Live poker is booming in Asia right now, and we have the Asian Poker Tour (APT) to thank for that. Coming off the back of the largest and richest poker series to take place in Taiwan, the Natural8-sponsored Asian Poker Tour heads to the beautiful South Korean island of Jeju for the APT Jeju, South Korea 2024 festival.
The APT Jeju, South Korea 2024 festival will take place over ten days between April 26 and May 5. It boasts 90 events and satellites. The top-tier Landing Hotel & Casino will be packed to the rafters throughout the series, as players from far and wide attempt to win a winner's trophy and a bankroll-boosting cash prize.
The APT has seriously pushed the boat out regarding guarantees, with over KRW 5 billion waiting to be won; that huge figure translates to approximately $3.76 million, in case you were interested.
A significant chunk of those combined guarantees stems from the APT Main Event, which will be massive; mark our words. Featuring four flights, each costing KRW 2,500,000 ($1,903) to enter, the APT Jeju, South Korea 2024 Main Event boasts a KRW 2 billion ($1.5 million) guarantee on its prize pool. That represents an increase of over 20 times compared to the last APT Jeju Main Event, which took place in 2017!
August 2023 was the last time the APT dropped anchor in South Korea, although the festival ran at the Paradise Hotel & Resort in Incheon. Its Main Event saw 563 unique players purchase 367 re-entries (930 entrants), each paying KRW 2,300,000 and creating a KRW 1,867,347,000 ($1,410,415) prize pool.
Japan's Shoichiro Tamaki came out on top and returned home with the equivalent of $205,025 after a three-handed deal with runner-up Tsz Wan ($159,520) and third-place finisher Chokejindachai Napat of Thailand ($167,829). Expect even larger payouts this time around.
APT Jeju, South Korea 2024 Schedule
Date
Time
Event
Buy-in (KRW)
Approx Buy-in (USD)
Fri 26 Apr
11:00 a.m.
#1: Korea National Cup Flight A
800,000
$609
2:00 p.m.
#2: Satellite to Korea National Cup
160,000
$122
3:30 p.m.
#3: PL Omaha High
600,000
$457
4:00 p.m.
#4: Single Day High Roller Freezeout
3,000,000
$2,283
6:00 p.m.
#1: Korea National Cup Flight B
800,000
$609
8:00 p.m.
#5: Turbo NL Omaha
400,000
$304
9:30 p.m.
#6: Hyper Turbo
700,000
$533
11:00 p.m.
#7: Super Hyper Turbo
300,000
$228
Sat 27 Apr
11:00 a.m.
#8: Mystery Bounty Hunter Flight A
1,000,000
$761
11:15 p.m.
#1: Korea National Cup Final Day
11:15 a.m.
#9: APT Super High Roller Day 1
13,500,000
$10,274
11:30 a.m.
#10: PL Omaha Hi-Lo 5 Card (Big O)
600,000
$457
11:45 a.m.
#11: NL Hold'em Freezeout
2,000,000
$1,522
2:00 p.m.
#12: Limit Triple Draw Mix
600,000
$457
6:00 p.m.
#8: Mystery Bounty Hunter Flight B
1,000,000
$761
7:00 p.m.
#13: Turbo high Roller
1,100,000
$837
7:30 p.m.
#14: Turbo NL Omaha Hi-Lo 5 Card (Big O)
400,000
$304
9:45 p.m.
#15: Hyper Turbo NL Single Draw 2-7
300,000
$228
11:00 p.m.
#16: Super Hyper Turbo Win the Button
300,000
$228
Sun 28 Apr
11:00 a.m.
#17: Sunday Super Stack
1,100,000
$837
11:15 a.m.
#8: Mystery Bounty Hunter Final Day
11:15 a.m.
#9: APT Super High Roller Final Day
11:15 a.m.
#18: Single Day High Roller
4,000,000
$3,044
11:30 a.m.
#19: PL Omaha High 5-card
600,000
$457
2:00 p.m.
