The Match (승부)

BASED ON THE TRUE STORY OF GO PLAYERS CHO HOON-HYUN AND LEE CHANG-HO.

ALL CHARACTERS AND EVENTS MAY DIFFER FROM REAL-LIFE COUNTERPARTS.

THE YING SHIBEI WORLD GO CHAMPIONSHIP WAS HELD IN THE 1980S

TO FIND THE WORLD CHAMPION.

ONE SPOT WAS GIVEN TO KOREA, AN UNDERDOG COUNTRY.

CHO HOON-HYUN 9-DAN ADVANCED TO THE FINAL AGAINST EXPECTATIONS.

HIS OPPONENT, NIE WEIPING 9-DAN OF CHINA, KNOWN AS "THE BLACK BEAR OF THE CONTINENT"

WON THE CHINA-JAPAN SUPER LEAGUE 11 CONSECUTIVE TIMES

AND WAS THE WORLD'S BEST PLAYER.

The last round of the first Ying Shibei World Professional Go Championship Final

will be held in Singapore today.

Korea's Cho Hoon-hyun 9-dan and China's Nie Weiping 9-dan,

tied at two wins and two losses each,

will battle in the match of the century to become the King of Go.

White has won all the previous rounds,

so there's great interest in who'll be white in the final round.

He's here.

A word, please.

Mr. Cho, how are you feeling?

How did you prepare for today's match?

What if you choose black?

- Are you going to attack fiercely? - Nie Weiping!

Piss off to Korea!

China will definitely win!

MATCH VENUE STAMFORD HOTEL, SINGAPORE

Nie Weiping 9-dan, white.

Cho Hoon-hyun 9-dan, black.

Let the match begin.

THE 1ST YING SHIBEI WORLD GO CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL, LAST ROUND

CHO HOON-HYUN 9-DAN VS NIE WEIPING 9-DAN

THE MATCH

Korea's Cho Hoon-hyun 9-dan has ascended to the top of the international Go scene.

Cho defeated not only Japan, which boasts of being

the center of the world Go scene,

but China, where Go originated,

and his victory proves that the quality of Korean Go is top-class.

Right now,

I feel like I couldn't lose to the God of Go himself.

Cho Hoon-hyun 9-dan, the Go world champion,

returned to Korea today.

Cho 9-dan took part in a unique parade from Gimpo Airport

to the Korea Baduk Association located in Jongno 2-ga.

The government has decided to award Cho

with the Eungwan Order of Culture Merit

for improving the prestige of Korean Go throughout the world.

5 MONTHS LATER

ONE-ON-MANY TEACHING MATCH WITH PROFESSIONAL GO PLAYERS

This kid is something.

Didn't he solve the life-and-death problem earlier?

- What? - From earlier.

Gramps, this way.

- Let's go. - Okay.

Look at this! You're in a tight spot, Mr. Cheon.

Look at you sweating.

He's a Go prodigy in Jeonju.

- He started less than six months ago. - Six months?

I heard he's unmatched in Jeonju, no, in the entire Jeolla Province.

- That's right. - Hey.

I think it's over. Why don't we stop here?

Hold on, darn it.

- I don't think it's over yet. - What?

You're wrong. It's over.

If you don't mind, can I step in?

Yes!

What? It's an atari.

YOU MAY CAPTURE THE OPPONENT'S STONE ON THE NEXT MOVE

He's been hit hard.

Call it a tie and stop here?

Wow, that's amazing.

He's as good as I expected! He turned it around.

He's a champion for a reason.

It's harder to win when you have an advantage.

I went too easy on him.

Play another round.

What's with you?

Don't be rude, little kid.

Go play over there.

Stay out of this, novice.

Come on. I want one more round.

I'll win if we play again.

What's your name?

It's Chang-ho.

Lee Chang-ho.

Come on, sit here.

Chang-ho.

I heard you're good with life-and-deaths.

WHEN A PLAYER CAN SAVE THEIR STONES OR KILL THE OPPONENT'S STONES.

Find black's lifeline.

If you solve this, I'll play another match with you.

Do you mean it?

Keep your promise.

You can't take it back.

He's a Lee from Gyeongju, like me.

A family elder kept talking about him,

so I told him to bring the boy.

Well, he's good for a kid.

That little kid has quite a temper. Is he your nephew?

I just met him for the first time.

The family tree is all messed up. He's actually a generation above me.

Looks like I have a young uncle now.

How many handicap stones?

Four stones against a pro in six months?

Did you say "black's lifeline"? Not white?

Did you make a mistake, Mr. Cho?

A mistake? Me?

Why confuse him with a problem that has no answer?

There are no definite answers in Go.

I've never seen a play like this.

His haengma and opening are all mixed up...

THE SHAPE OF STONES

...but it's oddly powerful.

OPENING TACTIC TO GET ADVANTAGE.

- Did you solve it this time? - I think he can do it.

Bend and push.

No, here. There, I mean...

Come on.

Gosh. You're so distracting.

I told you I had to concentrate today.

If you stare at me, I can't get anything done.

You're right.

He needs to focus on this important work,

so let's step out and have a drink.

- Drinks are on me. - We got scolded by him.

If I drink during the day, I'm going to pass out again.

That kid...

Don't you have homework?

Are you going to sit there all day?

He's the only son in three generations, and he adores him.

Humor him and say the boy's good, that he shows talent.

I'll take care of the rest.

Amazing, isn't it?

What a vigorous style from a young man.

I'm 1-kyu in Go,

and I'm lucky to win one out of ten matches with him.

Everyone keeps saying he's a prodigy, filling him up with hot air.

He's so into this silly game of stones that he's ignoring the family business.

Go's stature has risen recently thanks to Champion Cho here.

There are more international competitions,

and you can contribute to Korea's global reputation through it too.

- You think so? - Sure.

That being said,

I was hoping

you could take the boy on for a few months, Mr. Cho.

I would compensate you handsomely

and sponsor you magnanimously too.

Use that money for his studies so he can run the family business.

That would be better for him.

You don't get better at Go by working hard.

No point in training him unless he's a genius.

Talent?

He doesn't have it.

Not a trace of it.

Cho!

Cho!

Hey! Cho Hoon-hyun!

I've worked for months to get that meeting.

Do you know how much money he can give us as a sponsor?

What are we, beggars?

Business meetings, sponsorships, they're all fine.

But let's not put money before Go.

He called it "silly game of stones"!

Don't you have any pride?

Pride?

Min-je.

Cho Min-je, what are you doing?

- Cho Min-je! - Daddy!

You're home.

- Yeah. - I made this for you.

- Hey! I told you not to touch the mail. - Did you?

No, leave it. I'll tidy it up.

- Come here. - Is the mail that interesting?

Come on. Let's wash our hands and eat.

Could you turn on the gas stove?

Let's go up.

I want sausages.

You had some this morning.

KEEP YOUR PROMISE FROM LEE CHANG-HO

Hello.

Hey, Lee. Cho Hoon-hyun speaking.

Oh, hey.

That boy, Chang-ho?

Could I meet him again?

Come on, let's go.

Hurry.

SORRY, WE'RE CLOSED TODAY.

I'll only use three handicap stones.

But if I win, you have to teach me Go.

Why me?

I heard you're the strongest player, mister.

That you're the best in Korea.

Hey!

Best in Korea? Try the best in the world. You have no clue about what's going on.

Hey. The masters are talking.

Why does a novice keep interrupting?

Look just how rude this little brat is.

Last time, I only lost because I gave you four handicap stones.

I'd knock you out in an even game.

You want to win against a kid that badly?

What if you lose?

What will you do for me?