Ren Lin has continued his remarkable run on Jeju Island, claiming the Asian Poker Tour (APT) Jeju Classic Super High Roller title for his third win at the South Korean resort in just the first month of 2026.
Lin emerged victorious in the 115-entry tournament, taking home KRW 396,317,500 (~$275,220). The win came less than two weeks after his double victory in the King Poker Cup at the same location. According to APT live reporting, Lin staged a dramatic comeback from a two-big blind deficit on the final day and ultimately defeated Japanese pro Ryuta Nakai heads-up.
The event set a record for the largest prize pool in a Korean tournament, highlighting Jeju’s growing prominence in the Asian poker circuit.
Final Table Results: A Global Lineup
The Super High Roller final table featured players from five countries:
| Position | Player | Country | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ren Lin | China | $275,220 |
| 2 | Ryuta Nakai | Japan | $185,960 |
| 3 | Quang Dinh Do | Vietnam | $120,875 |
| 4 | Khoa Anh Ngo | Vietnam | $100,090 |
| 5 | Guoliang Wei | China | $80,730 |
| 6 | Ryan Plant | Ireland | $63,670 |
| 7 | Yosuke Miki | Japan | $48,680 |
| 8 | Kento Nasu | Japan | $36,645 |
| 9 | Paulius Plausinaitis | Lithuania | $27,350 |
Playing Through Controversy
Despite recent controversies surrounding WPT Global and his involvement, Lin has shown no signs of distraction at the table. The fallout included the Chip Race Podcast severing ties with WPT Global, but Lin’s focus on Jeju has been unwavering.
His latest victory gives him 600 points in the 2026 Card Player Player of the Year (POY) race, building on a 54th-place finish in 2025, when he earned $2.9 million in tournament winnings.
Jeju: Korea’s Emerging Poker Hub
Jeju Island, a subtropical volcanic island with a population of around 670,000, is often called “Korea’s Hawaii.” A popular tourist and honeymoon destination, Jeju hosts 10 casinos, all of which are restricted to foreign passport holders.
- Mainland Koreans cannot gamble at these casinos.
- Most poker players are from China and Japan.
- Chinese tourists are particularly drawn to Jeju due to its visa-free entry until June 30, 2026, offering an escape from restrictive gambling laws at home.
The island has become a major hub for poker in Asia, hosting multiple APT events in 2026:
- Ongoing APT Series: Until Feb. 8, 2026
- APT Jeju 2025 Series: Sept. 25 – Oct. 4, 2026
The Triton Super High Roller Series has also held events in Jeju, most recently in September 2025, cementing the island’s status as a hotspot for high-stakes poker.
