Dongli Shen Wins WPT Seoul INSPIRE Championship as 11-Day Festival Concludes
The inaugural WPT Seoul 2026 came to a close on Monday, November 9, with eight titles decided on the final day at INSPIRE Entertainment Resort in South Korea.
Dongli Shen claimed the headline INSPIRE Championship title after topping a 1,033-entry field, while Russia's Nikita Ustiuzhanin took down the High Roller for KRW 84,254,000 (~USD 61,720).
Japan's Satsuki Suzuki also enjoyed a successful final day, winning the Mini Championship following a heads-up deal. Six other side-event champions were crowned as the 11-day festival drew to a close.
Dongli Shen Wins Inaugural WPT Seoul INSPIRE Championship
China's Dongli Shen completed his series by defeating Japan's Yosuke Sekiya heads-up, securing the inaugural title and KRW 252,378,000 (~USD 184,890) after a heads-up deal.
The KRW 1,750,000 WPT Seoul INSPIRE Championship attracted 1,033 entries across four starting flights, generating a KRW 1,561,896,000 (~USD 1.14 million) prize pool.
Shen entered the final day with a commanding chip lead, but Sekiya pushed him throughout the heads-up battle. The two eventually agreed to a deal, with Sekiya locking up KRW 246,238,000 (~USD 180,390).
They continued playing for the title, an additional KRW 10 million and a $10,400 entry to the WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas, with Shen eventually coming out on top.
Jun Li finished third for KRW 124,950,000 (~USD 91,540), followed by Tomoharu Hikino in fourth for KRW 92,310,000 (~USD 67,630).
For the full final-table action and results, read our Dongli Shen Championship victory report.
Nikita Ustiuzhanin Claims High Roller Title
Russia's Nikita Ustiuzhanin took down Event #39, the KRW 3,500,000 High Roller, collecting KRW 84,254,000 (~USD 61,720).
The two-day tournament attracted 101 entries, comfortably surpassing its KRW 150 million guarantee and generating a KRW 313,504,000 (~USD 229,670) prize pool. Fifteen players finished in the money.
Ustiuzhanin defeated Japan's Hirohito Marunaka heads-up, with the runner-up earning KRW 52,050,000 (~USD 38,130).
Bayar Saran, who had already won the Super High Roller earlier in the festival, added a third-place finish worth KRW 34,150,000 (~USD 25,020). Sun Yunfeng followed in fourth, while Zongjun Yan completed the top five.
High Roller Final Table Results
Place | Player | Country | Prize (KRW) | Prize (~USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 84,254,000 | $61,720 | ||
2 | 52,050,000 | $38,130 | ||
3 | 34,150,000 | $25,020 | ||
4 | 27,100,000 | $19,850 | ||
5 | 20,850,000 | $15,270 | ||
6 | Tung Wing Wong | 16,950,000 | $12,420 | |
7 | Tomas Mineika | 14,100,000 | $10,330 | |
8 | Tomoki Nozawa | 11,750,000 | $8,610 | |
9 | 9,400,000 | $6,890 |
Satsuki Suzuki Takes Mini Championship After Heads-Up Deal
Japan's Satsuki Suzuki claimed Event #38, the KRW 700,000 Mini Championship, following a heads-up deal with Mongolia's Javkhlantugs Tumurtogoo.
The tournament attracted 416 entries across two starting flights and generated KRW 251,596,800 (~USD 184,320) in prize money, with 53 players returning for Monday's final day.
Tumurtogoo entered the final table as chip leader, but Suzuki had moved ahead by the time the pair reached a heads-up deal. They agreed to split the remaining prize money, with Suzuki awarded the trophy.
Suzuki received KRW 47,606,800 (~USD 34,880), while Tumurtogoo collected KRW 45,000,000 (~USD 32,970), considerably more than the original second-place payout.
Chunxu Mou finished third for KRW 22,390,000 (~USD 16,400), with Tsurumi Shun and Masayuki Suzuki completing the top five.
Mini Championship Final Table Results
Place | Player | Country | Prize (KRW) | Prize (~USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 47,606,800 | $34,880 | ||
2 | Javkhlantugs Tumurtogoo | 45,000,000 | $32,970 | |
3 | 22,390,000 | $16,400 | ||
4 | 16,980,000 | $12,440 | ||
5 | 12,450,000 | $9,120 | ||
6 | 9,810,000 | $7,190 | ||
7 | Ruki Nishibata | 8,180,000 | $5,990 | |
8 | Lifu Huang | 6,670,000 | $4,890 | |
9 | Ping Lin | 5,280,000 | $3,870 |
Shintaro Morita Claims First Live Trophy in Closer 7 Max
Japan's Shintaro Morita secured his first live tournament trophy after winning Event #41, the KRW 600,000 Closer 7 Max.
Morita topped a 146-entry field and earned KRW 20,076,400 (~USD 14,710), the biggest live tournament cash of his career.
The event generated a KRW 75,686,400 (~USD 55,450) prize pool, with 17 players earning payouts.
France's Alexandre Paul Viard finished second for KRW 12,490,000 (~USD 9,150), while Japan's Ayumi Yoshikawa took third for KRW 8,100,000 (~USD 5,930).
Closer 7 Max Final Table Results
Place | Player | Country | Prize (KRW) | Prize (~USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Shintaro Morita | 20,076,400 | $14,710 | |
2 | Alexandre Paul Viard | 12,490,000 | $9,150 | |
3 | Ayumi Yoshikawa | 8,100,000 | $5,930 | |
4 | Takumi Eguchi | 6,050,000 | $4,430 | |
5 | Austin Blair Currington | 4,730,000 | $3,470 | |
6 | Sho Furutami | 3,780,000 | $2,770 | |
7 | Haruki Hosoya | 3,030,000 | $2,220 | |
8 | Ken Doi | 2,460,000 | $1,800 | |
9 | Chung Yi Ho | 2,460,000 | $1,800 |
Ruki Nishibata Adds Championship Turbo Victory
Ruki Nishibata had two notable results on Monday, beginning with a seventh-place finish in the Mini Championship before going on to win Event #43, the KRW 1,750,000 Championship Turbo 20 Sec.
