Former baduk apprentices promote the board game

Kim Jeong-min, a reporter at Monthly Baduk (the Korean word for go) and Jeong Jae-woo, a scheduler at the Korea Baduk Association, are both former apprentices at the association. Just as Jang Geu-rae did in the popular comic book "Misaeng," they could not make a debut in the professional board game league. However, they found a relevant career in other parts of society. Hwang In-seong, who is teaching Korean baduk in Europe, is also making a successful career.

Kim, who felt lost for a while in his early 20s after giving up making a professional debut, joined the monthly baduk magazine with the recommendation by a baduk professor at Myongji University. Three years into his career as a baduk reporter, he now finds his job interesting. He feels proud when his ideas are adopted at editorial meetings. "A story of a movie like a round of baduk" is also his idea. The columns are written by professional baduk players who like movies and have talents in writing. Kim uses his long experiences in the baduk community to find writers. He says he wants to do as many things as possible before he turns 30, including learning how to play the guitar, traveling, and baking cakes.

Jeong`s scheduler job is unfamiliar to many ordinary people. In short, he makes match schedules for professional baduk players. The job requires meticulousness as he has to make schedules after considering demands not only from baduk players but also from their sponsors. Although the job is prone to cause complaints from here and there, he performs a relatively clean job.

"It is a welcome thing that the popularity of storytelling like Misaeng has increased the public interest in baduk," said Kim Ji-eun, a former baduk apprentice who is now a planner at Cyber Oro, an online baduk site. "I would like to make a contribution to securing cultural content for the baduk community."