I can confirm now that only the one component has the issue. I'm going look at your code to see if I can patch or override the current installation. The url string is long, but it's now legible and clean.

update: If I create a menu item to the parent link I can eliminate '/component/k2' via url rewrite, if necessary (ie, the developer is slow or my attempt at a patch fails.).

The rewrite in htaccess works fine (until the developer gets their stuff together, kind of a holiday around here now). All the items on the test page show, but only a couple categories can be accessed directly (Nowy Jork and New Jersey produce 404's). The only thing I can think of is that both begin with 'N'?    : ]

bit.ly/38XOkXn

edit: It's the graphics component. Have a good holiday!
edit: now the url is correct but the category still producing 404. probably something I've misconfigured.

Whether I use the htaccess or not, the some of the category links produce 404's, but some do not - not sure why that would be. They are all constructed in precisely the same way.