The 3x3 basketball festival held in Sinchon was a huge success.
The NH Nonghyup Bank 2025 KXO 3x3 Seoul Sinchon Light Quest was held on the 21st at a special court set up in front of the Hyundai Department Store Sinchon branch. A total of nine teams were divided into two groups and competed in the preliminary rounds on the 21st, with six teams competing in the tournament to determine the champion on the 22nd.
In the Light Quest final, Valencia (Spain) defeated Jump Shot (Singapore) 18-17 to claim the championship title. The winning team, Valencia, received a prize of $3,000 along with a ticket to participate in the FIBA 3x3 Beijing Tongzhou Challenger 2025, which will be held in China in October.
The most notable feature of this tournament was that it took place in Seoul, the capital of Korea, particularly in Sinchon, where many university students are located. The outdoor basketball games were held in a central location with a high flow of people during the weekend. Fans who are usually not familiar with basketball were captivated by the sport within just 10 seconds. More than 300 spectators gathered at the special court, leading to a huge success.
Lee Seong-heon, the head of the Seodaemun District Office, noted, "We are holding the 3x3 basketball game in Sinchon, representing Seoul. I was pleasantly surprised to see so many citizens come out over the weekend. We will continue to hold tournaments frequently."
There were also hidden contributors to the tournament's success. Basketball fans were able to feel the vibrant atmosphere of the outdoor court from the comfort of their homes. This was thanks to the efforts of the basketball manager, PD Yeom Jeong-mun, and the broadcasting team of KBS N.
KBS N has shown special affection for basketball and has made various attempts. PD Yeom Jeong-mun, whom I met at the scene, said, "3-on-3 is an urban sport that differentiates itself from traditional league basketball. I have been interested in it since the overseas sports. I wanted to develop our country's infrastructure further, which is why I planned this."
In this tournament, the commentators received praise for their various attempts, including installing cameras for referees. PD Yeom explained, "We tried various methods to promote 3x3 basketball. The referee cam is a system used in various sports, including baseball. It is not expensive and is being popularized, so we tried to utilize it in 3x3 basketball."
Exciting outdoor sports also have their drawbacks. The main issue is that there are many variables affecting tournament management, such as weather. On the first day of the tournament, rain caused a temporary halt. Fortunately, the weather was clear on the second day, when the finals were held, leading to a thrilling competition.
PD Yeom Jeong-mun expressed satisfaction, stating, "Urban sports are competitions that breathe with the audience. There were many concerns due to the monsoon season. After a long wait and with the support of the association, we were able to conduct the tournament well. Fortunately, the weather was good."
With the great success of the Sinchon Light Quest, there is a significant possibility of 3x3 basketball becoming a popular sport in Korea. However, it is true that there are still some disappointing aspects compared to overseas.
PD Yeom pointed out, "Managing the schedules of the participating players is a challenge for live broadcasting. The final should have featured a more spectacular match, but there were issues with the performance. Fortunately, the finals at the Sinchon tournament resulted in a fantastic showdown that yielded the desired outcome."
Park Geon-yeon, the president of KXO, stated, "I have a goal to host a level 10 world tour, the highest level of FIBA, in Korea in the future," outlining a grand vision.
KBS N's role in popularizing 3x3 basketball is also significant. PD Yeom Jeong-mun expressed hope, saying, "As the PD in charge of basketball, I wish for 3x3 basketball to evolve into a sport that is liked and enjoyed by people of all ages."
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