Hong Malk-eun Saem
Hong Malk-eun Saem (often romanised as Hong Malgunsem), born 1981-12-30, is a former Korean amateur player and former yeonguseng (1993-1997) of the Hankuk Kiwon living in Japan from 2005; as of 2009-12-01 he is 1 dan professional of the Kansai Kiin and now is know as Hon Seisen. He was the winner of several amateur tournaments in Korea and Japan (something like Hong Marugunsem is the japanese spelling of his name):
- 1999: Kuksu
- 2000: Best Ten
- 2001: Samsung
- 2001: Kuksu
- 2002: LG
- 2003: Baduk TV
- 2004: SKY Baduk TV (and one other tournament)
In Japan, Hong won:
- 2007: Zen Nihon Meijin?
- 2007: Daiwa Amateur?
- 2008: Daiwa Amateur
- 2009: ProAmHoninboMatch
Hong also placed third in the 2000 World Amateur Go Championship, second in 2002, and second in 2004.
Reference: http://www.i-g-o.jp/nyukai1.doc
View photo at: http://www.nihonkiin.or.jp/match/2009/01/110_3.html
Photos from his wedding (2009-03-04).
valerio: on 2009-01-10, Hong, playing black, lost by only half a point against Xie Yimin in the first round of the 2nd Daiwa Grand Champion, after 327 moves.
John F. Hong's name is unusual in Korean and so strictly be rendered as three parts in romanisation: Hong Malk-eun Saem using the Mc-R usual on SL. The k is also often omitted on pronunciation. In Japanese it is Hon Marugun Semu.