Hyunbin Min FA’s Prime Time (8C+)

Hyunbin Min, who has previously climbed one 8C+ boulder and one 9b route, has made the first ascent of Prime Time (8C+) in Mt. Morak. The 162 cm-tall 37-year-old won a Lead World Cup back in 2012.

Can you tell us more about the process behind the first ascent?
I honestly don’t even know where to begin with this one. Since last year, I’ve been working on around four different projects, and without a doubt, Prime Time was the hardest of them all. Earlier this year, I was focused on another project (around 8C/V15). From the second session, it felt incredibly possible, but as the sessions went on, I became too obsessed with sending it. I got overly sensitive and emotionally attached to the outcome, and at some point I started disliking that version of myself a little bit.

So I stepped away from it and started a new project — The Blueprint (V14/15, FA by me). I tried to approach it with a lighter mindset, telling myself to let go a little more and just enjoy the process. I ended up sending it in about five or six sessions, and after that I really felt like my body shape and overall climbing condition were in a great place. That’s when I started focusing fully on Prime Time again.

Prime Time is an 18-move line starting from a small roof and continuing through a steep 60 degree overhang. It demands strong fingers, precise core tension, and the ability to trust incredibly small footholds. During my last session, I had a really good link and finally saw the possibility of the send, but the tiny footholds near the top kept shutting me down. Today, I changed one specific beta — instead of using a left heel, I switched to a left-foot edging position on that foothold — and that ended up being the key to finally sending the route.

More importantly, I kept trying to stay mentally relaxed on every attempt. I tried not to climb with desperation or obsession. Honestly, if every try had been only about sending, I might still not have done it today. Without question, this is the hardest route I’ve ever climbed. What felt manageable in link attempts became unbelievably difficult when starting from the ground. Grading is always difficult, but I think this line has already been validated to some extent by Sung-su, myself, and several top-level Korean climbers. What’s also kind of surreal is that, by pure coincidence, today marks exactly one year since I climbed my first V16 — United (8C+/V16) in Japan. I’m just incredibly happy right now. It still doesn’t feel real.

What is next on the agenda?
This autumn and winter, I want to go to Europe and gain even more experience climbing abroad.