Phil Wizard, also known as Philip Kim, is of Korean descent. He wins the first-ever gold medal in men’s Olympic breaking, defeating France’s Danis Civil in the final battle.
His goal wasn’t to win but to enjoy himself on the stage, which he accomplished with a gold for Canada.
Highlights
- 27 Years old Phil Wizard grew up in a traditional family of Korean descent.
- His parents, Gilsoo and Byung Tae, supported his career journey and gave him 3 years to succeed.
- He was only 20 when he dropped out of the university and pursued full-time dancing.
Phil, a Canadian breakdancer, saw the Now or Never (N.O.N.) group performing street shows in downtown Vancouver in 2009 and fell in love with breaking.
He began practicing b-boying at Magee Secondary School in Vancouver and frequently left his classroom to try new moves and practice in the hallway.
Later, he dropped out of his psychology major to pursue breakdancing full-time. He learned b-boying from YouTube videos.
He defeated over 250 competitors and won the gold medal at the 2022 WDSF World Breaking Championships in Seoul, South Korea.
Likewise, he won the gold medal at the 2023 WDSF Pan American Breaking Championship and silver at the 2023 WDSF World Breaking Championship.
Phil Wizard Was Born In Toronto, Canada, To Korean Parents
The first gold medal winner in breaking Phil Wizard is the son of Gilsoo and Byung Tae. His parents moved from Korea to Canada in search of a new life.
He grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia, with his brothers, Daniel and John.
🇨🇦Phil Wizard’s parents had never him compete live before.
— Devin Heroux (@Devin_Heroux) August 10, 2024
Until now.
They’re in Paris tonight to watch their son win historic Olympic gold. pic.twitter.com/tQKx5fiVcJ
After winning a gold medal in the 2024 Summer Olympics, Phil embraced his family members.
His parents weren’t super pushy but were traditional and worried about him. They sacrificed their lives to give their children a different opportunity.
When Phil expressed his plan to quit his studies to focus on dancing, his parents were confused but also supported his decision.
I’ll give you three years to show us that you can do it. We’ll support you, you can live at home, whatever. But then after that, if it doesn’t work out, you go to school.
Phil’s father expressed
Phil was only 20 when he solely focused on dancing and struggled mentally because dancing was difficult. Every day was challenging to make it big.
His parents watched his winning performance at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.
Additional Information
- 27 years old Phil Wizard was born on January 25, 1997.
- He was named to Canada’s 2023 Pan American Games team in August 2023.
- He has a sweet tooth and enjoys eating sweets while working out.
- Lululemon sponsored him, and he enjoys journaling. His favorite author is Brandon Sanderson.
