TJPT Korea (TJPK) Day 1 highlights: Li Zhong Xian bags Main Event Day 1A chip lead; Van Quoc Tran, Wonhyong Choi, Si Yeoul Lee win trophies

SMP EditorEditor-in-Chief

Updated: 2026.10.16

Day 1 of Top Joy Poker Tour‘s debut in Seoul, South Korea is in the books! Plenty of thrilling action took place as players from China, Korea, and outside lit up host venue Swiss Grand Hotel for the irresistible USD 1 Million guaranteed Main Event. At night’s end, China’s Li Zhong Xian set the bar very high for the next starting days to follow. Li will bring in a stack of 183 bb into Day 2.

Surviving the heat in a strong second rank was Marc Inizan (WPT Prime Taiwan 2022 champion), though very far from the leader with 84 bb to bring into Day 2. Other pros through to the next stage were Yake Wu, Jin Woo Kim, and recently crowned WPT Super High Roller champion, Nam Hyung Kim.

TJPK continues with Day 1B on the felt Friday, September 29, 2023. Cards in the air at 12pm with late registration closing at 730pm, before the start of Level 9. Buy in is ￦ 1,500,000 (~US$ 1,110) in TJPT vouchers which can only be won via the TJPT Online App.

You can watch some of the Day 1A action via the livestream on TJPT YouTube channel.

Main Event – Day 1A results

Buy in: ￦1,500,000 (~US$ 1,110)

Guarantee: US$ 1,000,000

Day 1A: 104 entries / 15 advance

Day 1B: Friday, September 29, 2023

Day 1C: Saturday, September 30, 2023

Rank	Player	Flag	Stack
1	Li Zhong Xian	China	918,000
2	Marc Inizan	UK	422,000
3	Calvin Lee	USA	231,000
4	Chvang Hao	China	228,000
5	Yake Wu	China	168,000
6	Han Jong Soo	South Korea	148,000
7	Kim Jun Hyung	South Korea	148,000
8	Kim Jin Woo	South Korea	147,000
9	Shen Long Hao	China	139,000
10	Do Heon Shin	South Korea	121,000
11	Liu Xia Ohu	China	119,000
12	Nam Hyung Kim	South Korea	109,000
13	Kim Jong Wook	South Korea	99,000
14	Jeong Jae Bong	South Korea	89,000
15	Bae Sung Yoon	South Korea	39,000

Side Event results

Van Quoc Tran wins first Asia title at Single Day High Roller

Australia’s Van Quoc Tran locked up his first trophy outside of home soil. Tran topped the Single Day High Roller event, outlasting a heavy weight field of 39 entries. He pocketed a career high ￦36,796,500 (~US$ 27,247). Famous pro / ex-gamer Yo Hwan ‘BoxeR’ Lim finished in 4th place for ￦11,934,000 (~US$ 8,837).

Buy in: ￦3,000,000 (~US$ 2,220)

Entries: 39

Prize pool:￦66,333,450 (~US$ 49,120)

ITM: 5 places

1	Van Quoc Tran	Australia	￦36,796,500
2	You Hyun Kim	South Korea	￦24,862,500
3	Yi Lu Yuan	China	￦14,917,500
4	Yo Hwan Lim	South Korea	￦11,934,000
5	Jeong Yim	South Korea	￦10,939,950

Korean-American Wonhyong Choi wins Reg NLH

Buy in: ￦ 600,000 (~US$ 445)

Entries: 33

Prize pool: ￦15,840,000 (~US$ 11,730)

1	Wonhyong Choi	South Korea	￦5,860,800
2	Jong Chan Lee	South Korea	￦3,960,000
3	Se Han Park	South Korea	￦2,376,000
4	Se Hwan Kim	South Korea	￦1,900,800
5	Weon Jae Yoon	South Korea	￦1,742,400

Event 4: Omaha KO Bounty

Buy in: ￦400,000 (~US$ 300)

Entries: 20

Prize pool: ￦6,400,000 (~US$ 4,740)

1	Si Yeoul Lee	South Korea	￦3,200,000
2	Hessuam	Iran	￦1,920,000
3	Gab Yong Kim	South Korea	￦1,280,000

TJPK Schedule

Links:

Top Joy Poker Korea – Photo Gallery
Seoul Showdown – TJPT and APL

About Top Joy Poker Tour

Emerging into the Chinese poker scene in 2019,Top Joy Poker Tourhas quickly become one of the most popular brands in the mainland. In April, the TJPT Shanghai Poker Tournament drew 1,771 Main Event entries for a prize pool of CNY 9,160,000, equivalent to over USD 1.33 Million.

TJPT’s biggest event was in February 2023, the 4th annual TJPT Grand Finale which drew 2,183 entries for a brand record Main Event prize pool of CNY 17,426,000, equivalent to over USD 2.5 Million.

Top Joy Poker Tour: Rising Star of Chinese Poker Festivals

About the Editor

SMP EditorEditor-in-Chief

The SMP Editor covers international poker and iGaming for SoMuchPoker, providing news, tournament coverage, and industry insights. With a focus on accuracy, clarity, and relevance, the editor helps readers stay informed about developments across the global poker community.