The Japanese player defeated Hiroki Komemoto heads-up to earn KRW 18,238,000 (~USD 13,360), the largest cash of his career and his second live tournament trophy.
The event attracted 33 entries and made a KRW 50,688,000 (~USD 37,130) prize pool.
Komemoto collected KRW 11,660,000 (~USD 8,540), while Rob Hollink finished third for KRW 7,600,000 (~USD 5,570).
Championship Turbo Results
Place | Player | Country | Prize (KRW) | Prize (~USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ruki Nishibata | 18,238,000 | $13,360 | |
2 | Hiroki Komemoto | 11,660,000 | $8,540 | |
3 | 7,600,000 | $5,570 | ||
4 | Hiroki Morichika | 5,580,000 | $4,090 | |
5 | 4,060,000 | $2,970 | ||
6 | Chunxu Mou | 3,550,000 | $2,600 |
Keita Kitamura Wins PLO Bounty Turbo Following Deal
Keita Kitamura added another title to his poker record in Event #42, the KRW 500,000 PLO Bounty Turbo.
The tournament attracted 33 entries and generated a KRW 7,656,000 (~USD 5,610) regular prize pool, with six players finishing in the money.
Kitamura and Russia's Evgenii I agreed to a heads-up deal, with the Japanese player awarded the title and KRW 2,294,000 (~USD 1,680). Evgenii received KRW 2,222,000 (~USD 1,630). Hisashi Yamanouchi finished third for KRW 1,150,000 (~USD 840).
PLO Bounty Turbo Results
Place | Player | Country | Prize (KRW) | Prize (~USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2,294,000 | $1,680 | ||
2 | 2,222,000 | $1,630 | ||
3 | 1,150,000 | $840 | ||
4 | Alexey No | 840,000 | $620 | |
5 | Daiki Goto | 610,000 | $450 | |
6 | Takumi Nakayama | 540,000 | $400 |
Aoki Katsuomi Takes Evening Hyper Turbo Title
Japan's Aoki Katsuomi claimed Event #44, the KRW 1,000,000 Evening Hyper Turbo 20 Sec, after overcoming a field of 38 entries.
Katsuomi earned KRW 10,832,000 (~USD 7,940), defeating Sean Rounds of the USA heads-up. Rounds collected KRW 6,890,000 (~USD 5,050).
France's Antoine Priniotakis finished third for KRW 4,600,000 (~USD 3,370), followed by Yuri Murakami and Mongolia's Enkhzorig Amarsaikhan.
The event generated a KRW 32,832,000 (~USD 24,050) prize pool, with seven players collecting payouts.
Evening Hyper Turbo Results
Place | Player | Country | Prize (KRW) | Prize (~USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 10,832,000 | $7,940 | ||
2 | Sean Rounds | 6,890,000 | $5,050 | |
3 | 4,600,000 | $3,370 | ||
4 | 3,610,000 | $2,640 | ||
5 | Enkhzorig Amarsaikhan | 2,630,000 | $1,930 | |
6 | 2,300,000 | $1,680 | ||
7 | Shota Iguchi | 1,970,000 | $1,440 |
Hu Heng Je Wins Final 10/10/10 Event
Taiwan's Hu Heng Je rounded out the festival winners after taking down Event #45, the KRW 350,000 10/10/10 Sec tournament.
The closing event attracted 55 entries and produced a KRW 16,632,000 (~USD 12,180) prize pool, with nine players finishing in the money.
Hu earned KRW 4,982,000 (~USD 3,650) after defeating Japan's Wataru Hattori heads-up. Hattori collected KRW 3,160,000 (~USD 2,320), while Russia's Dmitrii Statovskii finished third for KRW 2,080,000 (~USD 1,520).
10/10/10 Final Results
Place | Player | Country | Prize (KRW) | Prize (~USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 4,982,000 | $3,650 | ||
2 | Wataru Hattori | 3,160,000 | $2,320 | |
3 | Dmitrii Statovskii | 2,080,000 | $1,520 | |
4 | Suguru Masuyama | 1,580,000 | $1,160 | |
5 | Jason Keun Young Park | 1,290,000 | $950 | |
6 | Mark Redli | Hungary | 1,120,000 | $820 |
7 | Alen Bakovic | 960,000 | $700 | |
8 | Ashley Katherine Frank | 790,000 | $580 | |
9 | Alexey No | 670,000 | $490 |
WPT Seoul 2026 Comes to an End
The festival concluded after 11 days of tournament action at INSPIRE Entertainment Resort, which hosted WPT Seoul for the first time.
The 1,033-entry INSPIRE Championship was the festival's main attraction, while the final day also saw strong turnouts for the Mini Championship and High Roller, both comfortably exceeding their guaranteed prize pools.
Japan's players were particularly successful during the closing sessions, claiming five of Monday's eight titles, including the Mini Championship, Closer 7 Max and Championship Turbo.
With WPT Seoul 2026 complete, the full tournament results remain available on the official Somuchpoker festival page.
About the Editor
Tim Baker is a UK-born Live Poker Reporter based in Indonesia, covering major poker tournaments across Asia and around the world since 2023. With nearly two decades of experience around live and online poker, he brings deep knowledge of the game and the international poker scene to his tournament coverage.
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