Honor Breakerz Wins High Schoolers Finals 2018, Becoming the Competition’s First Korean Champion
Representing South Korea in Hong Kong, the young street dance crew claimed the Asian championship with a performance combining contemporary street dance and distinctive elements of Korean culture.
South Korean street dance crew Honor Breakerz captured the championship title at High Schoolers Finals 2018, an Asian youth dance performance competition held in Hong Kong, delivering a performance that combined high-level street dance with distinctive elements of Korean cultural expression.
Honor Breakerz competed as the South Korean representative at the event on May 19, joining teams from across Asia in an international youth dance showcase.
A total of 21 representative teams from South Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China and other parts of Asia participated in the competition.
Honor Breakerz Claims the Asian Championship
Despite facing strong competition from across the region, Honor Breakerz distinguished itself through its performance quality and stage presentation, ultimately earning first place and the title of Asian champion.
The performance was designed to express both the strength and beauty associated with Korean cultural imagery while remaining firmly rooted in contemporary street dance.
The team performed to fusion Korean traditional music and incorporated hand-painted traditional masks, armor-inspired stage costumes and red fans into the choreography.
These visual and musical elements created a distinctive identity for the Korean team and drew an enthusiastic response from both the judging panel and spectators at the venue.
A Young Korean Team Takes the International Stage
The victory was particularly notable given the youth of the team.
According to team director Lee Da-hin, the Korean representatives had an average age of just 16.5 years, making them the youngest team in the competition.
Nevertheless, the dancers successfully advanced against highly competitive teams from across Asia and ultimately secured the top position.
Lee described the pride the team felt in being able to unfold the Korean national flag on stage after being announced as the winners.
A Dramatic Championship Announcement
The final result also produced an emotional moment for the young dancers.
As the award ceremony progressed without Honor Breakerz being called, the members initially believed they had been eliminated from the final rankings.
The team had reportedly begun preparing to leave when its name was finally announced as the first-place winner.
Overwhelmed by the result, the members rushed back toward the stage to receive the championship recognition and celebrate with the Korean flag.
Korean Culture Meets Contemporary Street Dance
One of the defining elements of the Honor Breakerz performance was its combination of modern street dance technique with references to Korean traditional culture.
Rather than presenting cultural elements separately, the team incorporated them directly into the choreography, music, costume design and stage props.
Fusion Korean traditional music provided the sonic foundation, while masks and armor-inspired costumes created a strong visual identity.
Red fans added another dynamic element to the performance, allowing the dancers to combine rhythmic movement with recognizable Korean visual motifs.
Together, these elements helped create a performance that communicated a uniquely Korean identity to an international audience.
A First for Korea in the Competition’s History
The championship carried additional significance for South Korean street dance.
High Schoolers Finals had begun in 2009 and was celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2018.
According to the original report, Honor Breakerz became the first Korean team to win the competition during its decade-long history.
The result therefore represented more than a single competition victory.
It highlighted the international potential of a new generation of Korean street dancers and demonstrated how young performers could combine technical ability, creative direction and cultural identity on an international stage.
A Milestone for Korea’s Next Generation of Street Dancers
Honor Breakerz's victory arrived at a period when breaking and street dance were gaining greater recognition within international youth culture and competitive sport.
For a young Korean crew to secure an Asian championship against teams from across the region demonstrated the growing competitiveness of South Korea's next generation of street dancers.
The achievement also illustrated the possibilities created when contemporary performance is combined with a clear cultural identity.
From the fusion music and traditional masks to the choreography and Taegeukgi displayed after the result, Honor Breakerz presented its championship performance not simply as a dance routine, but as a representation of South Korea on an international stage.