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 Post subject: Kim In - Fierce Tiger
Post #1 Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2021 5:02 am 
Oza

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I posted somewhere else on L19 about Korean go having some problems with strict rules interpretations because they had registered to be classed as a sport. The flip side of the coin is that they get a chance to be honoured for "outstanding meritorious services in the interest of improving citizens' physique and national status in sports". That is, they get a gong. Kim In 9-dan, who died earlier this year, has now been gonged, at a very high level. Within the Order of Sports Merit (体育勲章) he has now been appointed to the class of Fierce Tigers (猛虎章). Only the Order of Blue Dragons is higher, and that is normally reserved for the likes of foreigners (Prince Philip and the IOC head) or Koreans who have made it on the world stage, such as Olympic gold medallists.

Kim thus avoided being called a more lowly species: a Great Elephant, a White Horse or a Giraffe as the ignorant say (it's a kylin).

Kim presumably missed out on Dragon status because he didn't have an international profile, although he did begin his career in Japan. He was allowed to enter the Oteai unranked, and after winning all his games he was awarded 3-dan at one, thus matching Go Seigen's feat. He finished with a career record of 860 wins out of 1568 official games (55%), rather impressive when you consider he was up against the likes of Cho Hun-hyeon and Seo Pong-su for much of the time.

I once met members of Kim's fan club in Korea. They were close to the "Britney we love you" type of fan and had just compiled his collected games. I was given a copy but found I actually had more games in GoGoD than they did!

Sports people being classed as fierce tigers may seen a little strange to us, but it reminds me when I went to Korea with Mrs Thatcher on what the Koreans treated as a quasi-state visit. You will recall Maggie's reputation. When someone asked what British politics would do if she were run over by a bus, a Cabinet colleague said, "The bus wouldn't dare." But I was right behind her as we walked into the terminal at Gimpo Airport. As we turned a corner Maggie nearly leapt out of her skin (as did the rest of us, I might add). Lined up there was a guard of honour who all had expressions that would have felled even a fierce tiger.

And you may also recall it was the promise of being given a fierce tiger painting for becoming pro that propelled the infant Cho Chikun to stardom.

Fierce tigers, let us salute them all. But, today, Kim In (1943~2021) especially.


This post by John Fairbairn was liked by 2 people: CDavis7M, gowan
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