Full of Surprises

Round 2(Daegu Tour) & Round 3

2008-05-09T21:52:40Z

On 5th, May. Children's Day.

KB League Round 2, Daegu Tour
(Daegu is the hometown of our team, Yeongnam IIbo.)

So many children visited that event with their parents.

I went to cheer for my teammates! (I wore Yeong Ho's necktie just for fun.)

Round 2, final match. (My team VS my formal team 'World Merdian')

Yeong Ho and Jun Sang won their games. However....

I gave a teaching game to the mayor of Daegu.

Children were exciting,whereas we were not.
They asked us to sign our autographs.
Unfortunately everyone in my team was sad,for we lost by 2:3.
I felt terribily sorry for them...

I cannot forget that momnet.
So I want to help them.
But .............how?

Round 3.

Yeongnam VS Sinsung.

Ji Seok and Jun Sang went to China to play Chinese B-League.
Therefore, we had to give up one game.
We were desperate.
Though too bad, it's just one of those things.

On the first day Yoo Tack played,
none of us appeared to cheer, because we had to study hard for our games.
Only our supervisor came and rooted for Yoo Tack.

Before playing, I felt headache and took a rest for a while.
I was nervous.

I won against the very strong player, Chan Hee.
Though he was way better than me, I managed to win. Thank God...

Four of us won!
Phew........I was relieved.

Ji Seok watched our games in China and called Yeong Ho, after I won.
Then he said that Ji Seok and Jun Sang were extremely excited!

We can do it from now on.

Baduk & My Life

2008-05-09T21:09:22Z

(At that time, I was a 6th grader,1 p. I played my teacher Kim Won)

Official matches

Round 2(Daegu Tour) & Round 3

The real Battle has just begun

2008 Korea Baduk League

In January

Beijing 2007

Tomorrow will be another day

The Mirror Go

Badook Tour in Kyoung Ju 2 (07.9.16)

Badook Tour in Kyoung Ju 1

Review of Samsung Cup

Pass the prelim Samsung Cup!!

A great danger

How many things happened!

National Championships!

Gonna try my best!

I've lost.

My Story

The Books I had read in my College Days

The 24th US Baduk Congress

Cheer Up! Youngnam IIbo

Adieu! LG GGumnamu ^^*

I am back.

It looks like a fun !

My schedules in the end of 2007

Ranked 47th this month!!

I'll never leave Badook.

From the very beginning

Kissin's recital

Baduk Study

Let's enjoy the world of Ladder

The life and death problems created by me (vol.1)

The Carpenter's Square

Baduk Story

Only a matter of TIME

Mirror Baduk(mane-go)

School Life

Two schools met each other for the love of Badook

GSTI

Korea VS Waseda

Reviews

Madame Bovary, Alice and me

The Fourth Tuesday We Talk about Death

1 Litre Of Tears １リットルの涙

Shion No Oh (しおんの王)

Nodame Cantabile

Pride and Prejudice

Shout Love at the Center of the World(世界の中心で、愛をさけぶ)

Madame Bovary, Alice and me

2008-05-02T15:02:09Z

Madame Bovary was notorious for her adultery
and she burned her money on shopping.
For that reason, she ruined herself
and her husband who worked like a horse as a doctor.
I wonder why she couldn't live as a faithful wife.
She married a rich man, so she was well-off and didn't need to work at all.
In other words, she had unlimited money and spare time.
I have vaguely thought that a woman like Madame Bovary
would have lived in comfort and been carefree and happy.

Therefore, the story of Madame Bovary was a shock to me.
I wondered why she fell so low.
I thought that her adultery and shopping had something to do with her luxurious tastes.
Or her depravity came to her insipid daily life,
while she was looking for something different?
Alain de Botton analyzed Madame Bovary
by showing the character 'Alice' of his book, 'Romantic Movement'.

Alice was a typical young woman who liked to read fashion magazines and go shopping.
Alice yearned for a life as a fashion model,
just like Madame Bovary had wrong desires, while reading romantic novels.

Afterwards, Alice went shopping with her boyfriend
and purchased countless, unnecessary goods.
Botton remarked that their behaviors were influenced by fashion magazines and novels.
The ideal features of women presented in those materials tempt them.
Whereas the purpose of magazines is commercial,
women's attempts to find out themselves from the magazine end up pouring money down the drain.
They fooled away not only their money but also their times and lives.
What Botton said about Madame Bovary and Alice was fresh.

Thus far I couldn't understand women who loved to go shopping,
because I was not interested in clothes.
However, one thing suddenly occurred to me;
I was always envious of title winners in Baduk magazines
and I was not different from women who wanted to be beautiful models.
Although I want to get something different,
the point is that Alice, Madame Bovary and I all wanted to be someone else.
We weren't satisfied with ourselves and wanted to be someone else.
If I am not satisfied with my records and I get greedy, I will be in big trouble.

In the end, Madame Bovary's greed ruined her.
I perceived the truth that
wishing to be other strong Baduk players in the Baduk magazine was silly.
I think that Bovarism means some kind of wrong desires which comes from jealousy.
Watching Alice who made an impulsive consumption only by reading magazines,
I found myself who suffered from unaccountable thirst, while reading Baduk magazines.
Though I have made an attempt to learn good moves by strong players,
I should have tried to find out my own moves before that.
I will definitely get rid of my bovarism and try to play my own Baduk,
and finally I find my life with no regret.

The Fourth Tuesday We Talk about Death

2008-05-01T21:43:00Z

The subject for discussion between Mitch and Morrie in their fourth Tuesday discussion was death.

