Introduction
Kim has first-class anti-airs and plenty of other convenient moves. His moveset is generally less open now.
Moves list
| Normal throws | |
|---|---|
| Kubikime Otoshi | (throw) f/b + C |
| Sakkyaku Nage | (throw) f/b + D |
| Command moves | |
| Naeryeo Chagi | f + B |
| Dora Yeop Chagi | f + A |
| Special moves | |
| Hangetsuzan | qcb + K |
| Hienzan | d (charge) u + K |
| ┗ (Tenshōzan) | (during strong Hienzan) d + K |
| Kūsajin | d (charge) u + P |
| Ryūseiraku | b (charge) f + K |
| Hishōkyaku | (air) qcf + K |
| Hakikyaku | d d + K |
| Sanrengeki | qcb + P, qcb + P, qcb + P |
| Super special moves | |
| Hōōkyaku | qcb db f + K (possible in midair) |
| Hōō Tenbukyaku | (air) qcf hcb + K |
Normal moves
- st.A – irregularly long reach. It has been slowed down somewhat, but you can zone with just this and cr.A if you want.
- cr.D – long reach. It is now cancelable, so if you’re in trouble, it’s probably okay to whiff this one now.
- st.C – the recovery has been sped up, so you can now use this in zoning as well.
- j.CD – the hitbox has high priority horizontally, so use it for air-to-air.
- j.A – excellent crossup ability; use this when jumping in.
Command moves
- Dora Yeop Chagi
- f + A
- Combos from strong attacks; cancelable even when not cancelled into. Pretty much just for combos.
- Naeryeo Chagi
- f + B
- Two-hit overhead (and perhaps the most characteristically authentic TKD move Kim uses). Its motion is a dead giveaway, but since the startup is now faster, it is easier to use than before.
Special moves
- Hienzan
- d (charge) u + K
- A godsend of an anti-air/interrupter with invincibility time on startup. The reach is long, and it springs pretty much straight up, so if the very tip of the weak version can touch the opponent, you aren’t very open, which is good. The weak version does two hits and the strong version does three. The invincibility time has been shortened, but in exchange, the weak version will now do two hits even for midair and glancing hits, and will reliably do knockdown.
- Tenshōzan (not in official movelist, but this is what it is)
- d + D during strong Hienzan
- Only for the strong version of Hienzan, but the Hienzan doesn’t have to touch the opponent for you to use this. When it hits, it does unrollable knockdown.
- Hangetsuzan
- qcb + K
- The strong version combos from strong attacks. Use the weak version in blockstrings; you aren’t too open even if it is blocked. The number of hits for both versions has been increased by one, and likewise they both do knockdown now.
- Hishōkyaku
- qcf + K in midair
- Kim swoops down diagonally, and does a multi-hit kick. If you jump over the opponent before activating it, Kim will swoop down away from them. There isn’t much landing stun, so it can be used for crossup and comboing into ground combos.
- Ryūseiraku
- b (charge) f + K
- A blockstring attack consisting of a low sliding kick followed by a hopping ax kick (not an overhead despite appearances). Obviously, this does not always combo. You aren’t that open if it is blocked, so use it for zoning.
- Kūsajin
- d (charge) u + P
- Kim rises while doing roundhouse kicks (two for weak, three for strong). As an anti-air, Hienzan has greater efficacy, but this one does more damage. Use it for combos from weak moves.
- Hakikyaku
- d d + K
- Stomping attack with a low-hit hitbox. It combos from strong attacks, and it is possible to cancel into Hōōkyaku. The strong version can now do OTG.
- When you have no gauge, you can recover right away by canceling into Hōōkyaku (which will fail to activate because you have no gauge) in a phenomenon known as the “stomp glitch” (albeit a glitch that SNK seems to smile upon anyway), “Hakikyan” (Japanese: Hakikyaku + Kyanseru = “Haki Cancel”), and so forth. However, the recovery time for this has been increased from OG, so it is now harder to use (also, the timing is stricter, and it doesn’t do the opponent blocking shenanigans, and Kim doesn’t freeze up; so basically, it’s official, at least in this game).
- When using EXTRA-style movement type, if you utilize the fact that your walking speed is faster, it makes this move simpler to use overall.
- Sanrengeki
- qcb + P, qcb + P, qcb + P
- The first two hits are a combo attack; the third hit is an overhead Naeryeo Chagi for weak or a single Kūsajin roundhouse for strong. It is safe in combos, and the weak version does unrollable knockdown. The recovery time of the first step is now bizarrely short, so you can now use it to zone, too.
