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BASED ON THE TRUE STORY OF GO PLAYERS CHO HOON-HYUN AND LEE CHANG-HO.
ALL CHARACTERS AND EVENTS MAY DIFFER FROM REAL-LIFE COUNTERPARTS.
THE YING SHIBEI WORLD GO CHAMPIONSHIP WAS HELD IN THE 1980S
TO FIND THE WORLD CHAMPION.
ONE SPOT WAS GIVEN TO KOREA, AN UNDERDOG COUNTRY.
CHO HOON-HYUN 9-DAN ADVANCED TO THE FINAL AGAINST EXPECTATIONS.
HIS OPPONENT, NIE WEIPING 9-DAN OF CHINA, KNOWN AS "THE BLACK BEAR OF THE CONTINENT"
WON THE CHINA-JAPAN SUPER LEAGUE 11 CONSECUTIVE TIMES
AND WAS THE WORLD'S BEST PLAYER.
The last round of the first Ying Shibei World Professional Go Championship Final
will be held in Singapore today.
Korea's Cho Hoon-hyun 9-dan and China's Nie Weiping 9-dan,
tied at two wins and two losses each,
will battle in the match of the century to become the King of Go.
White has won all the previous rounds,
so there's great interest in who'll be white in the final round.
He's here.
A word, please.
Mr. Cho, how are you feeling?
How did you prepare for today's match?
What if you choose black?
-Are you going to attack fiercely? -Nie Weiping!
Piss off to Korea!
China will definitely win!
MATCH VENUE STAMFORD HOTEL, SINGAPORE
Nie Weiping 9-dan, white.
Cho Hoon-hyun 9-dan, black.
Let the match begin.
THE 1ST YING SHIBEI WORLD GO CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL, LAST ROUND
CHO HOON-HYUN 9-DAN VS NIE WEIPING 9-DAN
THE MATCH
Korea's Cho Hoon-hyun 9-dan has ascended to the top of the international Go scene.
Cho defeated not only Japan, which boasts of being
the center of the world Go scene,
but China, where Go originated,
and his victory proves that the quality of Korean Go is top-class.
Right now,
I feel like I couldn't lose to the God of Go himself.
Cho Hoon-hyun 9-dan, the Go world champion,
returned to Korea today.
Cho 9-dan took part in a unique parade from Gimpo Airport
to the Korea Baduk Association located in Jongno 2-ga.
The government has decided to award Cho
with the Eungwan Order of Culture Merit
for improving the prestige of Korean Go throughout the world.
5 MONTHS LATER
ONE-ON-MANY TEACHING MATCH WITH PROFESSIONAL GO PLAYERS
This kid is something.
Didn't he solve the life-and-death problem earlier?
-What? -From earlier.
Gramps, this way.
-Let's go. -Okay.
Look at this! You're in a tight spot, Mr. Cheon.
Look at you sweating.
He's a Go prodigy in Jeonju.
-He started less than six months ago. -Six months?
I heard he's unmatched in Jeonju, no, in the entire Jeolla Province.
-That's right. -Hey.
I think it's over. Why don't we stop here?
Hold on, darn it.
-I don't think it's over yet. -What?
You're wrong. It's over.
If you don't mind, can I step in?
Yes!
What? It's an atari.
YOU MAY CAPTURE THE OPPONENT'S STONE ON THE NEXT MOVE
He's been hit hard.
Call it a tie and stop here?
Wow, that's amazing.
He's as good as I expected! He turned it around.
He's a champion for a reason.
It's harder to win when you have an advantage.
I went too easy on him.
Play another round.
What's with you?
Don't be rude, little kid.
Go play over there.
Stay out of this, novice.
Come on. I want one more round.
I'll win if we play again.
What's your name?
It's Chang-ho.
Lee Chang-ho.
Come on, sit here.
Chang-ho.
I heard you're good with life-and-deaths.
WHEN A PLAYER CAN SAVE THEIR STONES OR KILL THE OPPONENT'S STONES.
Find black's lifeline.
If you solve this, I'll play another match with you.
Do you mean it?
Keep your promise.
You can't take it back.
He's a Lee from Gyeongju, like me.
A family elder kept talking about him,
so I told him to bring the boy.
Well, he's good for a kid.
That little kid has quite a temper. Is he your nephew?
I just met him for the first time.
The family tree is all messed up. He's actually a generation above me.
Looks like I have a young uncle now.
How many handicap stones?
Four stones against a pro in six months?
Did you say "black's lifeline"? Not white?
Did you make a mistake, Mr. Cho?
A mistake? Me?
Why confuse him with a problem that has no answer?
There are no definite answers in Go.
I've never seen a play like this.
His haengma and opening are all mixed up…
HAENGMA: THE SHAPE OF STONES
…but it's oddly powerful.
OPENING: OPENING TACTIC TO GET ADVANTAGE.
-Did you solve it this time? -I think he can do it.
Bend and push.
No, here. There, I mean--
Come on.
Gosh. You're so distracting.
I told you I had to concentrate today.
If you stare at me, I can't get anything done.
You're right.
He needs to focus on this important work,
so let's step out and have a drink.
-Drinks are on me. -We got scolded by him.
If I drink during the day, I'm going to pass out again.
That kid…
Don't you have homework?
Are you going to sit there all day?
He's the only son in three generations, and he adores him.
Humor him and say the boy's good, that he shows talent.
I'll take care of the rest.
Amazing, isn't it?
What a vigorous style from a young man.
I'm 1-kyu in Go,
and I'm lucky to win one out of ten matches with him.
Everyone keeps saying he's a prodigy, filling him up with hot air.
He's so into this silly game of stones that he's ignoring the family business.
Go's stature has risen recently thanks to Champion Cho here.
