Shin Jin-seo, who made history by surpassing Lee Chang-ho, smiled in the final match of the 26th Nongshim Shin Ramyeon Cup World Baduk Masters and led Korea to a fifth consecutive championship.
Shin Jin-seo achieved a no-result victory against Ding Hao (China) after 242 moves in the final match of the Nongshim Shin Ramyeon Cup held on the 21st at the Grand Central Hotel in Shanghai, China. With the victory of the final player, Shin Jin-seo, Korea secured five consecutive championships starting from the 22nd edition of the tournament.
The Nongshim Shin Ramyeon Cup features five players each representing South Korea, China, and Japan, competing in three rounds of consecutive matches, with the final surviving team winning the championship. Korea, which has achieved five consecutive championships, now has a total of 17 victories in the Nongshim Cup, widening the gap with China (8 victories), while Japan has only won once.
On this day, Shin Jin-seo achieved a total of 18 consecutive victories in the Nongshim Cup, rewriting the record for the most consecutive victories in the tournament. After surpassing Lee Chang-ho's record of 14 consecutive victories in the previous tournament, Shin Jin-seo added another victory in this tournament, setting a new personal record.
In the final third round, Shin Jin-seo consecutively defeated Li Xianhao and Ding Hao. Shin Jin-seo, who is setting the record for most consecutive victories, has his next goal set on achieving the most victories in the tournament. The highest number of victories for a Korean player is 19 by Lee Chang-ho, while the overall record is 21 by China's Fan Tingyu.
The match was intense. Both players showed focused performances. As the match neared its end, Ding Hao fell under pressure during the final moments, allowing Shin Jin-seo to shake things up with an aggressive move. Under this pressure, Ding Hao eventually made a significant blunder, confirming Korea's fifth consecutive championship.