancing would be included in the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, B-boys and B-girls embraced the idea, while many artists were thrilled to be able to take part in such a major competition.
"Breaking," as it is also known, is a style of street dancing that evolved from the hip hop movement of the early 1970s and made its Olympic debut at the 2018 Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires. Since then, it has received the approval of the IOC board and gained full membership.
Kim Jong-ho, known professionally as B-boy Leon, said he hopes breaking will become mainstream through the global sports event.
"It's a big deal for us. We believe the inclusion will bring an increased attention to breaking and offer more opportunities for B-boys and B-girls. I can actually feel that dancers are training harder than before because they now have higher goals," he said during an interview with The Korea Times at Fusion MC Dance Studio in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, Monday.
The 28-year-old dancer said he first saw breaking in 2005 at a cultural festival held in Uijeongbu and then became a member of Fusion MC, one of the iconic breaking groups in Korea, two years later.
Breaking saw its heyday in Korea during the 2000s, but gradually lost popularity from 2010.
"I think the golden era of breaking was between 2004 and 2007. Back then, dancers showed off ferocious musicality, swiftness and strength, winning global competitions. Thanks to them, Korean B-boys are still considered some of the world's finest," he said.
Like many others, Kim has won several local and international competitions, including the 2018 Red Bull BC Cypher Korea and 2018 Bucheon B-boy International Championship. He also represented the country in the 2015 Red Bull BC One World Final.
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| B-boy Leon shows off his signature dance moves after an interview with The Korea Times at Fusion MC Dance Studio in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-min |
Kim won the crew battle at the 7th Bomb Jam Korea in April and the inaugural Breaking Project Korea in June, rising to prominence as a potential candidate for the national team.
Revealing that he had been on hiatus for more than a year before taking part in April's battle, Kim said: "Last year was really difficult with COVID-19 and all that. We couldn't really compete with each other. The breaking competitions resumed this year, but they are being held without an audience. We need to adjust to the new setting, but it feels really weird," he said.
On what distinguishes top-level breakers, he explained that transitions, expressions, and miniscule gestures determine the winner, going beyond complex dance moves.
Breaking competitions typically consist of one-on-one battles, with three rounds apiece. Each battle features alternating flips, spins, kicks and freezes in which one competitor breaks for about 30 to 45 seconds, and the other responds. A group of three to five judges then pick a winner to advance to the next round.
"I think every B-boy or B-girl who succeeds needs to have originality and musicality. I dance to all kinds of music and do a lot of image training when I listen to music," he said.
Saying that his sights are set on the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games and 2024 Olympics, Kim expressed his desire to continue pursuing fulfilment as a B-boy. "My goal is to prepare well for the next round of Breaking K Series and join the national team," he said.
The Breaking K Series is a tournament that is intended to select national team members who will compete in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. The first round was held in early July, while the second round is set to take place in September. The two finalists will be determined in the final round in November.
