·'Sport event + Save the region + Resolving the balance of education' Samcheok's pride of catching three birds with one stone:'2024 Hydrogen Dream Samchuk' meets the heat of the nation's three to three basketball parties'

Nov 24, 2024

A player who participated in the 2024 Hydrogen Dream Three-to-Three Basketball Festival held at Samcheok Civic Gymnasium in Gangwon-do is shooting a jumper shot. Courtesy of KOREA3X3

"Welcome to beautiful Samcheok."

About 900 participants cheered for Samcheok Mayor Park Sang-soo's warm and energetic welcome. Samcheok Civic Gymnasium in Gangwon-do, which had been quiet, was hot with youthful energy and spirit for the first time in a long time. Samcheok's special 3 to 3 basketball competition, which marks its fourth anniversary this year and presents a new paradigm for sports events in Korea, opened on the 23rd and held a two-day battle.

Organized by KOREA3X3 and sponsored by Samcheok City and Samcheok City Council, the '2024 Hydrogen Dream Samchuk National 3-to-3 Basketball Festival' started in 2021. The Korean Three to Three Basketball Federation, the predecessor of the "KOREA 3X3", began by experimenting with the expansion of the base of the three to three basketball in Samcheok, Gangwon-do, and the revitalization of the amateur competition. If it had stopped here, it might have just ended up with a normal 3-on-3 basketball tournament.

'Courtesy of career counseling' held as a special event at the 2024 Hydrogen Dream Three-to-Three Basketball Festival held from the 23rd to the 24th at Samcheok Citizens' Gymnasium in Gangwon-do. College students from Seoul became mentors for local middle and high school students. Provided by KOREA3X3 provided by KOREA3X3 provided by

But KOREA3X3 went one step further here. It has made an innovative attempt to combine the concept of sports mentoring (education) with 'Sports+Vacation (fusion of sports, vacation, and travel)' in sports events (3:3 basketball). Lee Jin-young, director of KOREA3X3, said "It was an attempt to realize the two main values of revitalizing the local economy (sportation) and resolving the educational imbalance through one regional sports event. Fortunately, thanks to the active support from Samcheok City, the competition has been growing well for four years until this year."

A player who participated in the 2024 Hydrogen Dream Three-to-Three Basketball Festival held from the 23rd to the 24th at Samcheok Civic Gymnasium in Gangwon-do is dribbling and attempting to break through. KOREA3X3 제

In fact, the Samcheok 3-on-3 basketball tournament is famous for being a 'fun contest' and 'must-participate contest' among college student clubs and general public clubs who enjoy 3-on-3 basketball. In addition, in Samcheok, it is popular as a contest to revitalize the local economy and to receive career counseling from students of prestigious universities in Seoul for local students. It means that the brand value has already been firmly established by steadily attracting competitions over the past three years.

This is well illustrated in 'Intervention Application Gwangcle Phenomenon'. Director Lee "As soon as I started applying for online participation, I had a lot of access. In the end, as many as 1,000 people applied to participate in two days." There are also a number of teams that have been unable to participate due to the lack of applications.

Members of the Yonsei Basketball Club 'Miss B are enjoying watching the play of their friends who participated in the 3-on-3 competition. Courtesy of KOREA 3X3

Son Na-yeon (25) of Yonsei University's female basketball club 'Miss B', who has participated in the competition for four consecutive years so far this year, said "I have participated in other regional competitions while playing basketball clubs, and the Samcheok 3-on-3 basketball tournament is clearly different from other competitions. The means of transportation and accommodation are grouped together, so it is convenient that there is no need to find them individually. It is also attractive that it pursues regional co-prosperity through sports applications. It's a truly enjoyable competition," he said. "Our club also applied for participation in several units, but only two teams succeeded. The third unit failed to apply."

Kim Sun-young (26) of the same club, who is about to graduate, is also a four-year attendance student. He said "We will participate in the university department until this year, but next year, graduates will gather a team to participate in the general department."

The scene of the 2024 Hydrogen Dream Samchuk National 3-to-3 Basketball Festival held from the 23rd to the 24th at Samcheok Civic Gymnasium in Gangwon-do. Courtesy of KOREA3X3

In the end, after fierce competition for applications, 109 teams in a total of five categories, including high schools, men's and women's universities, and men's and women's general departments, completed their applications. According to KOREA3X3, the total number of participants amounts to 900, including athletes, cheerleaders, and officials. In name and reality, it has become the nation's largest competition and the pride of the three relatives.

Samcheok Mayor Park Sang-soo smiles brightly as he celebrates the opening at the 2024 Hydrogen Dream Three-to-Three Basketball Festival, which opened on the 23rd at Samcheok Civic Gymnasium in Gangwon-do. Courtesy of KOREA3X3

At the opening ceremony held at Samcheok Civic Gymnasium on the afternoon of the 23rd, 109 participating teams, officials from KOREA3X3, Samcheok City Hall, and Samcheok City Council attended to pray for the athletes' propaganda and safety. In his opening speech, Samcheok Mayor Park Sang-soo said, `Congratulations on the opening of the Three to Three Basketball Festival of the Hydrogen Dream, and welcome all of you to beautiful Samcheok.' and added, `Please play the competition safely and happily without any players getting hurt, and watch and enjoy many beautiful scenery of Samcheok.'

Kwon Jung-bok, chairman of the Samcheok City Council, who was in charge of the welcoming speech, then said, `I hope you make a lot of pleasant memories in Samcheok.' `If you are short of travel expenses, please contact the Samcheok City Council. I'll treat you at the city council," he said, drawing cheers from the participants.

Participants of the 2024 hydrogen dream three-to-three basketball festival held at Samcheok Civic Gymnasium in Gangwon-do from the 23rd to the 24th are waiting to participate in the cold while eating fish cake near the stadium. Courtesy of KOREA3X3

The sea breeze at the beginning of winter was quite strong, but it could not cool off the heat of Samcheok Civic Gymnasium. Kim Doo-kyung, director of the sports department at Samcheok City Hall, said "I don't know how long it's been since a citizen's gymnasium was so crowded with people. This healthy energy of young people was what we Samcheok citizens eagerly waited for. It's so nice to see you, and I feel energized as well."

Samcheok City and Samcheok City Council naturally promoted the local economy by giving participants 'Samchuk Love Gift Certificate' as prizes and commemorative gifts. More than 900 participants once again showed exemplary examples of revitalizing the region through three-on-three basketball, enjoying basketball, natural scenery, and local specialties in Samcheok for two days on the 23rd, 24th, and 24th. Young people's laughter continued on the streets and beaches of Samcheok for the first time in a long time.

wman@sportschosun.com