▲ South Korea's Kim Hong-yeol (Hong10), who won the silver medal in the men's breaking event at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, holds up his medal with joy on the podium at the Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on October 3.
South Korean breaking's "living legend" Hong10 (Kim Hong-yeol, 41) has claimed his second consecutive Asian Games silver medal, displaying skills that defy the passage of time.
Hong10 captured the silver medal after narrowly losing 0-3 to Japan's leading b-boy Shigekix (Shigeyuki Nakarai) in the final of the men's breaking (b-boy) event at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games held at the Aichi Sky Expo Hall in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, today (October 3).
With this achievement, Hong10 accomplished the remarkable feat of securing silver medals in two consecutive tournaments, following the 2022 Hangzhou Games held in 2023.
Born on December 27, 1984, Kim Hong-yeol is a seasoned veteran at 41 years of age.
Breaking demands extreme physical stamina as athletes must constantly twist and rotate their entire bodies, causing most competitors of a similar age to have left the stage long ago.
However, he demonstrated superhuman resilience by proudly competing against younger athletes in their 20s, who are young enough to be his nephews, and advancing to the final stage once again.
Even in today's final, Kim faced off against 24-year-old Shigekix, dominating the stage with his signature veteran experience and original movements, drawing gasps of admiration from the audience.
Although he fell short of the top spot with a final scoring result of 0-3, he fully showcased his world-class skills without reservation.
Considering his age and physical limitations, this Asian Games is likely to be effectively his final stage, but he has proven once again that he is an irreplaceable "legend" by decorating his silver-colored finale with a passion that defies time.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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