Kim Young-hyun Wins Baekdu Title

The “Original Goliath,” Kim Young-hyun (age 28. 217cm. Shinchang Construction) has become Baekdu Champion of the Year.

Kim Young-hyun beat “Strong Boy of Former Years” Baek Seung-il by a score of three to one and rode the victor’s flower chair at the Baekdu class finals held at Guri Gymnasium in Gyeonggi Province on October 23.

This is Kim Young-hyun’s second consecutive win this year after the Uijeongbu Championships. He had a poor start, giving up the title to Choi Hong-man (LG Investment and Securities, at the Hamyang Championships in March), Hwang Gyu-yeon (Shinchang Construction, at the Cheonan Championships in April), and Baek Seung-il (at the Goheung Championships in May), but made a successful comeback by winning the Uijeongbu competition in June and this one, which is the last regular competition of the year. Last year, Kim Young-hyun failed to win any Baekdu titles.

This was also Kim Young-hyun’s 13th career win, moving him one step closer to the records held by Lee Man-gi (currently a professor at Inje University who holds the record with 18 wins) and Lee Tae-hyun (Hyundai Heavy Industries, who has 16 wins).

In the finals against Baek Seung-il, Kim Young-hyun easily won the first two rounds by “miruchigi,” but lost the next when Baek Seung-il took him down with a sudden “andari” move. He finished the game with a “miruchigi” following a “baejigi” move.

Baekdu class final standings: 1.Kim Young-hyun (Shinchang Construction); 2. Baek Seung-il (LG Investment and Securities); 3. Choi Hong-man (LG Investment and Securities); 4. Park Young-bae (Hyundai Heavy Industries); 5. Yum Won-joon (LG Investment and Securities); 6. Ha Sang-rok (Hyundai Heavy Industries); 7.Choi Byung-doo (Hyundai Heavy Industries), 8. Lee Hun-hee (Shinchang Construction).

Soon-Il Kwon stt77@donga.com