Professor Morrie was in a formal mood unlike the other day,
as if he recognized the importance and seriousness of the subject 'death'.
Morrie conveyed the important contents to Mitch writing them down indecipherably.
Morrie, who had always said, 'I'm gonna be the healthiest old man you ever met!',
asked himself a question "Do I die today?" after getting a disease.
The TV audience of the 'Nightline' program that Morrie had once appeared sent their letters to him.
Everyone frankly wrote about their problems,so the letters made Morrie touched.
Many people suffered from their personal problems no less than Morrie did,
and naturally most of them were encouraged by Morrie's words.

On the fifth Tuesday, Mitch and Morrie discussed about the subject 'Family'.
Morrie was proud of his family.
His wife and two sons were devoted to Morrie and the whole family was full of affection.
Morrie also said to Mitch, who had no child, that standing the racket for someone
thoroughly-raising children-was the most valuable experience that can never be replaced by anything else.
Family cannot be in place of money, fame, or work.
Try to raise a child, no matter how painful it is.
Then Morrie forced Mitch to talk about Mitch's family story.
Owing to some reason, Mitch said nothing.
With the consequence that reminded Mitch of his brother.
Though a hereditary disease struck his brother, he never gave up and he fought it.
Along the way, dealing with the sorrowful process, he left his family and was lost.
Mitch was distressed with the fact that he could not do anything for his brother,
so he concentrated in his work to forget this matter, and time flew very fast.
Looking back,Mitch thought that professor Morrie knew the problem of Mitch's brother all along.

**

On the fourth Tuesday. Mitch sat face to face with professor Morrie who was very serious.
The subject of their fourth Tuesday discussion was 'death'.
I wondered what the old professor's point of view toward 'death',
a massive subject was, who will face it soon because of his illness.
As for me, as a reader of 'Tuesdays with Morrie',
death was the most difficult and dreadful thing to think of.

Death.
I had always treated it as an affair in the distant future.
I made an excuse for saying, 'there are other things I have to think of.'
But no other subject was more serious and desperate than death that I am into.
Nevertheless, I wanted to live my life, which is a contrary concept to death.

As the saying goes, people get sincere before they die.
It is useful for me to read the story of Morrie, a senior of life, through the book.
On the other hand, I have to make a choice at last.
How do I live?
To think of death is as good as the idea of living with value.
Morrie had faith in Buddhism and Christianity as well as Judaism.
It was his choice for his life.
I am a Christian and I believe in the Holy Cross, not one among many others but the only value in my life.
I know that the only way for human kind to live forever is to depend on the salvation of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, the objects of life between Morrie and I must be different.
However, after probing my own life, I doubt that I am the one who is thoroughly in pursuit of this value.
Morrie said, "Everyone knows he/she is going to die, but nobody believes it."
In my case, I assume that I will live tomorrow like today.
I know that I should delve into the matter of death and spiritual thing,
but I put it off till the far future ,because it is arduous and painful for me to mull over right now.
Morrie said to me, an indolent person, "Once you learn how to die, you know how to live."
And he added, "If you accept that you can die at any time, then you might not be as ambitious as you are."
His remarks shocks me.
Even so, I want to dive into this matter instead of running away from the fact I can die at any time.

This truth still frightens me.
I tend to bury my head in the sand that everyone will die including me, my family and closest friends.
What if I die?
In the past, I tried to avoid this question by intent. Why?

I thought that my life would keep going on.
That's why I only concentrated on things that Morrie described as 'trivial matters'.
I have studied Baduk or other things hard, because those works came from God,
but as a matter of fact, I had a hard time thinking of my spirit, so I was engrossed in so-called easy things.
Morrie added, "You might have to make room for some more spiritual things."
I usually spent my time thinking of life and death problems of black and white upon the baduk board all day,
while I spent no more than several minutes to think of spiritual matters,namely eternal life and death problems.
Morrie said, "You hate that word, don't you? 'Spiritual.' you think it's touchy-feely stuff."
Jesus Christ came to this world to save spirituals of sinful men and carried the Holy Cross.
If I avoid this problem because of its toughness,I cannot live in peace.
However, the Bible indicates the way one's soul can live forever,
I consider it not as a desperate matter of my own but as a cliche historical fact.
For instance, I feel so-so toward the fact that 'David was given the salvation of God'.

My saying will make Jesus very sad, so I have to be honest with my true self.
If I cannot be honest in front of Jesus Christ, I can make no progress in spiritual studies.
I won't be changed as long as I consider the fact, 'Jesus came for me' as a cliche.
Morrie said, "We are too involved in materialistic things, and they don't satisfy us."
Do I completely depend on the truth that Jesus died for me at this moment?
Do I prefer materialistic things to spiritual matters?
I have no option but t o deny it,
thus I should spend time in thinking of spiritual matters.
Though I want to object to my real self ,to be frank, the death matter cannot be solved.

Once my brother asked me, "Do you assure your salvation from Jesus, if you die right now?"
I usually frowned, whenever he asked me something related to spiritual matters.
His question made me uncomfortable, since I had never been serious about death.
In fact, whenever I heard of this kind of question, I choked and said nothing with my face turning pale.
Everytime I faced this situation, I felt sad temporarily, because I was far from Jesus,
Curious to say, after starting to study Baduk, I could easily forget everything made me tired.
Just thinking of his question, I feel utterly exhausted.
Everyday I thank God, although I feel terribly sad, because my daily life is a long way from God.
I rely on the instructions of the Bible that I can live forever with my belief toward Jesus ,
on the contrary I don't even want to think of death.
What an inconsistent confused idea of my own!.

