Perfect Man Mu Hyun-young (25, Storm) achieved the top spot with skill and a stroke of luck.
Mu Hyun-young defeated Kim Yong-min (37, Samho Tech) 202-194 in the final of the men's division at the '2025 Uljin Cup National Open Bowling Tournament' held at the Uljin bowling alley on the afternoon of the 14th.
Thus, Mu Hyun-young, a rookie who entered the professional scene this year, successfully secured a debut victory in just the second tournament of the season. In February, at the MK-MAX Cup, he placed 105th, but rose to the top position in the second tournament.
Mu Hyun-young struggled, falling behind Kim Yong-min, including failing to cover a split in the 6th frame. Although he scored a strike in the 8th frame, he seemed to lose momentum again by being satisfied with a cover in the 9th frame. Although Mu Hyun-young finished the last 10th frame with a Turkey, he thought the victory would be difficult.
Mu Hyun-young, who seemed satisfied with being the runner-up, unexpectedly smiled amid Kim Yong-min's tremendous mistake. Kim Yong-min, who covered the 9th frame, committed a split by leaving the 3-6-7-9 pins standing during the first shot of the 10th frame. In the end, Kim Yong-min knocked down only the 2 and 6 pins, sealing Mu Hyun-young's victory.
Mu Hyun-young completely dominated Jeon Sang-hoon (51, Jinseung International) 300-160 in the semifinals. He decorated every shot from the first to the last with strikes, writing history as the 11th perfect game in TV finals.
While a perfect game is difficult, achieving one during a TV broadcast is no easy feat. Mu Hyun-young took home a winner's prize of 15 million won and a perfect game bonus of 2 million won. Mu Hyun-young won the Andong Cup last August during his amateur days, claiming two titles within a year.
On the other hand, Kim Yong-min, who defeated Kim Kwang-wook (53, Bowling One) 236-216 in the semifinals, had to settle for the disappointing runner-up position. After competing for a victory six years since winning the Brunswick Korea Challenge Cup in June 2022, he left the tournament with regrets due to a painful mistake.
In the women's final, rookie Jang Mi-na (26, Storm) defeated amateur Choi Hyun-in (43, Titan Glaze) 216-181. This tournament also marked the season opener for the women's competition, and Jang Mi-na successfully began her debut with a victory.
Although Jang Mi-na is a rookie, she is an elite player who has represented the national youth team twice (2017, 2018). Until last year, she competed as a professional athlete under the Gokseong County Office and has gained significant tournament experience despite her young age.
Choi Hyun-in, in her second year as a pro with only five years of bowling experience, also aimed for a debut victory in her first TV final. However, she demonstrated a lack of experience and will now look forward to the next tournament.
Meanwhile, in the first team event of the season, the "newly formed" Taeyang Life (Park Geun-sam, Jung Jun-ho, Choi Dong-geun) and Team Ebonite (Ji Eun-sol, Yoo Sung-hee, Lee Na-young) each claimed the top spot in their respective divisions.
Taeyang Life defeated Team SNT (Seo Hyo-dong, Lee Jun-woo, Kim Jun-sung) 225-198, while Ebonite overwhelmed Team Storm (Kim Ji-hyun, Jang Mi-na, Han Yoon-ah) 232-177.
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