#20: Limit ROSE
600,000
$457
4:00 p.m.
#21: NL Hold'em Teams Event
600,000
$457
7:00 p.m.
#22: Turbo PL Omaha High
400,000
$304
8:00 p.m.
#23: Satellite to KRW 2.5 Million
500,000
$381
9:30 p.m.
#24: Hyper Turbo NL ROSE
300,000
$228
10:00 p.m.
#25: Tick Tock BOOM
500,000
$381
Mon 29 Apr
11:00 a.m.
#26: APT Main Event Flight A
2,500,000
$1,903
11:15 a.m.
#27: Superstar Challenge Day 1
30,000,000
$22,831
11:30 a.m.
#28: Omaha Masters PL Omaha Hiigh
1,500,000
$1,142
11:45 a.m.
#29: Single Day High Roller Mystery Bounty
4,500,000
$3,425
12:00 p.m.
#30: NL Hold'em Freezeout
1,000,000
$761
6:00 p.m.
#31: Satellite to KRW 2.5 Million
500,000
$381
7:15 p.m.
#32: Turbo High Roller
1,100,000
$837
7:30 p.m.
#33: Turbo NL Omaha High Double Board
400,000
$304
9:30 p.m.
#34: Hyper Turbo
500,000
$381
9:45 p.m.
#35: Hyper Turbo NL 8-Game
300,000
$228
11:00 p.m.
#36: Super Hyper Turbo Super Hold'em
300,000
$228
Tue 30 Apr
11:00 a.m.
#26: APT Main Event Flight B
2,500,000
$1,903
11:15 a.m.
#27: Superstar Challenge Final Day
11:15 a.m.
#37: Single Day High Roller
4,000,000
$3,044
11:30 a.m.
#38: Mix Game Masters 9-Game
1,500,000
$1,142
11:45 a.m.
#39: NL Hold'em Single Re-Entry
1,000,000
$761
3:00 p.m.
#40: Women's Event
600,000
$457
6:00 p.m.
#41: Satellite to KRW 2.5 Million
500,000
$381
7:30 p.m.
#42: Turbo PL Omaha High-Low 5-card (Big O)
400,000
$304
8:00 p.m.
#43: Turbo
700,000
$533
9:45 p.m.
#44: Hyper Turbo NL Single Draw Mix
300,000
$228
11:00 p.m.
#45: Super Hyper Turbo Bomb Pot
300,000
$228
Wed 1 May
11:00 a.m.
#26: APT Main Event Flight C
2,500,000
$1,903
11:15 a.m.
#46: Single Day High Roller
3,500,000
$2,664
11:30 a.m.
#47: PL Omaha High/Hi-Lo Mix 5-card
600,000
$457
11:45 a.m.
#48: NL Hold'em Bounty
1,000,000
$761
2:00 p.m.
#49: Limit Triple Draw Lowball mix
600,000
$457
4:00 p.m.
#50: Women's Event
300,000
$228
6:00 p.m.
#26: APT Main Event Flight D
2,500,00)
$1,903
7:15 p.m.
#51: Turbo
900,000
$685
7:30 p.m.
#52: Turbo NL Omaha High Lazy Rivers
400,000
$304
9:30 p.m.
#53: Hyper Turbo Double Stack
300,000
$228
11:00 p.m.
#55: Super Hyper Turbo
300,000
$228
Thu 2 May
11:00 a.m.
#26: APT Main Event Day 2
2,500,000
$1,903
11:00 p.m.
#56: PL Omaha High Lazy Rivers
600,000
$457
2:00 p.m.
#57: NL Hold'em Freezeout
800,000
$609
4:00 p.m.
#58: Single Day High Roller Big Bounty
4,000,000
$3,044
7:00 p.m.
#59: Zodiac Classic Day 1
3,000,000
$2,283
9:00 p.m.
#60: Tick Tock BOOM!
500,000
$381
10:00 p.m.