There are more international competitions,
and you can contribute to Korea's global reputation through it too.
-You think so? -Sure.
That being said,
I was hoping
you could take the boy on for a few months, Mr. Cho.
I would compensate you handsomely
and sponsor you magnanimously too.
Use that money for his studies so he can run the family business.
That would be better for him.
You don't get better at Go by working hard.
No point in training him unless he's a genius.
Talent?
He doesn't have it.
Not a trace of it.
Cho!
Hey! Cho Hoon-hyun!
I've worked for months to get that meeting.
Do you know how much money he can give us as a sponsor?
What are we, beggars?
Business meetings, sponsorships, they're all fine.
But let's not put money before Go.
He called it "silly game of stones"!
Don't you have any pride?
Pride?
Min-je.
Cho Min-je, what are you doing?
-Cho Min-je! -Daddy!
You're home.
-Yeah. -I made this for you.
-Hey! I told you not to touch the mail. -Did you?
No, leave it. I'll tidy it up.
-Come here. -Is the mail that interesting?
Come on. Let's wash our hands and eat.
Could you turn on the gas stove?
Let's go up.
I want sausages.
You had some this morning.
KEEP YOUR PROMISE FROM LEE CHANG-HO
Hello.
Hey, Lee. Cho Hoon-hyun speaking.
Oh, hey.
That boy, Chang-ho?
Could I meet him again?
Come on, let's go.
Hurry.
SORRY, WE'RE CLOSED TODAY.
I'll only use three handicap stones.
But if I win, you have to teach me Go.
Why me?
I heard you're the strongest player, mister.
That you're the best in Korea.
Hey!
Best in Korea? Try the best in the world. You have no clue about what's going on.
Hey. The masters are talking.
Why does a novice keep interrupting?
Look just how rude this little brat is.
Last time, I only lost because I gave you four handicap stones.
I'd knock you out in an even game.
You want to win against a kid that badly?
What if you lose?
What will you do for me?
BANANA MILK
Fine.
Cho Hoon-hyun came all the way down here. It's a done deal.
What a smart son you have.
Hey.
Don't stand there. Come here.
Look at him on pins and needles.
I can't seem to make my way around the board here.
It's over for real this time, right?
Yes, I lost this match. You've gotten much better.
You must be hungry.
But who won?
Uncle Chang-ho just won.
Goodness, he won!
Uncle, are you going to play again?
We each won a game. I need to see this through.
Chang-ho, do you find Go fun?
It's horrible.
When I lose, I can't sleep or eat.
It's the most infuriating thing in the world.
But when I win, there's nothing more fun in the world.
That's why we keep playing Go, right?
That kid's an old soul.
We'll finish the match…
when you come to Seoul.
-Well. -Goodness.
And don't call me "mister" like a novice.
I'm not talking about you.
I'm your teacher, so call me "sir."
-Teacher? -Good heavens.
He did it!
Chang-ho, what are you doing?
Bow to your teacher now.
-You don't have to. -What?
Let's not keep him!
-This deserves a cheer. -Hurray!
Hurray for Korea's independence!
You play three-day matches. How are you going to handle a student?
Where can you find the time to teach him?
This is just between us,
but you don't have the right personality to teach anyone.
Don't make more work for yourself.
Just focus on your matches.
What if he fails to become a pro?
Tons of people are just waiting to come at you.
They'll say all sorts of things!
I don't care about him becoming a pro.
I suddenly became curious about how his Go will turn out.
Think of this as your grandpa and wear it all the time.
Since you're going to do this,
go all in and leave no regrets.
Go and do your best, okay?
And listen to Mr. Cho.
Okay?
Okay.
Mr. Cho.
Goodness, you'll break the door.
Hurry!
The bathroom…
Goodness.
Welcome.
It must've been a long journey. Come in.
Man, I almost didn't make it.
Oh my, what a handsome kid you are.
Look at his thick bones and wide shoulders.
Sir, your wish came true.
He has the perfect build for a ssireum wrestler!
-She's a girl. -"She's a girl."
Mrs. Cho, anyway, congratulations.
You've got two babies at the same time.
I guess you're right.
-You're Chang-ho, right? -Yes.
Nice to meet you.
This is the study.
If you want to read anything, help yourself.
I was just about your age.
Who's this old man?
He was my teacher.
Yikes.
He looks terrifying.
How old is he?
He passed away a long time ago.
Consider yourself lucky.
I'm still young and energetic.
My grandpa said death doesn't care about your age.
Come on out now.
Come on.
Is it because this is Igangju? I don't feel drunk.
It sure is one of Joseon's top three liquors.
Make sure to tell your grandfather that I am grateful.
-Yes, sir. -Do you like the food?
Yes, it's good.
You're a good cook, ma'am.
"Ma'am" doesn't sound quite right.
I agree.
We're family now. You shouldn't call her that.
I have to call her something.
-I'm not sure how to address her. -He's right.
Once titles get mixed up, your life can get…
quite tricky.
How about "Auntie"?
Just call me "Auntie." Is that okay?
Yes.
Chang-ho, would you like more rice?
Yes.
A little more, please. Auntie.
FUMIGATION
KOREA BADUK ASSOCIATION
CONGRATULATIONS CHO HOON-HYUN CONQUERS THE WORLD
Who are you? Are you looking for your dad?
I'm not looking for anyone.
I'm here to play Go.
Go?
Who's that kid?
He's Champion Cho's student.
Who's next?
Hong-sik lost too?
Seriously, he's no joke.
He could be a pro.
I haven't seen that shape before.
He chose to push ahead?
It doesn't make sense.
Jeez, this is silly.
I don't have time, so just come at me all at once.
Is he serious?
He sure is a prodigy.
