A 3x3 festival was held in Hongcheon for three days.
The Korea 3x3 Basketball Federation (KXO), Hongcheon County, the Hongcheon County Council, and the Hongcheon Sports Council held the 'NH Nonghyup Bank FIBA 3x3 Hongcheon Challenger 2025' (hereinafter referred to as Hongcheon Challenger) and the 'NH Nonghyup Bank 2025 KXO 3x3 Hongcheon Light Quest' consecutively from September 9 to 11 at the Toris Forest City Forest Park Special Court and the Hongcheon Comprehensive Gymnasium.
A 3x3 festival was held for three days in Hongcheon County, which has established itself as 'the holy land of Korean 3x3.' The 3x3 international tournament, the Hongcheon Challenger 2025, took place on September 9 and 10, and the Hongcheon Light Quest was held on the 11th.
The Hongcheon Challenger has been held for three consecutive years and is the only FIBA 3x3 pro circuit tournament taking place in the country in 2025. The FIBA 3x3 pro circuit consists of the World Tour and Challenger. This year, in addition to the Hongcheon Challenger, the Hongcheon Light Quest was also held, providing a ticket to participate in the FIBA 3x3 Challenger taking place in Jakarta this July.
This year's Hongcheon Challenger featured strong teams from all around the world, including Lithuania, the Netherlands, Germany, and Serbia, providing a great opportunity to enjoy high-level 3x3 games. Among domestic teams, only Seoul Cosmo, which had Jeong Seong-jo, the first-ever unselected player to be drafted in the Korean Basketball League (KBL), participated. Cosmo won its match against Ikebukuro of Japan in the qualifying draw.
After a heated battle, Hangzhou (China) topped the 2025 Hongcheon Challenger. Despite the adverse condition of having one player unable to participate in the semifinals and finals due to a disqualification penalty, Hangzhou triumphed over Lithuania's giant, Laurynas Birutis, in the finals to claim the championship. The tournament MVP was awarded to Filip Kaluderovic of Hangzhou, who dominated the decisive moments.
Additionally, the Hongcheon Challenger provided various spectacles outside of the games through a rich opening ceremony and events. The performance was elevated by singer Kim Kwang-jin, famous for 'the magic castle,' popular dance YouTuber 'Brick Grandpa,' and the only domestic basketball freestyle group 'W Girls.'
In the Hongcheon Light Quest held on the 11th, Utrecht of the Netherlands emerged victorious. The MVP was Norbert Telson, who led Utrecht to victory. In Korea, two teams participated, and Seoul Cosmo advanced to the quarterfinals.
Hongcheon County, which is passionate about 3x3 basketball, plans to make considerable efforts to attract and host related tournaments in the future. They are also planning to construct a dedicated stadium for 3x3 competitions.
Shin Eun-seob, president of the Hongcheon Sports Council, who led the successful hosting of this tournament, noted, "I feel that the efforts and passion of the KXO officials are truly remarkable. Seeing everyone sincerely striving for the development of 3x3 basketball in South Korea inspires me to do my best in my position as well."
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