South Korean Go player Shin Jin-seo has extended his winning streak in the Nongshim Cup to 19 games, bolstering South Korea’s position in the international championship. The victory, secured on , came against Japan’s Yama Yuta 9-dan in 187 moves at the Hilton Futian Hotel.
Shin Jin-seo, a 9-dan player, achieved a black victory without a final count, according to reports from the 27th Nongshim Shin Ramyun Cup World Baduk Championship. This win is particularly significant as it follows a period where four out of five South Korean representatives had not secured a win in previous games, placing considerable pressure on Shin to perform.
A Dominant Force in Go
Shin Jin-seo’s career has been marked by consistent success, having turned professional in July 2012. He is currently the number one ranked Korean player in the Korea Baduk Association’s official rankings, a position he first attained in November 2018 and has held continuously since January 2020. His ascent to 9-dan status occurred in 2018.
The 25-year-old player, born on in Busan, South Korea, has accumulated nine major international championships. These include victories in the LG Cup (2020, 2022 and 2024), the Chunlan Cup (2021), the Samsung Cup (2022), the Ing Cup (2023), the Quzhou-Lanke Cup (2024), the Nanyang Cup (2025), and the Sawpalkosanol World Top Player Championship (2025).
Recent Achievements and Team Dynamics
Shin Jin-seo’s recent performance in the Nongshim Cup builds upon a history of success in the tournament. He has recorded 18 consecutive wins in the Nongshim Cup, setting a new record for the most consecutive wins in the tournament’s history. This latest victory brings South Korea’s total wins in the championship to 17, surpassing China’s eight wins.
The recent win was described as a “New Shanghai Battle” and came after defeating Scheerhao 9-dan, who had previously won 17 consecutive games. Shin Jin-seo acknowledged the difficulty of the match, stating that winning two consecutive games this year felt more challenging than achieving six consecutive wins in the previous tournament.
He also credited the contributions of Park Jung-hwan and Seol Hyun-joon, 9-dan, to the championship win, suggesting a synergistic effect within the team. This highlights the importance of teamwork in the Nongshim Cup, which features representatives from Korea, China, and Japan competing in a winning-manner format.
Rivalry and Continued Success
Shin Jin-seo’s achievements are often viewed in the context of his rivalry with fellow Korean Go player Park Jeong-hwan. Both players are aiming for continued success in international tournaments. Park Jeong-hwan is also extending his record as the most-capped player, representing Korea for 14 consecutive years.
Looking ahead, Korea is seeking its 6th consecutive victory in the Nongshim Cup, with Shin Jin-seo aiming for his 6th straight championship and the all-time wins record. The team’s performance underscores Korea’s dominance in the world of Go, a traditional East Asian board game that demands strategic thinking and complex calculations.
Early Career and Technological Challenges
Shin Jin-seo’s early career included significant milestones, such as defeating Lee Chang-ho (9 dan) in a young players vs. Legends exhibition match in January 2013. He was promoted to 2 dan in November 2013 and won the Let’s Run Park Cup and the Shinin-Wang title in 2015.
In 2017, he secured victories in the Globis Cup and the Korean Baduk League with Team Jungkwangjang. He also won the 31st Asian TV Cup in June 2019, defeating Ding Hao. However, he faced a challenge in January 2019 when he was defeated by the South Korean Go program HanDol, which also defeated the top five South Korean Go players. While HanDol has been compared to AlphaGo, It’s considered to be weaker.
