WPT® Prime Korea Smashes Guarantee as Zengxiang Chen Wins Jeju Poker Festival Title

Key Takeaways

• The WPT® Prime Korea Main Event at Jeju Shinhwa World Resort broke records with 515 entries and a KRW 667 million prize pool, nearly doubling its KRW 350 million guarantee.
• China’s Zengxiang Chen captured the title and KRW 129,030,000 (≈ $94,000) after just six months playing live, a breakout win in one of Asia’s biggest festivals.
• Online qualifiers on WPT® Global began at just ¥33 (≈ $0.20), giving casual players worldwide a realistic path to live success.
• The Jeju Poker Festival united three major tours, being the Red Dragon Poker Tour, K Poker Cup, and WPT® Prime, across 12 days and KRW 2.88 billion in guarantees.
• With record turnout and global reach, Jeju confirmed its place as one of Asia’s premier poker destinations and a key stop on the WPT® circuit.

Global Qualifiers Feed Jeju’s Biggest Festival Yet

Powered by WPT® Global, the road to Jeju began online.

Players could start from ¥33 (≈ $0.20) satellites and advance to ¥330 weekly finals, where complete Main Event packages were awarded.

That structure made Jeju accessible to all bankrolls.

These entry-level routes turned casual online grinders into live contenders, proving once again that small buy-ins can lead to big-stage moments.

Record Turnout and Final-Table Drama

Across three starting flights (Day 1A, 1B and 1C), chip leaders rotated between Zengxiang Chen (China), George Tomescu (Romania), and Mingchen Zhang (China).

When registration closed, the field stood at 515 entries, nearly doubling the guarantee and building a KRW 667 million prize pool.

The Final 9 featured players from five countries, highlighting Jeju’s reach as a global stage. Long-time regional pros and first-timers shared the felt, reflecting how inclusive WPT® Prime events have become.

The Champion’s Story — Zengxiang Chen

Chen’s run capped one of the year’s best breakout stories.

He has played live tournaments for only six months, after years of studying online strategy. Entering Day 3 as a mid-stack, he stayed disciplined through short-stack swings and never lost focus.

After lifting the trophy, Chen thanked his wife for her support.

“This title will remain one of the greatest glories of my life,” he said.

His steady line under pressure drew praise from opponents and event staff alike, a quiet yet convincing performance that showed new talent keeps emerging from Asia’s online-to-live pathway.

Jeju Poker Festival — A Global Stage

The Jeju Poker Festival unites the Red Dragon Poker Tour, K Poker Cup, and WPT® Prime Korea into a single 12-day schedule. 

This year’s edition featured 90 events and KRW 2.88 billion guaranteed, solidifying Jeju as one of Asia’s strongest poker destinations.

The collaboration between tours produced record traffic: the KPC Main Event surpassed its KRW 880 million guarantee, while side events doubled expectations. International coverage and packed hotel blocks confirmed that Jeju Shinhwa World Resort is becoming a fixture on the global circuit.

There were 515 entries into the record-breaking Jeju Poker Festival this year, with a KRW 667 million prize pool.

Festival Stats at a Glance

WPT® Global — The Online Gateway to the Live Dream

From micro-stakes satellites to the bright lights of Jeju, WPT® Global continues to bridge online and live poker. 

The platform now feeds direct seats into WPT® Prime, WPT® World Championship, and regional partner events, making live qualification easier than ever.

Join the journey:

• WPT Global Qualifiers
• Crazy Freeroll Series

For many players, Jeju 2025 proved what’s possible.

A ¥33 entry can become a six-figure championship. A new player can stand beside veterans under WPT® lights. And each festival adds another chapter to poker’s expansion across Asia. 

More to come.