'400 Million Won Championship Prize' Go's Highest Prize 'Shinhan Bank World Giseonjeon' Launched

Shinhan Financial Group, Maekyung Media Group, and Korea Baduk Association Sign Agreement Ceremony Held

Round of 32 to Semifinals in December... Best-of-3 Finals in the First Half of Next Year

Shinhan Bank World Giseonjeon Signing Ceremony. From left, Jang Dae-hwan, Chairman of Maekyung Media Group, Jin Ok-dong, Chairman of Shinhan Financial Group, and Jung Tae-soon, Vice President of Korea Baduk Association. [Provided by Korea Baduk Association. Republication and database prohibited]

A world championship with the highest prize money among annual Go tournaments is set to launch.

On the 21st, the Korea Baduk Association held a signing ceremony for the 'Shinhan Bank World Giseonjeon' at the Maekyung Media Group building in Toegyero, Jung-gu, with attendees including Jin Ok-dong, Chairman of Shinhan Financial Group, Jang Dae-hwan, Chairman of Maekyung Media Group, and Jung Tae-soon, Vice President of Korea Baduk Association.

The 'Shinhan Bank World Giseonjeon,' sponsored by Shinhan Bank, organized by Maekyung Media Group, and administered by the Korea Baduk Association, boasts a championship prize of 400 million won and a runner-up prize of 100 million won.

While the Ing Cup, held every four years, offers a championship prize of $400,000 (approximately 560 million won), the Giseonjeon is expected to become the tournament with the highest prize money among those held annually.

The Giseonjeon, meaning "tournament of Go immortals," aims to be the world's premier major tournament.

Specifically, 'Giseon' (棋仙) is a title bestowed upon a single ultimate player who transcends competition and worldly honor in the game of Go.

The first World Giseonjeon will proceed from the Round of 32 to the semifinals in December, with the best-of-3 finals to determine the inaugural champion scheduled for the first half of next year.

Shinhan Bank World Giseonjeon Signing Ceremony. [Provided by Korea Baduk Association. Republication and database prohibited]

Shinhan Bank, sponsoring the World Giseonjeon, has assigned two key significances to this tournament.

First, it aims to restore the pride of Korean Go.

Although Korea dominates the world of Go with players like Shin Jinseo 9-dan following in the footsteps of Cho Hunhyun, Lee Changho, and Lee Sedol 9-dan, the title of the world's highest prize money tournament is currently held by China.

The Quzhou Lanke Cup World Go Open, established by China in 2023, and the Beihai Xinyu Cup World Go Open, launched this year, both offer a championship prize of 1.8 million yuan (345 million won), making them the highest prize money tournaments held annually.

Second, it seeks to globalize Korean Go.

The World Giseonjeon plans to provide opportunities for participation not only to players from Korea, China, Japan, and Taiwan but also to players from Vietnam, thereby supporting the growth of the Vietnamese Go community.

Professional Go players attending the Shinhan Bank World Giseonjeon. [Provided by Korea Baduk Association. Republication and database prohibited]

Chairman Jin Ok-dong stated, "Gaining insights into Go and management through the movie 'The Match' and the book 'The Future I Met First' greatly helped me decide to sponsor this tournament. I hope this event, coinciding with the AI era, will provide new excitement and joy to Go fans."

Chairman Jang Dae-hwan remarked, "Maekyung Media Group is deeply committed to Go, having maintained the largest prize money tournament in Korea for 30 years with GS Caltex since 1995. We hope this tournament will continue for over 30 years, contributing to the development of Go not only in Korea but globally."

Vice President Jung Tae-soon, representing the Korea Baduk Association, said, "I believe this tournament will usher in an era of revival for Go worldwide. I wish for the continued prosperity of Maekyung Media Group and Shinhan Financial Group, along with the Go community." Yonhap News