Otherwise, why would've Champion Cho brought him from Jeonju?
Champion Cho found a good talent.
-He's really good. -He's something.
Two territories here,
and if you add the komi, it's at least 20.
Keep going?
SEJONG
HOSTED BY KOREA BADUK ASSOCIATION
THE 9TH GUKGIJEON CHALLENGE MATCH 4TH ROUND
CHO HOON-HYUN 9-DAN VS NAM GI-CHEOL 8-DAN
Mr. Cho, you have 30 minutes left.
FINAL MATCH BETWEEN DEFENDING CHAMPION AND CHALLENGER.
Champion Cho is brutally tenacious.
Poring over a match he's already won for 30 minutes?
My respect goes to Expert Nam for not throwing stones.
This isn't the first time, and he knows he'll eventually embarrass himself.
I'm sick of this era of Cho and Nam.
Mr. Nam, this is your final countdown.
One,
two,
three,
four, five,
six,
seven, eight,
nine…
What a bummer.
I should've blocked it there.
How stupid.
There it is.
The Tremor Technique.
-What's that? -How do you not know about that?
If Cho Hoon-hyun starts bouncing his leg, it's in the bag.
In baseball, it's like Sun Dong-yol warming up in the bullpen.
It kills the opponent's spirit to fight.
One,
two,
three,
four…
When the drizzle makes no sound
We part at Busan Station in sorrow
Goodbye, farewell
There goes the whistle of tears
A no-count win by Cho Hoon-hyun 9-dan.
A WIN SO DECISIVE IT IS UNNECESSARY TO COUNT TERRITORIES.
Oh boy, Expert Nam seemed really angry today.
Still, he should've put the stones back. Such bad manners.
Please, you're giving a lecture on manners? "The drizzle"?
You need to crush them to make it easier the next time.
Don't worry. He'll be back, thirsty for revenge.
Congratulations! I heard your song choice was superb today.
You bet. I can already see the headlines tomorrow.
Uncle Chang-ho is currently sweeping through Gwancheol-dong.
He's mowing down apprentices like they're grass.
They're talking about the tiger cub you brought,
and how he's a genius, a prodigy.
Lee.
You shouldn't tell Chang-ho that he's a genius and a prodigy.
It won't help him.
Wait for me.
Hello, sir.
What's this?
Candy.
I'm home.
You two came together.
Yes, we met on the way.
-Chang-ho, how did it go? -Good, Auntie.
How was the match today?
I lost.
You always say that.
Your opening, haengma, and reading, they're all terrible.
But do you know what's the worst?
Your bad attitude.
What?
But I beat everyone.
Those older apprentices weren't that good.
Winning isn't everything.
Despite just starting to learn Go,
you belittle those who have studied for years?
Your moves became lazy when you were at an advantage.
Do your best until the end.
Learn to respect your opponents.
What about you, sir?
You bounce your leg and hum.
You…
Hey, I…
I can't even…
Why, you little…
You can do that when you become the best.
Unbelievable.
Learn the basics first.
But I've already read them.
The standard patterns are boring, and they're too easy.
"Too easy"?
Which side seems better?
It's obvious white has the advantage.
Take white.
You don't come up with a good move by thinking long.
Thinking is for bad players.
Cultivate a sense of the game.
But don't play impulsively.
Don't back down.
The essence of Go is the battle, the attack.
Is white still better?
No.
Take black.
I've only used the basics you belittle, so why are you losing?
"Genius, prodigy," don't believe what people call you.
You're only good at calculating and memorizing.
You're only imitating how to play Go.
Don't be cocky. Learn the basics.
And use your right hand, if nothing else.
It's a basic courtesy to show your opponent.
Yes, sir.
Stamina is everything.
The rashness of an impulsive move.
The complacency of wanting to compromise.
The arrogance of wanting to end matches fast.
These are things that happen when your stamina fails,
and they'll lead you to defeat.
No, I'm going to use this hand.
DEAR GRANDPA, I HOPE YOU'RE WELL.
ONE STEP, ONE MOVE
Who eats jjajangmyeon on the rooftop? Gotta be kidding me.
Hello, sir.
Why are you eating here?
You couldn't have ordered together?
I had to walk up here twice. God, just eat at the restaurant.
Champion Cho must work hard to feed you.
Hey.
You know who I am, right?
Yes, of course. I do.
You're Mr. Nam Gi-cheol, my teacher's rival.
Rival? Please.
Don't relax because you became a pro, and keep studying.
Your teacher is extremely good.
But,
the thing is…
I'm not sure if it's something I can learn by studying.
I wish I could be half as good as him,
but I just don't seem to have it.
Don't try to learn.
Try to win.
Then you'll naturally learn.
That's what I did when I played against Cho.
CHO HOON-HYUN'S LEGENDARY MATCHES
WHITE CHO HOON-HYUN BLACK KIM SEONG-JU
Man, he's so fast.
How can I capture this?
Going head-on won't help at all.
Should I just hold my ground?
Chang-ho's working hard into the night.
Yeah.
So, how's it going?
The prelims start soon, right?
How he does right now is not what's important.
It's about finding his own Go.
Rushing him won't help.
Don't just push him. Coax and soothe him instead.
He's still a kid.
He won't come to anything if I baby him.
He's someone's precious kid.
I can't slack off. I need to make him the best.
In the world of competition, if you're not the top dog,
your life is too sad.
THE 7TH DAEWANGJEON 1ST PRELIMINARY ROUND
I mean, staring at the board won't solve anything.
You know what?
I thought he fell asleep during the match.
The kid plays Go like he's 60 years old.
He's lost two rounds in a row.
-How much did you lose, No? -Two hundred thousand won.
I'll lose all my tournament earnings from this month.