I realize that I have a milestone around my neck.
I cannot settle my problem by myself.
However, at least, I know that Jesus takes pity on real me and helps me.
The life and death problems cannot be solved by the thoughts of human beings.
Even if a person resolves this problem by himself,
it is not the true settlement, but his own misunderstanding.
The Bible clearly says that there is no other way except believing in Jesus Christ.
I feel grievous due to my weakness;
but if I confess myself to God with honesty, he will definitely help me.
What I should not forget is to take a long hard look at myself in front of Jesus and ask him what to do.
Jesus says, "Leave your burdens to me".
I want to pray ,whenever I have difficulty in dealing with life and death problems.
I want to pray that I want to change my life which lacks prayers.
I also thank professor Morrie and author Mitch who made me think of such things seriously.

The Books I had read in my College Days

2008-05-01T20:35:51Z

Book is more important than look. (Matilda)

Let's enjoy the world of Ladder

2008-04-17T21:21:08Z

Diagram 1

B: Joo Hyung Wook / W: Heo Yeong Ho (2002.5.17)

Look at this board. White is in trouble because of ladder.
White knows that it is ladder and two stones of white group is dead.
Nevertheless, White moves dead stones in the left side by the move '15'.

White's ladder breaker! (move 1)
It aims at A or B. It seems good at first.
But there is a great move for black and white has to resign.
What is black's next response? Make your answer by your comment.
(I'll give you a hint; first move is 10-?)

Diagram 2

B: Lee Chang Ho / W: Yang Jae Ho (1995)

Black has to take the advantage of the ladder 'A'.
What will be the best ladder breaker?
Make your answer by leaving your comment. (ex-4-E or E-4)

I will give you correct answers after finishing all of my mid-term exams.
Take care!

2008/4/29

Hi, everyone!
I managed to come back here..@_@
How have you been?

Diagram 1



Almost everyone solved it easily. Hum...
In my opinion, finding out this sort of move in the real game is not easy at all.

White cannot give up! Move 1 is White's second ladder breaker.

It is the same as before; Black's move 2 blocks both ladders simultaneously.

White cannot survive.



The actual game. Black made it!

Diagram 2

Like many people said, move 1 was the correct answer. (It's too easy?)

The ladder works.



The actual game. White, Yang 9p responded with move 2 after a pause.

Lee Chang Ho 9p's second ladder breaker!

The actual game. White had no choice but to resign.

The 24th US Baduk Congress

2008-04-15T08:59:56Z

The Korea Baduk Association decided to send me to US Baduk Congress this year.

I hope to see you there!!

Don't miss, please.

Cheer Up! Youngnam IIbo

2008-04-13T14:19:30Z

If you lose by one point, take a rest.

The life and death problems created by me (vol.1)

2008-03-28T15:28:03Z

I made some life and death problems by myself.
I want you not to run off with them because they are my treasures.
Every problem is very simple.

I will get the correct answers to questions on April. 5th.

(White's turn & Black group dies)

Theme.

variation. 1

variation. 2

variation. 3

Beethoven Sympony No.7 played by Nodame

2008/04/05

Theme.

Failure 1 - Ko.

Failure 2 - Ko.

Correct answer

Black group died.

Variation. 1

Failure 1 - Ko.

Failure 2 - Black group survives.

Failure 3 - Ko.

Correct answer - the vital point.

Variation.2

Failure 1 - Ko

Failure 2 - Black lives.

Correct answer

Variation.3

Correct answer

The thing is, White's first move 'throw-in(horikomi)' is important.

Sometimes it will be a useful strategy for us to sacrifce our stones.

The real Battle has just begun

2008-03-27T07:34:11Z

My new supervisor, Choi Gyu Byung 9p. I want to make him happy in the future.
I will give it a try.

It will be a long shot, but I am sure that everything is going to be fine.

2008 Korea Baduk League

2008-03-21T11:25:02Z

I passed the preliminary today.

Thank you, my Lord.

1 Litre Of Tears １リットルの涙

2008-03-08T21:11:41Z

To. Kito Aya san

I am a woman of your age when you became unable to keep your diary anymore,
and also a university student that you were only dreaming of.
Even though you and I are the same age, I am still a baby compared to you.

If I had known the fact that I had an incurable disease at my age of 15, the age of full of dreams,
would it have been possible to live on like you?
Aya san had suffered from unimaginable illness for over ten years which I can never think of right now.
One day you must face the day when you cannot walk anymore or talk at all.
Made a general paralysis by the incurable disease 'spinocerebellar degeneration',
you can only think of something, whereas cannot do anything one by one.
To be honest,I cannot imagine the desolation that you had felt in your life.

On March. 9th, I come up with the drama named '1 Litre Of Tears' ,
which based on the true story of you, Kito Aya san.
'March. 9th' was the title of the song which your friends sang with tears,
when you had to leave the high school due to your illness.

I feel pitiful for your painful life and moreover,
I cannot say a single word about your life that you really did your best fighting against the terrible disease.
In contrast, I feel terribly angry with myself ,still I am like a total child.
It's a shame that I always make complaints about myself.
I often feel distressed. It is weird.

Like your family, I live with a warm-hearted family and I can feel the great depth of their love.
They always love me no matter when I am happy, sad, stressful or lazy.

I have what Aya san had been eagerly longing for.
Even if I often suffer from toothache and earache, I am far more healthy compared to you.
Nonetheless, I always feel that I lack something and make complaints, as I did in those days.
Why do I live my life without any gratitude?
I had never appreciated something like eating or walking freely before.
Thus I had taken for granted such things that I got in the past.

