Shin Jin-seo to Face KataGo in Korea in Three-Game Match

South Korea is preparing for a notable Go event this July as top professional player Shin Jin-seo takes on the Go AI KataGo in a three-game match on July 17, 19, and 21. The match, organized by the Korea Baduk Association and hosted by The Korea Economic Daily media group, is being presented as a symbolic rematch of humanity’s challenge to machine intelligence 10 years after the AlphaGo era.

The games will be played in Seoul at 10 a.m. each day, with the first two rounds broadcast on The Korea Economic Daily TV and the third on BadukTV. According to reports, Shin Jin-seo will play with a two-stone handicap against KataGo, reflecting the AI’s strength and the organizers’ intention to create a fair and meaningful contest rather than a simple exhibition.sports.khan.co+1

KataGo is widely regarded as one of the strongest Go AIs in the world, while Shin Jin-seo is considered South Korea’s leading professional player. Before the match, Shin said that beating AI on equal terms is unrealistic for now, but narrowing the gap would still be meaningful. The event has drawn attention not only because of the players involved, but also because it revisits a famous theme in modern Go: the changing relationship between human intuition and machine calculation.

The Korean master will receive 50 million won (approximately 30,000€) for participating, with an additional 50-million-won bonus for each game won. Should he win the overall match, Shin Jin-seo will also receive a grand prize: a premium Hyundai Genesis G90 sedan.

Photo sources from mk.co.kr.