He's Cho Hoon-hyun's kid, so I thought he'd be good.
He was a bright kid. Why is he getting worse?
He's become totally weird too.
Champion Cho must hound him day and night with that temper of his.
He's living with him too, so it's no wonder.
Grandpa.
Mr. Cho's Go is flashy and strong,
but it doesn't suit me.
I'm going to find my own Go,
something no one else can replicate, even if it takes time.
That's not it! Upper right corner, knight's jump,
attach the one at the top, push, and extend.
What have you learned so far?
Honey.
-Talk again tomorrow. -Leave.
He can't win all the time.
He's upset about the loss, so stop pushing him so hard.
Just leave.
You hold back when you should attack and vice versa.
Why are you offbeat?
If a fight breaks out, there would be more variables,
so it'd be better to wait until later--
I told you.
Go isn't about compromising and building territories.
Bite, scratch, claw, and fight!
That's your style, sir. It's not right for me.
Stop being cheeky.
Style?
A style of play?
None of those matter if you lose.
Use the basics. Standard patterns come first.
Does everyone need to play Go the same way?
There is an order to things!
You need to have a reason for every attack and for every retreat.
You need the basics
before you can make changes, interpretations, and styles.
It's the same here.
It's only natural to extend over here, so why would you retreat? Why?
Are you openly defying me?
It's the right move, but there's a chance
that the tables might turn.
But if I make this move,
I'm 100% sure
that I'll win at least half a point.
100%?
How many times have I told you that it's difficult
to claim territory in the center, that it's hard to make calculations?
You're right.
But I thought I could do the calculations, so…
I did an experiment.
"An experiment"?
You think Go is just a silly game.
You ignore the basics, rely on your petty skill,
and obstinately cling to your ideas.
Let's stop.
No reason to get angry at someone who doesn't want to learn.
But
if I make this move,
I'm 100% sure
that I'll win at least half a point.
Those who play first have the advantage in Go.
So, when playing someone of the same rank,
the first player starts with 5.5 points in the hole.
That's called komi.
The half-point here is given to prevent a tie,
and such a thing does not actually exist on the board.
The smallest unit that decides a match.
Half a point, which does not exist on the board.
Perhaps,
this kid is seeing something else here.
RESPECTFULLY YOURS, CHANG-HO.
SIR, AUNTIE, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. SORRY TO DISAPPOINT YOU.
Where to?
Jeonju, 9:40 bus, please.
All right, 9:40 bus to Jeonju!
The 9:40 bus is now leaving!
Okay, anyone else boarding?
Is everyone on board?
Jeez.
Sir?
Yesterday,
you talked about "half a point."
It turns out you weren't completely wrong.
But it wasn't right either.
I just
haven't found the right move yet.
Go doesn't have answers,
but I forced you to give me one.
I'm sorry.
It's better to walk steadily
than to run and wobble.
You found your own Go. That's good enough.
If that is your decision,
you need to own it.
In both Go
and life.
Got it?
Your spirit takes up 80% of a match.
Even if you lose, don't let them crush your spirit.
Try to hide it.
Your thoughts, emotions, and even your breathing.
Don't show your opponent anything.
I know, but it's easier said than done.
Think about something familiar and comfortable.
Something that relaxes you just by thinking about it.
The match is over the moment you lose your composure.
You shouldn't differentiate the stones by color.
Every move has to have a reason behind it.
Territory
comes into being naturally and cannot be built with force.
Take care of each and every stone.
Then you'll find
the stones have come into harmony.
THE 29TH CHOEGOWIJEON FINAL PRELIMINARY
Cho, don't you have to be there?
I don't have to.
Poor Uncle Chang-ho. Out of all those players,
he had to meet Ko again, the seasoned veteran.
Hey, don't worry about him.
You should all be figuring out how not to be eaten by him.
He's an odd one.
He can't even review his games properly, but he somehow keeps getting better.
His opening is sloppy, and his haengma is slow,
but he somehow builds up a formation.
When it comes to calculations, he might be better than me.
Does he still play like a 60-year-old man?
No.
Like an 80-year-old.
I'd rather protect half a point for certain
than make a whole point through a fight.
In the end, Go is a fight for territory.
Grandpa.
I think I've finally found my own Go.
It's a bit unpolished
and not flashy like Mr. Cho's,
but I'm not going to let anyone beat me, ever.
Yeah, that's a good cut.
The feng shui must be great here at Yeonhui-dong, huh?
You have two great pro Go players under the same roof.
Uncle, congratulations.
You've made it to the finals already. You're in good shape.
Why don't we take a picture to remember this day?
Mr. Cheon, please take a family picture for us.
Of course.
Here we go.
One, two!
Chang-ho. Come on, smile.
Why do you look so glum?
What? He's got that big smile on him.
Yeah, he's smiling.
-That's his smile? -Yes.
Okay, then. Here we go.
One, two, three!
But I think
it'd be better for white to bend this way here.
It could win a lot,
but it might leave an opening.
Still, isn't it simpler to cut here?
You're being too cautious
that you're taking a long way around.
I don't love it,
but it doesn't seem like it's going to give me a bad name.
Who's next?
Mr. Nam Gi-cheol.
I'm worried too.
His Go is so fierce.
He's tenacious.
If you start to back down, he'll think you're weak and hit hard.
Go strong from the beginning.
I'm going for a hard defense.
You punk…
You told me to find my own Go.
So I should butt out?
Have faith in me.
Okay.
Think of it as a lesson, and take it easy.
No.
I'm planning
to win.
THE 23RD WANGWIJEON FINALS 12TH ROUND
Nam Gi-cheol 9-dan, black.
Lee Chang-ho 3-dan, white.
Let the match begin.