Though you were a student from a top-notch high school, due to illness,
you had to transfer to a shool for the disabled.
You took a look at girls with envious eyes that are walking on the campus for a long time.
Maybe you were watching yourself through healthy girls that you had dreamt of.
I can never guess how sad you were.

You said that 'I want to do this and that;
I cannot help thinking, if only I had been healthier, I could do everything.'

There are lots of disabled people on the street right now,
and may be someone who are on the same boat like you.
I didn't conjecture their feelings, difficulties, and pains.
In drama, you said that just being in good health is the most blissful thing.

"Just being alive is such a lovely and wonderful thing."

One day, while struggling with disease, you said something while looking up the sky.
"What's wrong with falling down?
I can rise up again.
After falling down, hold up your head and look at the sky.
Blue sky endlessly stretches again today and smiles at you.
I am alive."

What if Aya san lives my life instead of me?
You will be happy with walking the campus and you will study as you want.
In addition, you will cherish the memories of all friends you meet.

You had written your diaries, until you couldn't move your fingers.
Your notebooks were full of tears.
If you live my own life instead, you will write down happier things in it.
At least, you will never write such complaints
that I make these days as if I have difficulty in studying, playing Baduk , etc.
Whenever I saw you in drama, I thought that I wanted to change myself.
You wanted to go back to the past with a time machine, since you missed it so much.
I live in time that you wanted and I want to make it more valuable and precious.
I want to be the one who appreciates everything in one's eyes.
Aya san made me realize the importance of health and time ,while your family showed the power of love.

I will never forget what your mother told you in her letter.

- Aya. It's been a year, since I saw you last.
Do you walk, or eat meal? Can you laugh loudly or talk?
How are you doing there without mother?
Mother feels merely concern about it.
Aya said, 'Why did the illness choose me, why am I living?'
I think over and over again what was your painful life with so much tears for.
Until now, I cannot find the answer.
However, Aya.
Thanks to you, a number of people start to think of what their lives for.
We realize the happiness and mildness of everyday.
We can find the gentleness of neighbors.
Those who suffer from the same disease think that they are not alone.
Your writings from your lots of tears are remembered by many people.
Aya, you will no longer cry there, right?
Mother wants to see you smile at least one time.

I guess that my God tries to teach me how to value every single moment
by telling your story thorugh the drama '1 Litre Of Tears'.
I will cherish this encounter with Aya san who left the remark 'Thank you' before dying.

Even though you couldn't walk, you can walk with more people for a long time through your book.

Even though you couldn't say, you can say something that healthy people including myself cannot say.

Even though you couldn't move, you can make many people move who read your diaries.

Aya san shed 1 litre of tears which has been changed into new seeds
and started to grow up in everyone's mind.
1 litre of tears is raining as a spring rain in our hearts.

When I meet you someday, I want to say to you, 'Thank you'.

The song 'March 9th'

(The classmates of her sang for her)

流れる季節の眞ん中でふと日の長さを感じます

せわしく過ぎる日日の中に私とあなたで夢を描く
3月の風に想いをのせて櫻のつぼみは春へとつづきます

溢れ出す光の粒が少しずつ朝を暖めます

大きなあくびをした後に少し照れてるあなたの橫で
新たな世界の入り口に立ち氣づいたことは1人じゃないってこと

瞳を閉じればあなたがまぶたのうらにいることで

どれほど强くなれたでしょうあなたにとって私もそうでありたい

砂ぼこり運ぶつむじ風洗濯物に絡まりますが

晝前の空の白い月はなんだかきれいで見とれました

上手くはいかぬこともあるけれど天を仰げばそれさえ小さくて

靑い空は?と澄んで羊雲は靜かに搖れ
花さくを待つ喜びを分かち合えるのであればそれは幸せ

この先も隣でそっと微笑んで
瞳を閉じればあなたがまぶたのうらにいることで

どれほど强くなれたでしょうあなたにとって私もそうでありたい

The Carpenter's Square

2008-03-01T13:15:47Z

A pop quiz about the Carpenter's square(ichigomasu)

Basic Diagram 1

Attack 1

Attack 2

Attack 3

Which move is the best respond for Black in each diagram?
Then in the end, what will happen?

Basic diagram 2

Choose the best move for black and anticipate the best result for both sides.

A real game between Lee Chang Ho 9p(black) and Lee Young Goo 7p from Wonik semifinal.

Lee 7p made a mistake here. Find the best move for white!

p.s. I will make known correct answers on March 8th.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

On March. 8th

Attack 1

Failure 1 - Black died.

Correct answer - Ko.

If white placed at 2, Black 3 will be fine. (Ko)

Black 3 is important. Only this move will be fine.

Attack 2

Failure 1

Failure 2

Failure 3

Black died.

Correct answer

Attack 3

Failure 1

Failure 2

Correct answer (Ko)

The same result (ko)

Diagram 2

Failure 1 (Black 4 was a mistake)

Correct answer (A thousand-year ko)

Diagram 3

Lee Young Gu's mistake

Failure 2 (White group died)

Correct answer

Going back to School

2008-02-25T02:18:14Z

"It has been 40 years since I started to teach at the university.
You just get the minimal grade point for graduation at school and devote to Baduk only.
I don't think you can contribute to our country academically.
On the contrary, you can if you keep studying Baduk.
Frankly speaking, you can do something for our nation with your Baduk only.
The point is who can play as many Baduk matches as possible.
The difference between 5-hour playing and 10-hour playing can decide the winner.
It is okay you don't do well at school.
You don't need Baduk teachers.
Actual matches are your teacher."