Super special moves
- Hōōkyaku
- qcb db f + K (possible in midair)
- Kim rushes, floating somewhat, and does a Ranbu if he makes contact with the opponent. If blocked, he will still Ranbu and do chip damage, but it leaves you really open. The move has a short invincibility time on startup, and can combo from weak moves.
- Hōō Tenbukyaku
- qcf hcb + K in midair
- Kim swoops down and kicks the opponent (like Hishōkyaku), and if he successfully hits, he does a Ranbu. You can’t use this very much, just because there won’t be many opportunities to do so.
Combos
Basic
- cr.B > cr.A >> strong Kūsajin (d u + C) or strong Sanrengeki ((qcb + C) x 3)
- Safe combo from weak moves.
- j.A > cl.C (1 hit) >> weak Sanrengeki ((qcb + A) x 3) > strong Hakikyaku (d d + D) (OTG)
- Powerful combo, lots of damage.
- j.A > cl.C (1 hit) >> Dora Yeop Chagi (f + A) >> Hishōkyaku (air qcf + K)
- The Hishōkyaku (air qcf + K), can hardly be countered.
- j.A > cl.C (1 hit) >> Dora Yeop Chagi (f + A) or d d + K >> qcb hcf + K
- The f + A is easier but dos a little less damage than d d + K.
- crossup weak Hishōkyaku (air qcf + B) > cl.C (1 hit) >> ~
- If you place it just right, it is possible to crossup with weak Hishōkyaku (air qcf + B).
- cl.C (1 hit) >> Hakikyaku (d d + K) >> Hōōkyaku (qcb hcf + K) > cr.D
- Only for when you don’t have gauge; this uses the Hakikyaku (d d + K) cancel. This is harder to use than it was before, but it combos from a cl.C after dashing, and you can utilize it in various ways.
The Basics
In between moves, you should usually be charging, so that you’ll always be ready to use Hienzan.
Kim-gwanjangnim’s zoning ability has been remarkably raised, so he is strong even at mid-range. While whiffing st.C and/or st.A, zone against the opponent’s jumps with a vertical jumping j.C. (Whiff) canceling cr.D into the first step of Sanrengeki (then stopping) is pretty safe, and is powerful for smashing the beginnings of jumps.
When you are approaching, hh.CD is recommended. Make it so that the very tip will touch, and if they block it, you should move on to crossup with j.A or Hishōkyaku, or start turtling them up using mostly st.A.
One blockstring you can use is cr.A > st.A > cr.D. Occasionally, defend against jumps ahead of time by canceling the cr.D into only the first step of Sanrengeki. If the opponent has no useful stuffing moves, you could also cancel it into Ryūseiraku.
Another vital moment is after you utilize Dora Yeop Chagi in a combo or blockstring and cancel into Hishōkyaku. This sets you up for two options between the C throw and cl.C. The normal throw is completely safe (well, as safe as KOF normal throws can be), and if the cl.C hits, your opponent is just ripe for combos.
Otherwise, touching them with cr.A is also safe. After a cr.A, you have various options you can consider, such as dashing up and touching them with cl.C, putting out a cr.D, or trying for a crossup. Also, by using these to turtle up the opponent, if you then touch them with cr.C, you can make them block a Dora Yeop Chagi or weak Hangetsuzan combo.
If you can do a Hakikyaku cancel, it does you no good if you don’t use it! Whether you’ve got it or not affects the available combos (not to mention how freely you can walk around) on a grand scale, so practice it. If your gauge has accumulated stocks, use combos and guard cancels to empty it. Okay, with that lecture out of the way, the first thing is to Hakikyaku cancel after cl.C or cr.A, then make them block a cr.D. The risk is pretty low, and it helps you charge the gauge. If you would like to lower the risk even further, a st.A instead is usually okay, too. Also, after a Hakikyaku cancel, you could offer the two options of a C throw or cl.C. If the cl.C is blocked, you can continue into another Hakikyaku cancel or a Dora Yeop Chagi combo in order to continue the assault. Remember, the Hakikyaku cancel will (usually) backfire on you if you get gauge and actually perform the Hōōkyaku, so you need to pay careful attention as to whether or not you have a gauge stock.
To sum it up: Kim’s basic gameplan is to move around using the lack of gauge while charging it, then use the charged gauge. If the opponent dares to move, punish with Hienzan. By doing this, you have a serious defense that severely hampers the opponent’s ability to move.