THE 29TH CHOEGOWIJEON CHALLENGER SELECTION
NAM GI-CHEOL 9-DAN VS LEE CHANG-HO 3-DAN
Mr. Lee.
Oh! My goodness.
Why don't I get you coffee in the review room?
I'm good. I won't understand anything even if I see it.
Mr. Cho, you have ten minutes.
Oh my!
Let's see.
Oh dear.
A no-count win for white, Cho Hoon-hyun 9-dan.
Hey, Mr. Baek.
I learned a lot from you.
Hey, Cho.
Black seems to have an advantage.
Like you know anything.
You got crushed too.
I didn't get crushed, man. I was still drunk that day.
This is the record up to the 115th move.
Maybe I shouldn't have cut it here.
If I'd just taken it…
I could've pushed one and expanded to the center.
A game between you and Champion Cho would be interesting.
You're better in the closing stages.
Congrats, Lee.
Expert Nam collapsed at the end.
See? I'm not weak. Chang-ho's too strong.
It must be the feng shui of Yeonhui-dong.
LEE CHANG-HO
CHALLENGER
My.
My, my.
A teacher-student match…
It's happening too soon.
He earned his way up. What can I do?
What if Chang-ho actually eats you up?
Please.
That's still ten years away.
CITY HALL
WINS THE YING SHIBEI CUP! UNIFIES THE WORLD!
CHO HOON-HYUN VS SEO GEON-WOO
Mr. Cho's haengma is weak
when attacked in the middle of a game.
His check is always weak when the shape expands.
Sir, dinner's ready.
Okay.
Oh, here's the book.
Come on, give him a pep talk.
You are his teacher after all.
What do you mean?
Did you get some sleep? How are you feeling?
I'm good, Auntie.
Don't get too hung up on the outcome.
Just play your own Go.
Yes, sir.
CHALLENGE MATCH LAST ROUND
-Isn't that the car? -They're here.
FEBRUARY 2ND, 1990 KOREA BADUK ASSOCIATION, GWANCHEOL-DONG
-They came together? -Get a picture!
-Mr. Cho! -It's an unprecedented match.
-How do you feel? -Are you scared of your student?
Goodness. What's the rush?
Good luck.
Thank you.
We'll now choose stones.
Lee Chang-ho 4-dan, black. Cho Hoon-hyun 9-dan, white.
Let the match begin.
CHO HOON-HYUN 9-DAN VS LEE CHANG-HO 4-DAN
COUNTDOWN
Let's see.
How many moves have been made?
-Wait a minute. -How is it?
I just got it!
-I haven't looked yet. -Tell me!
A little later!
I'll tell you later, okay?
God!
What a racket. Seriously.
That's a fierce opening from Cho.
See? It's an onslaught from the beginning.
How ruthless of him against his young student.
That is brutal. It really is.
TIME SPENT
LEE CHANG-HO 2 HOURS 10 MINUTES CHO HOON-HYUN 50 MINUTES
The game will resume after lunch.
Should I have just taken it?
A knight's cap, and then a two-space extension.
Maybe I should have given up a point.
Great-grandfather, when did you get here?
I took the first bus.
Right.
Chang-ho, you seem to be off your game today.
You were quite ruthless against me.
Maybe he favors his teacher?
Ask Mr. Cho to go easy on Uncle Chang-ho
and cut him some slack.
That's nonsense. A match is a match.
He's such a…
Good. The food is here.
Careful now. It's hot. It's really hot.
Goodness.
Uncle Chang-ho seems to be making a lot of small mistakes today.
We can't compete with him either, so how could a kid?
And it's his teacher, whom he looks up to.
TIME SPENT
LEE CHANG-HO 3 HOURS 51 MINUTES CHO HOON-HYUN 1 HOUR 43 MINUTES
The match is over the moment you lose your composure.
Think about something familiar and comfortable.
Something that relaxes you just by thinking about it.
TIME SPENT
LEE CHANG-HO 3 HOURS 53 MINUTES CHO HOON-HYUN 2 HOURS 58 MINUTES
Mr. Cho.
One,
two,
three,
four,
five,
six,
seven,
eight,
nine,
ten.
LEE CHANG-HO 4 HOURS 50 MINUTES CHO HOON-HYUN 5 HOURS
Mr. Cho, you have two countdowns left.
I don't know. We'll know when it ends.
I might be wrong,
but we might see a real coup here.
A coup?
Really?
Why don't we go over there and see for ourselves?
Hey. Come on, hurry up.
Hurry, run.
Maybe not?
Black wins by half a point!
At 271 moves!
Hey, I said black!
No.
Lee Chang-ho won!
It's so late. There won't be any restaurants open.
Cho.
A word on your student and his victory?
Mr. Cho, can I get a comment?
There's nothing more for me to teach him.
He can go his own way now.
What do you think went wrong today?
-Sorry. -Mr. Cho.
Where was the match decided?
You might face Mr. Lee in the Giseongjeon. What's your plan?
Mr. Cho!
First of all, congratulations. How do you feel?
I'm sorry to my teacher
that I won with a bad game.
You're late.
How did it go?
Chang-ho, great job.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
Good work. You must be tired. Go up and rest.
Okay.
Grandpa.
Did you see me win today?
You know,
I really wanted to win.
In my own way.
A HALF-POINT WIN SENSATION IN THE WORLD OF GO
YOUNGEST CHAMP, LEE CHANG-HO
That boy…
Should I have wedged it here?
Hey.
Sir.
The review…
Yes, we should do it.
TO GO OVER MOVES FROM PAST GAMES.
The weather's good.
To the living room?
What if I defend here?
That's not bad either.
But it's better to look here…
and expand the center because black is heavy.
Or…
what if I wedge it here?
No, the shape doesn't look good there.
