Chaar-Lee discovered poker over 20 years ago, starting with fixed-limit games before embracing the rise of No-Limit Hold’em across cash games, STTs, and MTTs. In the early days, he and his circle sometimes played more than 40 different formats in a single night. He organized the first poker camp in his region and has contributed poker technology to several televised shows. Today, he supports the SOMUCHPOKER team from the tech side, blending two decades of poker passion with technical expertise.

Updated: 2025.09.28

South Korea-born Jinwoo Kim has a relatively thin poker resume’ but nonetheless marked with solid career achievements. Kim played sparingly early in his career and had a more regular participation post-pandemic. He resides in Bellevue, Washington and at one point represented the United States. Officially, based on the Hendon Mob database, Jinwoo Kim is listed as South Korean and ranks 48th in the Korea All Time Money List.

Jinwoo Kim – Through The Years

Jinwoo Kim burst into the live poker scene in August 2017, placing second in his very first recorded tournament. Kim finished runner-up to American Albert Paik at the APT Main Event of the Asian Poker Tour Incheon. The Korean also made his first big cash of $ 22,663 in the process. Then Kim went off the poker grid.

He reappeared less than a year later in June 2018 at the same Poker series, Seoul edition. But this time, Kim bagged the Main Event of the Asian Poker Tour Seoul and took home his very first APT trophy together with nearly an identical prize money of $ 23,719. In an interview after the win, he was quoted as saying, “the title was everything”. Kim also finished second in the APT Player of the Series, topped by Canada’s Stephane Blouin. Then just like the after his 2017 win, he disappeared from the live action scene.

Jinwoo Kim Returns

Jinwoo Kim made a second return to live tournament play in February 2019 and this time played a fuller season with appearances in Taipei, Korea and Manila. In June, he finished deep at the APPT National of the Asia Pacific Poker Tour Jeju cashing $ 20,505. Kim capped the year with a deep run in the Da Nang Main Event of the Poker King Cup Vietnam 2019 banking $ 14,961. Post-pandemic, Jinwoo Kim again played sparingly, entering only single tournaments for the years 2021 and 2022 at the APL High Roller Series South Korea, Dongnam and the Masters League, Seoul respectively.

Jinwoo Kim returned to regular play in 2023 and despite his limited exposure the past 2 years, he remarkably picked up a major win, shipping the High Roller-8 Max Event of the Asian Poker Tour Phu Quoc Vietnam giving Kim his second APT title and a career best cash of $ 53,905. Interestingly, Kim was listed as representing the United States. Whichever country he represented though, Kim did not seem to lose the feel for the live felt, backing up his APT win with a runner-up finish at the Mini High Roller Event of the Asia Pacific Poker Tour Cambodia, Phnom Penh adding $ 25,487 more to his earnings.

The year would also see Kim participating in his first U.S. tournaments with stints at the The Wynn Summer Classic, Las Vegas and the 54th World Series of Poker 2023, Las Vegas. He made decent runs at the WSOP Main Event and the NLH Event of the Wynn Summer Classic, cashing a total of more than $ 60,000.

Kim returned to the winner’s circle in 2024, shipping the Grand Event of the ASIA Series Poker Tour Korea 2024, Incheon. He made a second trip to the U.S., appearing at the 55th World Series of Poker 2024, Las Vegas and the 2024 Aria Poker Classic, Las Vegas. Jinwoo Kim currently has total live earnings of $417,149.

*Profile by Mike Alcazaren