Max Park: A Speedcubing Prodigy Shattering Records and Inspiring Millions
On June 11, 2023, the world of speedcubing—a competitive sport involving solving Rubik’s Cubes and other similar puzzles as quickly as possible—was rocked by a remarkable feat. Max Park, a 21-year-old speedcubing legend from the United States, shattered the world record for the fastest time to solve a 3x3x3 rotating puzzle cube, commonly known as a Rubik’s Cube. At the Pride in Long Beach 2023 event in California, Park solved a Rubik’s Cube in a mind-boggling 3.13 seconds, shaving 0.34 seconds off the previous record held by China’s Yusheng Du since 20181.
Before this astonishing accomplishment, Park’s fastest single solve was 3.63 seconds, placing him second behind Du’s 3.47 seconds. But Park’s prowess extends beyond the classic 3x3x3 Rubik’s Cube. He holds many speedcubing records—almost all of them, to be precise. His dominance opens to larger and more complex cubes, having both the single solve and average solve world records for the 4x4x4, 5x5x5, 6x6x6, and 7x7x7 cubes. Park’s record-setting spree is not over, however. We are inching to see a sub-three-second record set with his latest achievement. Given his track record, Park might be the one to do it1, finally.
But Park’s story extends beyond the confines of speedcubing. Diagnosed with autism, Park inspires many people, both on the spectrum and beyond. His journey with speedcubing began when his parents, Schwan and Miki, noticed his interest in solving Rubik’s Cubes when he struggled with tasks as simple as opening water bottles. They saw the potential therapeutic value of cubing and nurtured his interest. Today, Park’s parents describe cubing as a “good therapy” that has significantly aided Max’s development1.
From those early days, Park has come a long way. Today, he is an official ambassador for Rubik’s and a prominent figure in the global cubing community. Over the years, he has formed a close friendship with fellow speedcubing legend Feliks Zemdegs, and their camaraderie was featured in the 2020 Netflix documentary ‘The Speed Cubers.’ As Park continues to defy odds and shatter records, he lives by a simple motto: “don’t think, just solve.” With this mindset, it’s only a matter of time before he sets his next world record, and the world can’t wait to see it1.
