[Stones and Stories]Byeon Sangil Overcomes Humiliating Defeat to Challenge the World

Victory at the Chunlan Cup World Championship Last Month
Aiming for Gold at the Hangzhou Asian Games

"My goal is to win a gold medal at the upcoming Asian Games."

Professional Go player Byeon Sang-il, 9-dan, expressed this ambition after winning the 28th GS Caltex Cup on the 31st of last month. This is a golden declaration from Byeon Sang-il, who was once regarded as the unfortunate star and the eternal 'Number 3.' July 2023 is expected to be an unforgettable month in Byeon Sang-il's Go career.

Byeon Sang-il was the prince of July. Literally a person who had it all. It was a historic step that foretold a tectonic shift in the history of Korean Go beyond personal glory. On July 19, Byeon Sang-il defeated China's Li Xuanhao, 9-dan, in the final of the 14th Chunlan Cup World Go Championship to claim the championship trophy. This was his first victory in a major world Go tournament.

9-dan Byeon Sang-il (left) subdued the whirlwind of 9-dan Choi Jeong and succeeded in winning the GS Caltex Cup for the first time.
[Photo by Korea Baduk Association]

The world of Go is a battleground dominated by the strongest player Shin Jin-seo, 9-dan, and Chinese players challenging his position. Despite the strong momentum of China, Byeon Sang-il made a name for himself as another Korean guardian in the global Go community. Until now, Korea's representatives in world Go tournaments have been led by Shin Jin-seo and Park Jeong-hwan, 9-dan.

Although Byeon Sang-il, currently ranked 3rd in Korea as of July this year, is an outstanding player, he lacked a marquee title to claim as the world's best. The Chunlan Cup championship trophy was a sufficient gift to quench Byeon Sang-il's thirst.

The reason Byeon Sang-il is called the prince of July is because he ultimately became the winner in another historic match. His GS Caltex Cup victory left many stories behind. The GS Caltex Cup was a tournament that Shin Jin-seo had won for five consecutive years until last year. An interesting point is that in 2021 and 2022, the finals opponent was none other than Byeon Sang-il. This year, on his third attempt at the finals, Byeon Sang-il finally claimed the championship.

The GS Caltex Cup was also a tournament where Choi Jeong, 9-dan, the leading female Go player in Korea, challenged to become the first female player to win an overall title in a domestic competition. The recent face-off between Byeon Sang-il and Choi Jeong was an intriguing event that went beyond a simple gender competition. The two had previously faced each other in the semifinals of the Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance World Go Masters on November 4 last year.

That tournament marked Choi Jeong's success as the first female professional player to reach the final of a major world tournament. It was a humiliating moment for Byeon Sang-il. His behavior during the match was also criticized. When the game was not going well, Byeon Sang-il was seen pulling at his hair and slapping his cheek. That scene was broadcast live.

A shameful moment that left a mark in the history of world Go. It was a scene far more painful than the defeat itself. When Byeon Sang-il and Choi Jeong met again in the GS Caltex Cup final, it naturally drew attention. The result of this fateful showdown was a clean 3-0 victory for Byeon Sang-il. The winner was decided in a one-sided match. Byeon Sang-il thus brilliantly capped off the last day of July.

Born in 1997, Byeon Sang-il has steadily built a brilliant history since turning professional in 2012. He is currently competing with Park Jeong-hwan for the 2nd place spot in the Korean rankings. Both Shin Jin-seo and Park Jeong-hwan have experience reigning as the strongest players in the world. Can Byeon Sang-il join the ranks of glory?

The September Hangzhou Asian Games will be a turning point. If Korea wins the Go gold medal thanks to Byeon Sang-il's performance, what will happen? Not only will the dishonorable label of 'Number 3' be removed, but it may also be recorded as the dawn of the 'Byeon Sang-il era' in the history of world Go.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.