NHN opens 2026 Hangame Baduk Festival qualifiers on October 27
Online qualifiers run through November 9, with 96 players reaching the November 28 offline finals in Seoul and a 21 million won prize pool.
NHN announced on October 22 that it will hold the 2026 Hangame Baduk Festival for users of its web board game Hangame Baduk & Gomoku, according to gamemeca.com. The event is organized by All That Mind and sponsored by Hangame Baduk & Gomoku.
Online qualifiers for the 19-line tournament run from October 27 to November 9 on PC and mobile. Participants must be adult users aged 19 or older and can apply through the HBF page inside the game. Players are split into top, intermediate and beginner divisions, with the top 32 in each division — 96 in total — advancing to the finals.
The offline finals will take place on November 28 at Espace Factory Building D in Seongsu-dong, Seoul. The top division final is a free-placement individual tournament, while the intermediate and beginner divisions are handicap team tournaments. Total prize money is 21 million won, with 1.5 million won for the top division winner and 2 million won for each winning team in the intermediate and beginner divisions.
Simultaneous exhibition with professional players
A simultaneous exhibition with professional Go players will be held offline on November 28, the same day as the finals, with professionals Ko Yun-seo and Yun Ra-eun taking part. Applications for the exhibition are accepted from October 27 to November 9 via the event tab, and 16 people will be selected by lottery.
Final participants for both the finals and the simultaneous exhibition will be notified on November 23. Detailed schedule and participation information will be available on the HBF page within Hangame Baduk & Gomoku from October 27. O Sang-min, head of NHN's Classic Web Board Business Group, said the festival is a gift of gratitude to long-time Hangame Baduk users.
Hangame Baduk has been operated since 1999, according to the NHN official's statement.
Quick answers
When are the 2026 Hangame Baduk Festival online qualifiers?
They run from October 27 to November 9 on PC and mobile Hangame Baduk & Gomoku.
When and where are the offline finals?
The finals are on November 28 at Espace Factory Building D in Seongsu-dong, Seoul.
How much prize money is on offer?
Total prize money is 21 million won, including 1.5 million won for the top division winner and 2 million won for each winning intermediate and beginner team.