Hold’em takes off in South Korea
Texas Hold’em, the world’s favorite mind sport, is making waves in South Korea. According to a market survey by the Korea Hold’em Sports Association (KSHA) as of July 2022, the number of stores registered as hold’em pubs and operating nationwide has reached 2,800. This is a fourfold increase compared to the 2020 survey by the same research organization, which found about 700. The number of hold’em pubs is likely to be even higher if you add up the number of places that are not counted, such as general restaurants and board game cafes that have completed business registration. The popularity of Hold’em in South Korea is on the rise.
Thanks to this popularity, world-class tournaments are being held in Korea. Syndrome5, held at the end of March this year, had a base entry of 2,700 for the Main Event, but ended up with a final entry of 3,661, a huge jump in the total prize pool of KRW 1,250,000,000 ($966,750). The APL International City Series concluded in May, with the Main Event flight closing early and two feature table broadcasts for the first time in Korea. South Korea’s tournaments are on par with their Asian counterparts, and the prize pools are just as generous.
WFP Syndrome 5 event poster
What makes poker so appealing is that it can be played by people of all ages and genders. In South Korea, people of all ages, from young people in their 20s to senior citizens, sit down at a table and play hold’em together, and the number of female players has been increasing noticeably every year. More and more events are being organized to encourage female players to participate. Events are being organized to encourage female handicappers to participate by offering free buy-ins or additional prizes beyond the guaranteed prize pool.
As the Korean poker market grows, so does the media. In the second half of 2022, a poker-related drama aired (Insider: available on Netfilx), and in the first half of 2023, a poker show featuring many famous Korean poker players was popular (Poker Gods War 3: Youtube – 2ACE TV). Especially
(Above) Korean drama ‘Insider’ and (Below) Korean poker show ‘War of the Poker Gods 3’
Korean celebrities are also falling in love with Hold’em. Former StarCraft players Lim Yo-hwan (BoxeR) and Hong Jin-ho (YellOw) are now professional poker players representing South Korea. Another famous South Korean poker player is WSOP bracelet winner Hyun Sung-ju (Arte).
JinHo Hong (YellOw) / Source: WSOP/Pokernews
YoHwan Lim (BoxeR) / Source: instagram@peacepoker_sepsep
Sung Joo Hyun (Arte) / Source: @Christian Zetzsche
Korea’s unique hold’em culture
While the popularity of Hold’em in Korea is growing day by day, there’s still one aspect of the game that may be a little unfamiliar to some people. It’s called “seeding“. In order to participate in a big tournament in Korea, you need a seed ticket from the organization. Seeding rights are earned by participating in events at Hold’em pubs across the country. Most hold’em pubs hold daily events, and you can earn seed tickets based on your ranking. They have no cash value, but they can be used to enter bigger tournaments. You can also trade them between people through the PokerPass app. You can also play Day 1 tournaments at hold’em pubs where you can earn seeding rights.
Chris Moneymaker’s triumphant return to the WSOP in 2003 was a major event that shocked the world. The Korean poker scene is similarly structured, with qualifiers at local hold’em pubs followed by the main event, so it’s not impossible to see a second Chris Moneymaker. The poker market in Korea continues to grow, and efforts are ongoing to bring the culture of Hold’em to both sides of the border.
