Shin Jinseo holds No. 1 in Korean baduk rankings for 82nd month
Version 2: Two more Korean outlets have now reported the October rankings in detail, dating Shin Jinseo’s run at No. 1 to January 2020, naming Park Junghwan’s previous 59-month record, adding Shin’s two September wins at the Myeongin and the largest rise in the top 100.
In short
Shin Jinseo 9-dan topped the Korea Baduk Association’s October rankings with 10,426 points, holding first place for an 82nd consecutive month, according to Yonhap, Seoul Economic Daily and Kyunghyang Shinmun. Park Junghwan 9-dan is second on 9,958 points, with Shin Minjun 9-dan third on 9,951. In the women’s ranking, Kim Eunji 9-dan is first for a second consecutive month ahead of Choi Jeong 9-dan.
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Shin Jinseo 9-dan ranked first in the Korea Baduk Association’s October rankings with 10,426 points, holding the top place for an 82nd consecutive month, according to Yonhap, Seoul Economic Daily and Kyunghyang Shinmun. The rankings were released on 5 October. Park Junghwan 9-dan was second with 9,958 points, and Shin Minjun 9-dan third with 9,951 points, seven points behind Park. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that Shin has not given up the top spot since January 2020, a run it said now stretches beyond six years and nine months, and that Park Junghwan previously held the record with 59 consecutive months through October 2018. [ 4 ]
Shin won both of his official games in September. Kyunghyang Shinmun said he beat Ahn Sungjun 9-dan in the Myeongin semifinal on 3 September after 227 moves, winning with black by resignation, and beat Park in the winners’ bracket final on 30 September after 131 moves, again with black by resignation, to reach the final. Seoul Economic Daily said the two wins came at the 49th SG Cup Kukmin Ilbo Myeongin and added eight points to his total, and that beating Park in the winners’ final was a good sign for a second consecutive title in the event. Yonhap described the win over Park as one of two victories last month. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Behind the top three, Byun Sangil and Kang Dongyun 9-dan held fourth and fifth, and Kim Myounghoon 9-dan rose one place to sixth, Yonhap and Seoul Economic Daily reported. Seoul Economic Daily said Lee Jihyun 9-dan won both his games for 20 points and rose two places to seventh, Kim Jiseok 9-dan stayed eighth, Ahn Sungjun 9-dan fell three places to ninth and Han Seungju 9-dan was tenth. [ 1 , 3 ]
Seoul Economic Daily also reported that Eom Donggeon 3-dan won all six of his games in September, gained 55 points and rose 15 places to 77th, the largest rise among players in the top 100. [ 3 ]
In the women’s ranking, Kim Eunji 9-dan took first for a second consecutive month ahead of Choi Jeong 9-dan, with Nakamura Sumire 6-dan, Oh Yujin and Kim Chaeyoung 9-dan in third to fifth, the three outlets reported. Kyunghyang Shinmun said the two leaders have traded the top place over the past two years: Kim held it from last December through the first half of this year, Choi regained it in July after eight months, and Kim, after going 16-1 in August, took it back in the September rankings. Seoul Economic Daily reported that Heo Seohyun and Kim Minseo swapped sixth and seventh, while Kim Jooa, Kim Dayoung and Jo Seunga held eighth to tenth. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
The documents differ in what they carry: only the text published with the Newsis headline does not concern the rankings at all, describing instead a Joint Chiefs of Staff briefing on a mine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone. The documents do not explain the discrepancy. [ 2 ]
Why it matters
The monthly list is the Korea Baduk Association’s standing of professional players, and three outlets place Shin Jinseo clearly ahead of the field for a run Kyunghyang Shinmun dates back to January 2020. Kyunghyang said the record could be extended again next month. The documents do not say what titles, invitations or other consequences the rankings determine.
Key facts
- The Korea Baduk Association released its October rankings on 5 October, according to Yonhap, Seoul Economic Daily and Kyunghyang Shinmun. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Shin Jinseo 9-dan ranked first with 10,426 points, an 82nd consecutive month at No. 1. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Park Junghwan 9-dan was second with 9,958 points and Shin Minjun 9-dan third with 9,951 points, seven points behind Park. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Byun Sangil and Kang Dongyun 9-dan held fourth and fifth, and Kim Myounghoon 9-dan rose one place to sixth. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Lee Jihyun, Kim Jiseok, Ahn Sungjun and Han Seungju 9-dan occupied places seven to ten. [ 1 , 4 ]
- Kim Eunji 9-dan took first in the women’s ranking for a second consecutive month, ahead of Choi Jeong 9-dan, with Nakamura Sumire 6-dan, Oh Yujin and Kim Chaeyoung 9-dan in third to fifth. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily reported that Eom Donggeon 3-dan won all six games in September, gained 55 points and rose 15 places to 77th, the largest rise among players in the top 100. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Shin Jinseo 9-dan has held first place in the Korea Baduk Association rankings for 82 consecutive months. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- The October rankings were issued on 5 October by the Korea Baduk Association. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Shin Jinseo ranked first with 10,426 points, Park Junghwan second with 9,958 and Shin Minjun third with 9,951. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Byun Sangil and Kang Dongyun 9-dan held fourth and fifth, while Kim Myounghoon 9-dan rose one place to sixth. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Kim Eunji 9-dan took first in the women’s ranking for a second consecutive month ahead of Choi Jeong 9-dan. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- Why the Newsis report does not match its own headline. Newsis headlined Shin Jinseo’s 82-month run at No. 1, but the article text published with that headline is a Joint Chiefs of Staff briefing on a mine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone; the documents give no explanation for this.
- The detail of Shin Jinseo’s September games and the points he gained. Kyunghyang Shinmun gives the dates and move counts of the two wins and Seoul Economic Daily gives an eight-point gain, but no other document reports these specifics.
- The record sequence in the women’s ranking. Single-source detail from Kyunghyang Shinmun; no other document describes the exchanges between Kim Eunji and Choi Jeong over the past two years.
- Eom Donggeon’s rise and the lower women’s placings. Reported only by Seoul Economic Daily; no second document mentions them.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Yonhap publishes the Korea Baduk Association’s October rankings, reporting Shin Jinseo’s 82nd consecutive month at No. 1. [ 1 ]
- Newsis publishes a headline reporting the same 82-month streak. [ 2 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily publishes the rankings with points gained by the leading players and the biggest rise in the top 100. [ 3 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun publishes the rankings, dating Shin Jinseo’s run to January 2020 and naming the previous record holder. [ 4 ]