Instructor Jeong Sang-min (born in 1982, affiliated with Geoinhoe) claimed a dramatic victory in the fist breaking event at the 2024 Mungyeong World Taekwondo Hanmadang (hereinafter referred to as the Hanmadang).

On the third day of the Hanmadang, July 28, in the domestic fist breaking Senior III (Men) division, Jeong narrowly passed the preliminaries in 10th place but went on to shatter 15 roof tiles in the final, securing a victory.

Jeong who had no luck with Hanmadang since placing 3rd in the domestic knife-hand breaking Senior III (Men) division at the 2017 Anyang Hanmadang, won his first gold medal by surpassing Instructor Kim Hyo-jung (born in 1983, affiliated with Geoinhoe), who broke 14 tiles and took second place.

Jeong also appeared in the first episode of Kukkiwon's YouTube series "Masters of Breaking," where his performance of breaking 16 roof tiles reached almost 10,000 views.

As the director of the Geoinhoe breaking team, Jeong has trained many athletes and expanded the popularity of power breaking nationwide, producing three winners in the power-breaking division at last year's Seongnam Hanmadang.

Balancing coaching and personal training, Jeong dedicates more than six hours daily to breaking practice, training for three hours in the morning and from 11 PM to 1 AM after closing his academy.

Jeong said, “I want to dedicate this victory to the 45 athletes who participated in this year’s Hanmadang and to Geoinhoe. I gave my best effort not as an individual but as a director, determined not to show any signs of discouragement to my athletes. I am happy that this positive outcome has motivated them.”

In the fist-breaking Senior IV (Men) division, Instructor Park Gyung-hwan (born in 1972, affiliated with Mucheonjisim) claimed victory, while Instructor Lee Moon-seok (Born in 1961, also from Mucheonjisim) won the Master division.

Instructor Choi Deok-soo (born in 1945, affiliated with Sumuhwe), the oldest participant in this year's Hanmadang, competed in the Master division but was not able to get to the podium. Nonetheless, his can-do spirit instilled hope and courage to the participants.

Additionally, Kukkiwon Examination Team Manager Kim Hyun-young, who made his first attempt in the combined domestic fist-breaking Senior III, IV, and Master integrated division, placed second and marked a special moment in this year’s Hanmadang.

On the fourth day of Hanmadang, July 29, the competition will continue with individual events such as the international Official Poomsae Senior I and II (Women) preliminaries and finals, the domestic sidekick and back kick division (Women) finals, as well as the team events like the international Creative Poomsae division finals and the domestic Taekwondo Gymnastics Senior division finals.