That's what one professor told me the other day.
Many people objected to my studying at school.
Even in the class, the professor said to me that "Why are you here, not in front of Baduk board?"

However, I think that schoolwork is as important as Baduk.
Now that I finished a year of temporary absence from school,
I am going to go back to school next week.
I felt somewhat excited , when I applied for returning to school.
I will be so busy doing schoolwork and playing official matches.
Maybe I won't have enough time to study game records due to classes
and skip classes due to official matches as well.
In that case, I should study myself and hand in assignments.
There is a possibility that I cannot do well in my studies.

Yet I don't want to be a person that can talk about Baduk only.
I want to study various things and meet many people from various fields.
I believe that schoolwork will definitely enhance the quality of my own Baduk world.
Thus I will do my best in everything at all times.
All I need is redoubled courage.

[My favorite sites of school(Korea University)]

Main building

School gate

Liberal Arts College (mostly I will be here)

Lyceum (the place where I use the computer)

(outside yard view - there is no car on the street)

Inchon Memorial Hall (I took the freshmen orientation here)

College of business (Where I used to study with friends and some Baduk events held in here)

Lee Myung Bak(17th President of S.Korea) Lounge

Samsung 100th Anniversary Memorial Hall (Where I eat sandwiches, study alone
and listen to other students' music with Yamaha piano.)

Hana Square (there is one of the biggest book stores in Seoul and I love to visit it.)

Joongang Gwangjang (the center plaza under the ground)

A reading room (inside Joongang Gwangjang)

Main Library (I love it!)

Woodang Hall (the place where every freshman should take various liberal arts)
I took courses of Japanese, Neuroscience, law,literature,mass communication,
thought & expression and the history of Chinese language.

A lecture room (I heard of the lecture of Shimada Masahiko, the novelist.)

Computer room

Hwa Jeong Gymnasium (I used to watch the basketball matches two years ago)

Korea Tradional Pavilion (where I took the exam of Chinese letters)

International Hall (I took the classes of practical English and there were a great number of English classes)

Only a matter of TIME

2008-02-18T14:07:28Z

Above this game record is the third game of the Japanese Kiseong(Kisei)final held in early February.
Before the sealed move, only 25 moves were placed.
Whenever Cho Chihun sensei is thinking of his next move deeply over and over,
I always think that I want to look into his head.
I am curious about what he thinks and lots of variations in his head.
In the meantime players always try to place the best move,
any spectators can never read perfectly what players are watching.

Ten years ago, when I joined the professional world,
most of the tournaments gave 3-hour time limits in each game.
Players in final were given 5-hour time limits
and KBS Cup was the only quick-game tournament at that time.
However, in ten years, 3-hour time limit tournaments were changed into quick-game tournaments
and only 4 titles were left as they were.

[Time limits of Korea Professional Baduk matches in 2007]

3-hour time limits: Kuksu,(it means nationalhand),female kuksu,GS CAltex Cup ,LG Cup

2-hour time limits: Myongin(Meijin), Wang Wee, Samsung Cup

1-hour time limits: Nong Shim Cup, Female Kiseong(Kisei), Kiseong, Cheonwon (tengen title), etc.

30-min time limits: Female Myungin

10-min time limits: Electron Land, Wonik Sipdan(judan),
Sinin wang and Osram Cup(rookies' championship),
Mulga Jeongbo(prices information), Korea Baduk League,
GG auction(the team competition between over 45-year old players and female players),etc.

5-min time limits:KBS Cup(30 sec, 5 times overtime counting)

No allotted time: Mgame Masters(30 sec, 3 times overtime counting only)

More than 20 titles decreased their time limits and changed into quick-games.
Korean pro players cannot have enough time to think of their best moves
and they start to be in anguish of reducing wrong moves.
Seventy percent of all tournaments are quick-game tournaments,
so Korean pro players have to develop the ability to place their moves instantly.
They can never have such a match that Cho Chihun 9p
placed only 25 moves all day and thought of one move over and over.
We are asked to play quick games in most of the tournaments
and lost the privilege of taking time to place good moves.

Why did most tournaments adopt the quick rules?
The biggest reason is that pro games are broadcasted live on TV.
TV viewers want to watch quick interesting games in live,
because they are more intense and show the result quickly.
Therefore, many sponsors try to broadcast their tournaments with various Baduk channels,
in the ordinary course of things,
they want to take advantage of the channels to advertise their enterprises.
However,this situation cause some troubles which cannot be found in the past.
Countless strange moves are placed in games,
which couldn't be made by pro players,if enough time was given.
Quick game is the main reason
that pro players cannot produce the good game records.

What many Baduk fans want from pro games is
not only the intense of the competition,but also the depth of Baduk.
Yet it is impossible for players to place good moves without enough time.
After one game is over,
only the result remains and a great process has gone,
since players cannot give deep thoughts for each move.

One pro player said that he never saw game records of Korea Baduk League,
which is the biggest team competition in Korea.
He said, it was less worth watching the game records of KB League.
I am sad to hear that.

Baduk fans in Korea started to say that they want to watch more worthwhile games.
For example, if Lee Changho 9p and Lee Sedol 9p were given 8-hour time limits,
what would happen?
If they get enough time, they can make the highest level of game records
like Go Seigen's games and make the true meaning of battle.

