Seoul city launches break dance team, fields 2 dancers to compete in Asian Games

The Seoul city government has launched a break dance team to nurture competitors for the new Olympic sport, and two dancers from the team will compete in the upcoming Asian Games in China, officials said Wednesday.

Breaking, also known as break dancing, has been newly added to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. It is also an official sport at the Asian Games in China's Hangzhou that will run Sept. 23 to Oct. 8.

The city's new works team has been formed under a consensus with the culture ministry and the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee on the need to bring up B-boys and B-girls to compete in world sports events.

The team currently consists of two high-profile break dancers, Kim Heon-woo and Jeon Ji-ye, who will compete in the upcoming Asian Games.

Kim, 36, also known as Wing, has won the top prize at more than 100 breaking competitions at home and abroad, including the 2023 WDSF Asian Breaking Championships that wrapped up in Hangzhou in July

Jeon, or Fresh Bella, 24, won the bronze in the same event in the women's category. She started off as a figure skater and converted to breaking, and had once been a would-be K-pop star.

The city will be in charge of supporting the team to compete in breaking competitions, such as providing training and performing places, training camps, vehicles, and training programs.

The city hopes the launch would help expand the country's feat as a breaking powerhouse into world sports games. The city also plans to build a training facility dedicated to the team, if that is necessary. (Yonhap)