Breaking Through Barriers, B-Girl Yell Says, 'With Consistent Effort, Possibilities Are Endless'

"I felt that if I keep up this pace, I can achieve something. I'm looking forward to my 30s."

Breaking her limits through dance, South Korea's premier B-Girl Yell (Kim Ye-ri, 26) returns from the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with a harvest as valuable as a medal.

It is the firm belief in her own skills and the direction she is heading.

Kim's journey in this tournament concluded in the women's breaking quarterfinals after a defeat against China's powerhouse 671 (Liu Qingyi).

"Since I practiced by pouring my body and soul into it, I do have some regrets about the results, but I have gained a solid belief that with a little more refinement, I can catch up to the world's top athletes," she shared, reflecting on the end of the competition.

Having become South Korea's first national team B-Girl by winning the 2021 national selection trials, this Asian Games marks Kim's second appearance following the 2022 Hangzhou Games.

Her quarterfinal opponent, 671, is the ace of Asian breaking powerhouse China and the bronze medalist of this tournament.

"As a challenger facing an opponent with such a massive reputation, I had nothing to lose," Kim said. "I had faced 671 about twice before, and I approached this match with the mindset of showing much better skills than back then."

She added, "It's not easy to steal judges' votes against a strong contender, but the two votes I secured this time mean a lot to me. Previously, I mostly received zero votes or tended to see unanimous votes go to strong opponents, but I gained hope through this match."

Diagnosed with a hearing impairment at a young age and wearing a hearing aid, the restrictions of sound are merely a part of her, never a limit confining her abilities.

When the musical beat was hard to hear, she counted the rhythm in her head; when the music was drowned out by the cheers of the crowd, she read her opponent's movements and continued to dance unshaken.

Having entered the world of breaking in her second year of middle school and continuously taking on challenges—such as winning a bronze medal at the 2018 Buenos Aires Summer Youth Olympics—she has faced her fair share of worries in front of the rapidly changing global stage.

"I started relatively early in Korea, but in places like China, players five or six years younger than me are surging up, which made me feel rushed at times," she confessed.

However, she soon steadied her mind by looking at experienced senior athletes.

"When you come to international competitions, most faces are new instead of veterans from the past," she emphasized. "If I also look far ahead and put in consistent effort like Hongten (Kim Hong-yeol), I believe there are plenty of possibilities open for me."

Her reason for stepping in front of the public, overcoming difficult environments, is also clear.

It is because she wants to pave the way for younger generations, given the reality where breaking dancers must make a living performing in school auditoriums or apartment playgrounds or work second jobs.

"I compete in international events with the hope that younger friends will continue to rise into the scene," Kim vowed. "As it is a major stage watched not only by dance fans but also the general public, I will continue to take on challenges without stopping."

(Photo courtesy of World DanceSport Federation, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.