Seo Bongsu 9p said that the quick game is like a clown show-off.
He said that pro players running out of time from the beginning
were so poor that they looked like clowns in front of public.
Choi Gyubyung 9p was worried about that
the quality of pro games will get worse,as quick game tournaments increase.
If Korean pros stop pursuing the best moves because of the time limits,
they cannot conquer the international tournaments in the near future.
It could mean the recession of the Baduk world consequently.
Mok Jinseok 9p also said that
two-day games like Japanese titles are needed for the depth of game records.
The long time limit games can give more chances to the pros
who are after the deepest level of Baduk reading.
Even though most of the quick game tournaments are fun to the Baduk fans,
this phenomenon can deteriorate the quality of Baduk as a necessity.

Some Baduk fans say that quick game is the trend of the time.
Undoubtedly to show intense games is important,
in that way fans never become bored.
In addition, showing the mistaken moves can make the matches more interesting.
These days people love speedy games,
so long time games may make Baduk less popular.
However, as it is, we can lose Baduk itself forever.
If pro players throw away their careful consideration of each move
and try to learn only the promptness in order to win at quick games,
the total level of Baduk will certainly downfall.
The real attraction of Baduk is in the passionate anguish of strong pro players.
In other words,Baduk is the aggregation of each move
and its process is the most important thing.
Each move, even a move with the smallest worth,
requires the highest degree of judgement.
The judgements get together and all of them can make a game record.
If there's not enough time, how can people make better judgements?
I want to be a pro player who pours everything into the Baduk board
and tries to find the best moves.
If I play the 8-hour time limit game, what will I think of in front of the Baduk board?
I cannot imagine .......,
still I've played only 3-hour time limit games.
Of course I'm short of the ability,
however,if top pro players get 8 hours, they may show great games that everyone respects.

Nonetheless everyone in the world says 'fast and fast',
I want Baduk world to return to the previous times that allowed players enough time.
When I saw the match of Kisei title,
I envied Cho Chihun sensei could think more than an hour for only one move.
Right now in many Korean tournaments,
players are supposed to play very fast with overtime counting from the beginning.
I am a little sad due to the pressure of the overtime counting.
Still, I'm also dreaming of playing the deepest level of game with long time someday

Valentine's day

2008-02-13T11:15:38Z

(08/2/12)B. Rui 9p W. Hye Yeon 7p

(08/2/13)B. Ji Eun 9p W. Hye Yeon 7p

I failed to get into the main tournament(E-Land Cup).
I did my best, though.

My baby brother(a year younger than I) came into my room and gave me this.
Why all of a sudden...?
He said, "It is the low-calory chocolate, so you can eat as you want.
If you eat it, your feeling will be much better.
You know? Tomorrow is the Valentine's day!"
I was touched and almost cried.

I will eat all of them. ;)

I want to beileve it

2008-02-11T22:38:15Z

dankenzon wrote:
Feb. 11th, 2008 09:16 pm (UTC)

sadness

Hi..
I am shocked because of the fire destroying Sungnyemun gate.
I just started to drop some tears at my job when I saw the news..
God!. I was there...I took photos and I knew how important it was..
It's a very sad new... the only good thing is that, as long as I know,
there were no casualties... May be I am not a korean citizen...
may be I just was there a few days... But I learned to love your country and your people...
and I'm feeling very bad about it. I just can guess a bit of how bad it has been for Korea.

Yeah, Soong Rye Mun(No.1 national treasure in S.K) had gone...(Sob)

We should stop crying. Soong Rye Mun can revive once and for all!

My challenge(E-land preliminary) starts from today. I will try hard.
I want to place better moves and beileve that Soong Rye Mun will be back again.

Shion No Oh (しおんの王)

2008-02-04T12:08:07Z

Shion No Oh.

This is a Japanese animation product that my friend 'Diego' recommended.
As a matter of fact, this work was exactly the one I always needed and was longing for.
Unlike 'Hikaru No Go', 'Shion No Oh' showed the life of female professional players.

The main subject of 'Shion No Oh' was Shougi.
I was a total stranger to Shougi and couldn't figure out what they were playing.
In some respects, I didn't feel a big difference between two works,
for both animations talked about pro players.

Whenever I saw Hikaru No Go, I wasn't happy ,
so female Baduk players always lost to male players, like the real situation.

The strongest female player in 'Hikago', Nase Asumi, was weaker than males.
Shion No Oh is the very same.
I couldn't help it,however, I sometimes thought that
it would have been a fun, if Nase had beaten Hikaru or Akira.
It was also very hard for me to defeat male players and maybe that was the honest reason .

The main character of the animation,
Shion had gone through hideous experience in her childhood.
She witnessed her parents murdered as survived alone.
After the incident, she became an adopted daughter of Shougi pro player
and found her talents in Shougi.
Finally, she became a Shougi professional player,
when she was a first-year student in middle school.

Made a mute by her shocking experience,
Shion played Shougi and expressed herself by moving Shougi pieces.
Her cute facial expressions showed her passion of Shougi.
She loved Shougi and wanted to be a stronger player.

Naturally, Shion reminded me of my childhood.
My Baduk was as precious as her Shougi.
The difference between 'Shion No Oh' and 'Hikago' is that
'Shion No Oh' emphasized the severe pain for winning or losing competition.
While 'Hikaru No Go' showed the depth of Baduk world by creating the character named 'Sai',
'Shion No Oh' concentrated not on playing Shougi, but on showing the difficulty of competiton.

One person should be a loser in a match.
In the end, every players is sad because he/she should face it.
Of course that's the life of pro players.
When I saw sincere eyes of young Shion toward Shougi board,
I thought she was wonderful.
The match which 'Shion No Oh' tried to show is a dreadful and sorrowful drama,
as if Shion witnessed the death of her parents.
Winning or losing competiton contains such cruelties.
Shion's life seemed very painful.
She chose her way of life as a Shougi player and walked her own road.
However,her life is sorrowfully beautiful.
Shion's life resembles my own one in some respects.
I sit in front of Baduk board and repeat losing and hurting.
Maybe I will play Baduk in my whole life, as long as my God allows me to do it.
It scares me.
I sometimes feel bored and hate such cruelties.
Nonetheless,I never feel loose, still I always have to be prepared for next official matches.
If I become arrogant, I would definitely be miserable by losing official games.
Also that's the life of every pro players.
From time to time,
I feel lonely getting back home alone after losing an important game.
I feel alone in the whole world.

After watching 'Shion No Oh',
I realized that I didn't have to feel lonely at all.
There are people like Shion and her friend, Ayumi,
who struggle with harsher and more difficult lives than mine.
Whenever I feel tough and tired,
I will watch Shion and make myself refreshed.
Like Shion, I will practice to defeat some male players.
In 'Shion No Oh',
female players were disrespected by male players and the public, by reason of their low level.
However, female players including Shion and Saori(another girl player)
showed their strength against very strong male players.
I am way too old compared to Shion,
still I am dreaming of competing with the male players.
That's right, Shion.
Both of us will walk the same path together.

In addition,
I also appreciate my friend Diego for introducing a new friend,'Shion' to me.

Mirror Baduk(mane-go)

2008-01-29T12:43:55Z

Hello, Tommie.
Your questionnaire about the 'Mirror Baduk' was quite hard for me to answer easily.

In fact, I have never tried to make the 'Mirror Baduk' in my whole life, even in trial games.
Last year in KB League,
my opponent Park Seongcheol played 'Mirror Baduk' against me.
That was the only 'Mirror Baduk' I played.
I hardly had interest in it and I vaguely thought that I would play it later,
when I became a stronger player.
After I saw your writing,
I investigated the 'Mirror Baduk' and I got some information from books and columns.
I hope my answers will satisfy your curiosity.

1. The effect of 'tengen'(center).

It's very interesting subject.
'Mirror Baduk' and 'tengen' go hand in glove each other
and ,moreover, it is also related to the birth of 'Komi'.
I found out the neat historical fact about it ,
when I looked into the relations of 'Mirror Baduk', tengen, and Komi.
The following work is the column of a well-known journalist Lee Hong Ryeol from Chosun newspaper.

"Nobody knows when the 'Mirror Baduk' has started.
We just guess that it started very long ago.
The most famous official 'Mirror Baduk' was the match
between Go Seigen and Kitani Minoru in 1929.

Go Seigen with Black placed the first hand in tengen and he started to imitate.
He stopped his imitation at 64th hand.
Go Seigen recalled that game afterwards and said,
'I will do battle in the center after finishing the imitation.
It was not an impulsive action. I made a plan to do such things the other day.'
Black made a good situation until his imitation,
but after that, he made a mistake and allowed white to win.
It was just an experiment for Go Seigen, whereas his opponent, Kitani, was so irritated.
After 10 hands, he finally knew the strategy of the opponent
and ran out of the room several times with anger.
Even if they were the co-creator of the 'Sinposuk'(New style of Fuseki),
their opinions of the tengen and Mirror Baduk were different each other.
Ultimately this Mirror Baduk enhanced the recognition of the Komi rule
which could be equal with the effect of black's first hand."

I can agree with your idea that the tengen can be related to the limits of liberty of 'Mirror Baduk'.
I doubt that the tengen is not worth as much as komi...
Thus I cannot look into any longer due to lack of my ability.

2. Setting up two ladders.

I can give you some examples,
the KB League match between Park Seongcheol and Back Hongsuk,
and Seongcheol's another game with Kang Dongyun in 2007 August.
Both games showed two ladders.

(The game between Seongcheol 5p and Hongsuk 5p)

Though the 'Mirror Baduk' with two ladders is a very exciting game for observers,
it would be very stressful and complicated for players.
If you watch two games, you will find the depth of Mirror Baduk.

3. Setting up two kos.

Prohibiting the Mirror Baduk by the ko rule, that's what you said.
It's a little difficult for me to understand.
I couldn't watch any such game.
However, that made sense to me.

4. You said, 'it is harder to imitate than being imitated.'
The book, 'The Discovery of Baduk' written by Moon Yong Jik 5p refers to this matter as well;
The imitator suffers from more than the opponent, thinking when to stop imitating,
that's what Go Seigen sensei said.
For your curiosity on Komi,
you'd better check the story of Go Seigen-Kitani's first 'Mirror Baduk'.

Your questionnaire makes me think of the 'Mirror Baduk' more.
Until now, I thought that the 'Mirror Baduk' was a strategy for weaker players
who badly wanted to beat a stronger opponent.
I couldn't think that the Mirror Baduk had changed the history of Baduk World!
I really love to watch the 'Mirror Baduk' , for it is too interesting a game to miss.
However, I don't think I will try to imitate in the near future,
since it is too diffcult for me to deal with.
Someday I will play it at least one time.

I just quoted some sentences written by a journalist Lee Hong Ryeol.
There were also another passages that impressed me. His words were as follows;

"The important thing we should not forget is that
the Mirror Baduk affects the searching for Baduk's intrinsic attibute.
If it had not been for 'Mirror Baduk',
we could not have realized the necessity of Komi rule
or could not have made Komi rule that earlier at least.
A number of strong players studied to defeat 'Mirror Baduk'.
Especially the narrowed-Baduk board
by the repetition of the same shape after the imitation
and the countermove & calculation under that situations
made a great progress theoretically.
Imitation is another creation.
However, imitation is just a marvelous spectacle for professional players
who are with Baduk in their whole life,
for many amateur players, 'Mirror Baduk' is just a plagiarism, that's all.
In many cases on the internet, amateurs play the Mirror Baduk
as a joke or to show their wrath."

Of course, he's kidding. He is my favorite journalist.

I am shocked.

2008-01-18T10:36:47Z

Loser’s Pit(http://www.361points.com/blog/)

January 18th, 2008

Cyberoro Baduk News shows a documentary filmed with a hidden camera
about the cruel punishment applied to the professional players who lose:
it’s called “Loser’s Pit”, and the photos are self describing:

Hello,Sorin.
Nice to meet you.
I'm greatly surprised to see your blog.
I could not leave my comment in your posting, so I should write down it here.
I don't know whether there were some system errors or I have no ID.
Please show me how to leave the comment.

I was totally shocked.
Those pictures did not show punishment at all.
You are mistaken.

A short time ago,
2007 Korea League champions,the members of Young Nam daily press team,
went to Vietnam in remembrance of championship.
Vietnam trip was the biggest award for the champion team.

There were many underground ways used during the Vietnam War.
At the actual spot, Kim Hyung Woo 2p experienced the situations in those days.
Just for fun!!!

P.S ; After reading a comment from a gentleman, I finally realized that I was mistaken.
I was rash and stupid to my regret.
I didn't see a word "funny" at the bottom line.
I am very sorry...

In January

2008-01-16T07:18:21Z

January is a month for Myung In.

The preliminary Myung-In League.(the biggest title in Korea)
The final of Female Myung-In.(my biggest challenge this year)
Both tasks will be hard as ever.
I just keep trying to find my own style of Baduk.

"Man does not live on bread alone but on every word
that comes from the mouth of the LORD."

To. Eran

2008-01-14T14:30:15Z

Hello.
Here is my answer for your message.

I met Kim Su Jang 9p at the ceremony of awarding prizes of Korea Baduk League.
I talked to him about you and your younger friend.
Kim 9p said that both of you must have had great talents.
It is rare for foreigners to be good players like you guys.
However, he cannot let foreigners become kengkyusei(insei in Japanese) for nothing.
No matter where he is from,
he has to pass the test for selecting the kengkyusei like other Korean kids.
There are ten groups of Korean kengkyusei
and the selection test is held four times a year.
Four or five students are selected in each test,
instead four students in the tenth group of kengkyusei must drop out.
The drop-out kengkyusei must pass the selection test
in order to become a kengkyusei again.

If you are selected as a kengkyusei in the test,
you will start at the bottom of the stage, like Japanese inseis.
You saw Hikaru No Go, right?
The Japanese and Korean systems are almost similar.
The result of every kengkyusei is calculated every three months.
The best four students of each group can go up to the higher class,
while the worst four fall to the lower one.
Some of them in the higher class can pass the pro exam.
They are too strong and most of the people believe
that they are stronger than pro players.
As soon as they become pro players, they can make a great progress
in professional world, like Han Sanghoon.

Because the system of Korean kengkyusei is very tough
and the pro exam is also very hard to pass,
there is no doubt that becoming a Baduk pro is very hard.
Thus many parents cannot let their children to study Baduk.
The fierce competition makes students study Baduk only.
Most of the students cannot have time for normal study in school.
If someone fails to pass the pro exam,
it will be very hard for him to find another job.
Although many people dream of becoming Baduk pro and admire top players,
a great number of amateurs,including kengkyusei, fail the pro exam.
You have to think hard about all these situations.
In other words,if that is the case, do you really want to study Baduk in Korea?
It's too hard as if a hole made by a needle.

Mr.Kim said that you have for sure great talents
and it will be very good for you to study Baduk in Korea.
If you studies like other korean kids,you will be a good Baduk player.
He added that the most important thing is the support of your parents.
You should study in 'Dojang', which is for young promising students and it will cost a lot.
If your parents pay for your Baduk lessons and livelihood,
it will be best for your Baduk study and experience.
Mr.Kim said that if you keep studying in the higher kengkyusei class for a long time,
nevertheless, you keep on failing to pass the pro exam,
Korea Baduk Institution could make you a pro like Diana 1p
by the special recommendation.
It will be tough for anyone to endure at the higher class,
for those at that class have the pro level.
You must take this matter into consideration, before you come to Korea.
If you really want to study here,
your parents agree with you and they are ready to support you.
Then please let me know.
I will ask my teacher Kim Won 7p to make you the pupil of Lee Se Dol 9p.
If my teacher agrees, you will be the pupil of Lee Sedol
and you will stay near the Korea Baduk Institution.

In conclusion, I want to ask you two things;

1. It will be difficult for you to pass the selection test for kengkyusei.
In addition,it will be harder to rise to the higher class as a Korean kengkyusei.
However, it seems that you have a great talent and keep studying with sincerity,
it will be possible for you to become a very strong player in a natural way.
Are you prepared to do such things for your Baduk?
Are you ready to go?
You should clench your teeth.
Every pro player went through the same way.

2. Living in Seoul and taking the lessons from the pro player is really expensive.
Your parents can afford to do this, right?
You should talk to your parents.
Undoubtedly it takes a long time to be a pro,though it all depends on you.
If you become a pro earlier, you can make ends meet,needless to say.

Good Luck!!!