Hon Seisen

洪 清泉,
홍맑은샘

Hon (Hong) Seisen
Hong Malk-eun Saem (Maleunsaem, Malgunsem)
Hon Marugun Semu (ホン・マルグンセム)

b. 1981-12-30
Kansai Ki-in professional (from Korea) and Go educator

1p 2009-12-01, 2p 2013-08-07, 3p 2016-01, 4p 2019

Hong Malk-eun Saem (홍맑은샘; often romanised as __Hong Malgunsem) was born in Korea.

In Korea

After studying as yeonguseng of the Hankuk Kiwon (1993-1997), he won many amateur tournaments:

• 1999: Kuksu
• 2000: Best Ten
• 2000: Chonmekbe cup (beat Alexander Dinerchtein in the final)
• 2001: Samsung
• 2001: Kuksu
• 2002: LG cup
• 2003: Baduk TV
• 2004: SKY Baduk TV (and one other tournament)

Hong also placed third in the 2000 World Amateur Go Championship, second in 2002, and second in 2004.

In Japan

In 2004 he moved to Japan and won many more amateur tournaments:

• 2007: Amateur Meijin
• 2007: Daiwa Shoken Cup—Amateur section
• 2008: Daiwa Amateur
• 2009: Amateur Honinbo (and Pro Am Honinbo Match)

In 2009, he became Kansai-kiin pro 1 dan and changed name to Hon Seisen (洪清泉).

In 2019 he took leave of absense from all tournaments and began concentrating his efforts on education and promotion of Go in Japan and Korea.

He is the teacher of several new Japanese professionals, including Fukuoka Kotaro, Osuka Seira, Miyamoto Chiharu, Chang Fukang, Miura Taro, Yanagihara Saki, and Takayama Nonoka.

Hong has an unusual playing style—he likes rare josekis, trick moves and often plays for influence in the opening.

Hon's Dojo

Kansai Ki-in Japanese Wikipedia PWD

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.