You could defend this side instead
or attach it here first.
No, I don't think this is bad.
Make an atari here, push through…
and attach.
No, not there. It leaves a bad aftertaste.
No need to look any further.
Sir.
I'm sorry.
About yesterday's game.
What?
Am I your teacher when we play Go?
Answer me! Am I?
No.
You're my enemy.
Winning a game doesn't change anything.
Don't flatter yourself.
You win and lose every day. That's the fate of a pro.
You arrogant punk.
From now on, we won't review our games.
THE 4TH GISEONGJEON CHALLENGE MATCH LAST ROUND
CHO HOON-HYUN 9-DAN VS LEE CHANG-HO 6-DAN
The 27th teacher-student game.
It's an earth-shattering event that'll go down in Korean Go history.
It's unprecedented, anytime, anywhere.
Yes. Daewangjeon, Giseongjeon,
Paewangjeon, Choegowijeon, and now, Giwangjeon.
The student and the teacher have met in five consecutive final matches.
This is all because of Lee Chang-ho 6-dan.
He's growing too quickly.
Cho 9-dan wouldn't have expected him to rise so quickly either.
Recent games show that Cho is backed into a corner.
Cho's knife is famous for its sharpness.
It pierces and twists in your weak spots.
But it doesn't seem
to be working on Lee Chang-ho 6-dan.
Yes, Lee 6-dan lets his opponent do as he likes.
But when you're done, you find that you've lost.
It leaves you dumbstruck.
One professional player told me
that he's scared to face Cho, but as for Lee Chang-ho,
he doesn't even want to look at him.
As everyone knows, the two have completely different playing styles.
Cho is fast. Lee is slow.
Lee holds back while Cho attacks.
But looking at the game records,
they seem to have switched their styles.
It's the teacher, Cho 9-dan, who has got his back to the wall,
while Lee 6-dan is on the offense.
It must mean that Cho is struggling to change the flow by any means.
Yes, but the problem is,
Lee Chang-ho isn't just good at defense.
He thoroughly punished Cho yesterday.
Cho Hoon-hyun, the best player, had his hands tied.
-A comment, please! -Mr. Cho!
Mr. Cho!
Mr. Lee, congratulations.
Could you tell us how you feel?
Where do you think the game was won?
Only the Paewangjeon remains.
If Cho loses there, he'll end up with no wins this year.
How do you all think the next game will go?
Lee Chang-ho is indeed in great spirits,
but this is Cho Hoon-hyun, the King of Go.
Well, he won't back down easily.
Yes, that's right.
If you look at Fujisawa 9-dan of Japan,
he won a championship in his 60s.
Don't be daft, you guys.
There was no Lee Chang-ho in Japan!
WINNER OF THE YING SHIBEI CUP! UNIFIES THE WORLD!
Lee Chang-ho is changing the paradigm of Go.
Go fans are even saying,
"Go is a sport where you fight all day,
only for Lee Chang-ho to win in the end."
ETERNAL KINGDOM FALLEN BY HALF-POINT
"SIR, IT'S PAEWANG THIS TIME" CHO ON THE EDGE OF A CLIFF
THE 29TH PAEWANGJEON CHALLENGE MATCH 4TH ROUND
CHO HOON-HYUN 9-DAN VS LEE CHANG-HO 6-DAN
Hey, Cho!
Get the tissue.
Mr. Cho?
We'll get going now.
All right. Have a safe trip home.
This is terrible, really.
For you and for Chang-ho.
Is your stomach upset?
I feel bad.
For Mr. Cho…
and Auntie.
So,
would you rather lose?
Then give it your best and win.
What else can you do?
You're home.
You couldn't even tie your shoes,
and now, you look like a real pro.
It's time…
for you to stand alone.
It makes no sense to keep you here
as my student when you've already surpassed me.
No, I'm still not there yet. I have so much left to learn.
I have nothing to teach you.
I should have sent you away sooner.
Winning and losing are part of our lives, yes…
but to live in the same house like this,
when we fight our guts out every day,
is hard for both of us.
I'm sorry, sir.
Did I teach you that?
A pro's job is to win, no matter who the opponent is.
I'm learning a lot lately, thanks to you.
I've learned that I can lose at any time.
I know you'll do well,
but don't get lazy after leaving here.
I realized…
that I've never
complimented you properly.
As a teacher…
I've always been proud of you.
You were…
always my pride.
I packed some kimchi.
Chang-ho likes it.
Oh my, thank you.
We're done.
Chang-ho.
Give me a hug.
Come visit often. And don't skip meals.
Yes, Auntie.
Keep warm, and come by for more side dishes when you run out.
Sir, thank you so much for everything.
It was nothing.
Take care.
Sure. Have a safe journey.
Sir.
Thank you
for everything.
Hey…
Mr. Cho asked me to give you this.
WHITE CHO HYEON-SIK VS BLACK LEE CHANG-HO BLACK WINS BY 1.5 POINTS
The Great Cho Hoon-hyun without a single win, seriously?
He was devoured by the tiger cub he raised. Who can he blame?
-Still, it does sting. -It does.
The truth is,
we make more money when matches are tight.
We won't make much commission like this.
Lower the payout on Chang-ho.
One,
two, three, four, five,
six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
Cho of white runs out of time and loses.
Nam of black wins by default.
Where are the kids?
-Aren't they home yet? -No.
How was the game?
I lost.
I can live with a loser,
but not a pathetic man.
Don't run like a coward.
I've never resented you or Chang-ho once while taking care of him,
but seeing you like this
makes me want to hate Chang-ho.
Why are you so pathetic?
Champion Lee, it's been a long time!
Have you eaten?
If not, why don't we have lunch together?
No, I'm not hungry yet.
