On the 30th, Hansung Motor, the official dealer of Mercedes-Benz, announced that it signed an official sponsorship agreement with athlete Kim Heon-woo (stage name: WING), who will compete in the breaking category at the ‘2022 Hangzhou Asian Games’ on the 28th.

To support Kim Heon-woo’s performance at the Asian Games, Hansung Motor will provide him with the Mercedes-Benz all-electric vehicle, the EQE SUV, along with a cash incentive for medal achievements in major breaking competitions. Kim Heon-woo will compete in his future domestic and international events wearing a uniform featuring the Hansung Motor logo.

This official sponsorship is part of the ‘WANNA.B’ project that Hansung Motor launched in March last year to support and promote the breaking culture in South Korea. To resonate and connect with MZ generation customers, Hansung Motor has continued its sponsorship activities from e-sports team Gen.G starting in 2020, and most recently, breaking as a representative sport for the MZ generation.

Breaking, a form of street dance rooted in hip-hop culture from the United States, is somewhat unfamiliar in South Korea and considered a subculture. However, as it has been officially adopted as a sport in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games and the 2024 Paris Olympics, it is steadily establishing its reputation as a recognized sport.

Kim Heon-woo, representing domestic breaking, has made significant contributions to advancing it into mainstream culture as a b-boy. Recently, he has showcased his skills globally by winning the 2023 WDSF (World DanceSport Federation) Asia Championships as well as the World Breaking Championships.

Through the project to officially sponsor Kim Heon-woo, who is participating in the 2022 Asian Games, Hansung Motor aims to shed new light on breaking, which has long been perceived as an underground culture, and plans to continue various marketing activities to invest in the growth and expansion of breaking culture.

Wolf Ausprung, CEO of Hansung Motor, stated, “Through the Hansung Motor WANNA.B project, we hope that breaking will grow into mainstream culture with greater public interest. We sincerely support all athletes participating in the breaking category of the Asian Games, including Kim Heon-woo, so that they can maximize their skills and achieve good results through their dedication.”

Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr