Offering its second series for the year, regional favorite Asian Poker Tour in partnership with Landing Entertainment Korea (LEK), is getting ready to make another splash, this time at the world-class Landing Casino, Jeju Shinhwa World, South Korea. It has been over seven years since the tour has made an appearance in the beautiful island, dating its prior festival back to 2017. This new era boasts a huge leap in terms of prizes for its return, with over KRW 5,000,000,000 (~USD 3.76 Million) to be won across a 90 event lineup. Slated to run from April 26 through May 5, only two weeks remain until the premium festivities hit the felt, giving players still enough time to book that travel itinerary and make the journey.
“Last year, we saw exponential growth with record player participation and prize money. In order to meet those increasing needs, we have been on an endless search for like-minded partners who have the same high standards, while also being able to accommodate the sheer size of our present-day poker festivals,” said APT CEO Fred Leung.
“We are beyond excited to be working with LEK to launch our first event in Jeju under the new era of the Asian Poker Tour.”
The awaited ten-day schedule is circled around the KRW 2,000,000,000 (~US$ 1,500,000) guaranteed Main Event where the esteemed games are expected to attract a turnout of at least 800 entries to meet the listed prize pool. Players get to choose across four starting flights on schedule, posting varying blind levels throughout the three qualifying days. Last 2023 saw the tour break the country record at APT Incheon, with Japan’s Shoichiro Tamaki claiming the lion’s share of the KRW 1,867,347,000 (~USD $1,411,975) Main Event prize pool after besting the 930-entry field. Considering that turnout and APT’s continuous success, this season’s Jeju festival is likely to follow that trajectory, with the brand’s ideal tournament structures, great value events, and well organized games remaining a hit amongst its followers.
APT Jeju 2024 Main Event
Date/s: April 29 – May 4, 2024
Buy-in: KRW 2,500,000 (~US$ 1,800)
Guarantee: KRW 2,000,000,000 (~US$ 1,500,000)
Flight A (60 minute blinds) – April 29, Monday
Flight B (45 minute blinds) – April 30, Tuesday
Flight C & D (30 minute blinds) – May 1, Wednesday
Day 2 (Reg open until start) – May 2, Thursday
Day 3 – May 3, Friday
Final Day – May 4, Saturday
Aside from the headlining Main Event, tournament runners will find their ten day festival experience packed from morning until night with a total of 85 trophy events to choose from. Hosting a variety of tournaments at different price points, low and high bankroll players will definitely be able to find games suitable to their liking each day as the schedule lists a wide range of buy-ins beginning at KRW 300,000 (~USD 228) to its highest KRW 30,000,000 (~USD 22,831) Superstar Challenge. High rollers in addition, will have an event to look forward to day in and out, with the bigger action and smaller fields available consistently through the end. The generous lineup of events not only focuses on poker classic variants NLH and PLO, but likewise showcases its share of mix games with at least 14 events listed on schedule.
Several key events complete the lineup, beginning with the opening KRW 200,000,000 (~USD 150,000) guaranteed Korea National Cup, all the way to its final three highlights – Mini Main Event, APT High Roller, and Micro Main Event, to wrap up the festival’s concluding day. The renowned tour has been basking in the limelight having broken record after record in its recent offerings, most especially across its flagship tournaments. Given the high expectations, turnout for this season may possibly be unmatched or at the very least, record another staggering attendance.
APT Jeju 2024 Key Events
Korea National Cup
Date/s: Apr 26-27, 2024
Buy-in: KRW 800,000 (~USD 600)
Guarantee: KRW 200,000,000 (~USD 150,000)
Superstar Challenge
Date/s: Apr 29-30, 2024
Buy-in: KRW 30,000,000 (~USD 22,500)
Mystery Bounty Hunter – Sponsored by Natural8
Date/s: Apr 27-28, 2024
Buy-in: KRW 1,000,000 (~USD 750)
Guarantee: KRW 300,000,000 (~USD 225,000)
APT Super High Roller
Date/s: Apr 27-28, 2024
Buy-in: KRW 13,500,000 (~USD 10,000)
Guarantee: KRW 500,000,000 (~USD 375,000)
Sunday Super Stack
Date/s: Apr 28, 2024
Buy-in: KRW 1,100,000 (~USD 825)
Guarantee: KRW 200,000,000 (~USD 150,000)
Zodiac Classic – Sponsored by Natural8
Date/s: May 2-3, 2024
Buy-in: KRW 3,000,000 (~USD 2,200)
Guarantee: KRW 500,000,000 (~USD 375,000)
Double Stack
Date/s: May 3-4, 2024
Buy-in: KRW 1,000,000 (~USD 750)
Guarantee: KRW 300,000,000 (~USD 225,000)
Mini Main Event
Date/s: May 4-5, 2024
Buy-in: KRW 800,000 (~USD 600)
Guarantee: KRW 250,000,000 (~USD 187,000)
APT High Roller
Date/s: May 4-5, 2024
Buy-in: KRW 7,000,000 (~USD 5,200)
Guarantee: KRW 650,000,000 (~USD 487,000)
Micro Main Event
Date/s: May 5, 2024
Buy-in: KRW 400,000 (~USD 300)
Guarantee: KRW 50,000,000 (~USD 37,500)
About Jeju Island
The largest island in Korea, Jeju is a popular tourist destination with its stunning volcanic landscape, white sand beaches, and other scenic views making it a worthwhile visit for many. Eager travelers looking to see the sights will be glad to know that the province is home to a couple UNESCO World Heritage sites which can all be accessed within just a few days.
The ten-day festivities will be situated in five-star integrated resort, Jeju Shinhwa World, located in the Southern part of the island. Sprawling 280,000 square meters, the venue houses its own selection of luxury hotels, food and beverage services, shopping and entertainment complex, theme parks, and of course world-class gaming at Landing Casino.
“We’re pleased to announce that Jeju Island will host the inaugural Asian Poker Tour. This milestone event signifies a significant moment for poker enthusiasts in this vibrant city,” said Jenny Lim, Landing Entertainment Korea COO at Jeju Shinhwa World.