I'm sure he's full.
He gorged himself on all those championship titles
and gobbled up his teacher too.
He didn't gobble up anything. Watch your mouth, man!
Why are you throwing a fit?
It was a joke.
Joke!
It must be nice for you, Lee.
Wow, you're photogenic too.
ANOTHER FORFEIT WILL CHO HOON-HYUN RETIRE?
Wow, you could be a model.
How about a bowl of naejangtang? It's been a while.
-Sure. -Okay.
-A drink too? -What should I do, then?
Me?
What would you do, Mr. Baek, if you were me?
Should I lose?
Well, why are you asking me that?
That's what I was taught.
That a pro's job is to win.
You must not have met a good teacher yet, Mr. Baek.
You little…
You think you're above everyone else now?
It's a joke.
I was joking too.
What?
He said it was a joke.
Let's go now, Lee.
A forfeit? The Great Cho Hoon-hyun?
You should have at least played!
Do you know how much your wife worries about you?
And Chang-ho?
Poor kid.
He might not talk about it, but he must feel terrible.
Hey, what are you doing? You're a lightweight.
Hey, Cho.
What?
My knife's gone rusty.
You don't have an umbrella.
Hey, Cho!
CHO HOON-HYUN VS LEE CHANG-HO NO-COUNT WIN BY LEE
I'd be upset if you bowed down to something as small as this.
Because you've stabbed me in the back at least a hundred times.
Everyone hurts when they're punched.
Chang-ho must be having a hard time too.
The poor kid's suffering
because he met a teacher like me.
He's a champion, and he can't even smile as much as he likes.
You're still his teacher.
You need to challenge him so that he grows stronger.
Go is so odd.
Once you place a stone,
you feel like you could do it…
but it's hard to place it down.
I thought I'd finally started to understand the game.
You win if you can overcome that.
The aching wound oozes, scabs over, and is covered with new flesh.
You endure it…
until an opportunity comes to you.
Cho.
I've found that once you start running away on the board…
there's nowhere else to go.
Be yourself.
Being quiet and hunched up like this
doesn't suit you at all.
GO IS ABOUT TRYING TO FIND AN ANSWER WHEN THERE ARE NONE
KENSAKU SEGOE (CHO HOON-HYUN'S MASTER)
GO IS A FIGHT AGAINST YOURSELF JULY 1964, CHO HOON-HYUN
I'm stuffed. That was good.
Mr. Baek, congrats on your easy win ahead.
I didn't see Cho today.
Don't congratulate me. This is going to be an uncomfortable win.
Now's the moment to face off against Cho Hoon-hyun and crush him.
He won't come. He's too scared.
Mr. Baek, you're here.
So,
did you have a filling lunch?
1 YEAR LATER
THE 2ND WOMEN'S GUKSUJEON FINALS
Sir?
Look at you, kid.
Here, let me.
It's okay. I'll do it.
Sir.
Today's game…
Of course I won!
What are you asking me that for? It's embarrassing.
Look at me playing in the preliminaries like some novice.
I saw your game yesterday.
So you're still not choosing to fight.
Because I can win without fighting.
Why risk it and fight?
Or are you avoiding a fight because you're scared?
Of course not.
Whose student do you think I am?
Yeah. A master doesn't need a lecture from a novice.
Lee Chang-ho 7-dan wins a no-count win
and succeeds in defending his Daewangjeon title.
He has 19 consecutive championship wins, and if he wins…
What matters is how many consecutive wins Lee Chang-ho gets, right?
Paewangjeon will be held…
You don't have to watch it. Lee will win three to zero.
Cho Hoon-hyun is a has-been now.
Cho 9-dan advanced through a variety of preliminaries
and finals and now will challenge his old student, Lee Chang-ho 7-dan.
Lee Chang-ho…
-Hey, you're here. -Hi.
-Okay, all done. -Okay.
-Did you check the mic? -Yes.
Hey, Cho.
Don't do it if you don't want to.
Really?
I'm joking.
I'm not that shameless. It's about time I did one.
Go ahead.
First, congratulations.
You were voted the most popular Go player by the fans last year.
How do you feel?
If I had known, I would have started losing much sooner.
When I was on a winning streak, everyone hated me so much.
Yes.
Well, the records show
you've played 110 matches in the last year alone.
You've been playing practically once every three days,
with all the preliminaries and the finals,
when, in the past, you were used to waiting as the defending champion.
It's been rough.
But it makes the match more exhilarating when a single loss
will send you down the cliff.
It's been fun in a way.
It was refreshing, going against young rookies too.
Well, Lee Chang-ho 7-dan is on a roll, and everyone is saying
that it's not news if he wins.
Now, for your last question,
could you send a message to Lee Chang-ho, your student and opponent in the final?
He might have been my student, but a match is a match.
If I have to fight Chang-ho,
I plan on giving it my all.
It's now my turn to challenge him as he did me.
CHO HOON-HYUN RETURNS!
THE 31ST PAEWANGJEON CHALLENGE MATCH LAST ROUND
CHO HOON-HYUN 9-DAN VS LEE CHANG-HO 7-DAN
It's the final game. Both sides have two wins each.
I thought it'd begin in a cautious manner,
but it's going very quickly.
The opening so far is the same as the fourth match.
It's as if it's choreographed.
Yes, it's heated, with neither side backing down.
It's like they're both shouting that their Go isn't wrong.
Lee Chang-ho 7-dan is known as the "God of Calculation."
Cho 9-dan won the first two matches
but lost the next two and is now perched on the edge of a cliff.
The teacher-student matches have continued in this pattern,
and comeback wins have become Lee Chang-ho's signature.
Cho's challenge is to keep his composure until the end.
Cho is playing elsewhere.
It's customary to take and strengthen here,
but he just placed his stone here.
Hasn't Cho's Go become so much sharper and more acute
since he's bounced back after hitting rock bottom?
Yes, it earned him a new moniker, the "God of War."
From that perspective,
it seems Cho is planning to incite a fight here and there.
I'm curious how Lee 7-dan will respond.
Wow, Lee Chang-ho 7-dan strikes back!
He's out to capture his enemy.
He has no intention of compromising today, which is unusual.
Cho sneers, like he didn't expect this either.
Lee Chang-ho strikes back against Cho Hoon-hyun's wave of attacks!
Cho shakes up the center.
It doesn't seem like Lee Chang-ho will have to rise to the attack.
Wow, Lee Chang-ho!
He jumped in!
Neither gives their groups a glance. All they care about is the battle!
Neither the teacher nor the student
will give an inch when it comes to the match.
The battle is truly chilling.
They're fighting like sworn enemies.
Lee is now taking a long pause.
He's probably running tens of thousands of possible sequences in his head.
Lee Chang-ho makes a sharp thrust.
Cho has to be aching.
White seems to be at an advantage in general.
What do you think, Mr. Nam?
Champion Cho has started fights here and there,
but Chang-ho's walls are just too thick.
Yes, it seems like Lee is ahead by three and a half
or four and a half points so far.
The game is entering its endgame.
If Lee wins today, he'll reenact his teacher's achievement,
which is to win all championships in a year.
Lee Chang-ho 7-dan. You're almost there!
He's making a counterattack in an unlikely situation.
Could it be that Cho is planning to capture over here?
It won't be easy.
It's Lee Chang-ho he's facing.
He's defended it well.
It's Lee Chang-ho after all. That's a good spot.
Yes, he staged a defense and went for his opponent's vital point.
It's a classic Lee Chang-ho move.
How will Cho, who's on the defensive, get out of this difficult situation?
He has never been at an advantage during this game.
What was that move by Cho? Does that make any sense?
What? He's going to jump in even more?
Whoa, it's too reckless.
I mean, there's nothing to back it.
Did Lee just retreat?
I think it'd be better to bend here and capture one point.
So what was that?
Is there something more to Cho's move?
I'm sorry. What did I miss?
What could possibly be behind this move?
Vital points are very tender.
Once you get hit, you can't move. You can only gasp.
As more stones are placed and they mingle,
it results in more vital points.
My vital point is also
that of my opponent.
-Wait a second. -Yes?
I see. It's genius!
Black retreats here, and white makes an atari.
Black connects, then white needs to extend here.
And in the end, black will inevitably gain an advantage.
It's an exquisite bid for victory by Cho!
The teacher finally twists the student's arm!
If this works, Cho might turn the game around.
It takes two to play Go.
A single genius cannot create a good game of Go on his own.
This match
is one that will go down in history.
Lee Chang-ho bends on the left side.
Cho blocks decisively.
The stone statue winces!
So Lee Chang-ho is human too!
Lee Chang-ho resigns!
Cho Hoon-hyun has won!
Lee Chang-ho is blocked from a grand slam by his teacher!
Cho Hoon-hyun got up again after 15 losses
and has finally overcome the huge obstacle that is Lee Chang-ho!
Cho wins the Paewangjeon and escapes his drought of no championship titles!
Everyone!
The King is back!
WINNER
Have a safe journey home.
Here.
This is…
Well, it didn't feel right to throw it out.
It's still usable. Here.
TAXI
Cut, throw-in, bend,
atari, cover…
GO IS ABOUT TRYING TO FIND AN ANSWER WHEN THERE ARE NONE
GO IS A FIGHT AGAINST YOURSELF JULY 1964, CHO HOON-HYUN
NOVEMBER 16, 1998 THE 42ND GUKSUJEON EVE EVENT
Now, let's wrap up the pictures
and start the press conference.
Reporters, could you please move to your designated seats?
First, the Guksu Champion title has come to represent you in a way,
so you must be very emotional right now.
You take a title
and have it taken away from you. That's how it goes.
Maybe it's my age, but these days,
I'm more interested in…
leaving behind a good game record than winning a title.
Mr. Cho, you've been on a roll recently.
Is there a secret to it?
Well…
They say the sun shines
the brightest before it sets.
I expect it will subside soon.
What's your take, Mr. Lee?
Since he quit smoking,
he stopped making mistakes in the closing stages.
It must've been the cigarettes.
Thank you.
Finally, could you both tell us how you'll approach tomorrow's match?
Chang-ho's gotten a taste for comeback wins lately,
which is probably why he let me win the first game,
but now that we're at it, I'll turn tomorrow's match into another lesson.
I think one loss was enough for a lesson.
Many of you seem to be rooting for Mr. Cho's victory,
but I'm not willing to relinquish
the hard-won champion title so easily.
Chang-ho, it's you again?
Yes, sir.
It is what it is.
This is what a match is.
MUSHIM: TO EMPTY OUT ONE'S HEART
SEONGEUI: TO GIVE ALL ONE'S HEART
NOVEMBER 17, 1998
CHO HOON-HYUN TOOK BACK THE GUKSU CHAMPION TITLE, HIS SYMBOL
FROM LEE CHANG-HO AFTER FIVE YEARS ON THE DAY OF THE FIRST SNOW.
THE FIRST SNOW FELL THAT DAY.
LEE CHANG-HO RULED AT THE TOP OF THE INTERNATIONAL GO SCENE FOR 15 YEARS
FOLLOWING HIS TEACHER'S FOOTSTEPS
AND IS STILL CONSIDERED THE STRONGEST PLAYER IN HISTORY.
THE TEACHER AND THE STUDENT
ARE STILL ACTIVELY PLAYING.