#61: Hyper Turbo NL ROSE
300,000
$228
11:00 p.m.
#62: Super Hyper Turbo Crazy Pineaple
300,000
$228
Fri 3 May
11:00 a.m.
#63: Double Stack Flight A
1,000,000
$761
11:15 a.m.
#26: APT Main Event Day 3
11:15 a.m.
#59: Zodiac Classic Final Day
3,000,000
$2,283
11:15 a.m.
#64: Baby Superstar Challenge
10,000,000
$7,610
11:30 a.m.
#65: PL Omaha High 5-Card
600,000
$457
11:45 a.m.
#66: NL Hold'em heads-Up (32 Cap)
800,000
$609
2:00 p.m.
#67: Limit Triple Stud
600,00
$457
6:00 p.m.
#63: Double Stack Flight B
1,000,000
$761
7:00 p.m.
#68: Satellite to APT High Roller
1,100,000
$837
7:15 p.m.
#69: Turbo
600,000
$457
8:00 p.m.
#70: Turbo PL Omaha High 5-Card
400,000
$304
9:30 p.m.
#71: Hyper Turbo
500,000
$381
9:45 p.m.
#72: Hyper Turbo NL Single Draw Mix
300,000
$228
11:00 a.m.
#73: Super Hyper Turbo
300,000
$228
Sat 4 May
11:00 a.m.
#74: Mini Main Event Flight A
800,000
$609
11:15 a.m.
#26: APT Main Event Final Day
11:15 a.m.
#63: Double Stack Final Day
11:15 a.m.
#75: PL Omaha Hi-Lo 5-Card (Big O)
600,000
$457
11:15 a.m.
#76: APT High Roller
7,000,000
$5,327
11:30 a.m.
#77: NL Hold'em Freezeout
1,500,000
$1,142
2:00 p.m.
#78: Dealer's Choice (19 Games)
600,000
$457
6:00 p.m.
#74: Mini Main Event Flight B
800,000
$609
7:30 p.m.
#79: Turbo PL Omaha Hi-Lo 5-Card (Big O)
400,000
$304
9:00 p.m.
#81: Hyper Turbo Double Stack
600,000
$457
9:45 p.m.
#81: Hyper Turbo NL 8-Game
300,000
$228
11:00 p.m.
#82: Super Hyper Turbo
300,000
$228
Sun 5 May
11:00 a.m.
#83: Micro Main Event
400,000
$304
11:15 a.m.
#74: Mini Main Event Final Day
11:15 a.m.
#76: APT High Roller Final Day
11:15 a.m.
#84: Omaholic (Omaha Hi – PL Pre/NL Post)
600,000
$457
11:30 a.m.
#85: Last Chance High Roller
3,000,000
2,283
3:00 p.m.
#86: Turbo
700,000
$533
4:30 p.m.
#87: Turbo PL Omaha High Win the Button
400,000
$304
5:30 p.m.
#88: Hyper Turbo
400,000
$304
6:00 p.m.
#89: Hyper Turbo High Roller
1,500,000
$1,142
7:30 p.m.
#90: Super Hyper Turbo
300,000
$228
The APT Jeju, South Korea 2024 schedule is brimming with events and satellites, as you can see from the above table. Although No-Limit Hold'em dominates proceedings, as it does on almost every live and online poker festival's schedule, there are dozens of non-hold'em events for players to get their teeth into.
Several Pot-Limit Omaha variants, including "Big O," feature. As do Stud, Single and Triple Draw games, while a Dealer's Choice that has 19 possible games to choose from, will keep mixed game players on their toes.
Bertrand \"ElkY\" Gropellier won the Superstar Challenge in Taiwan
Those who love to see poker's biggest names in action should be delighted to learn that a Superstar Challenge is scheduled in Jeju. While the event does not guarantee its prize pool, the fact that it costs KRW 30,000,000 ($22,831) to enter means it will naturally attract some of the world's greatest players to the Landing Hotel & Casino.
The Superstar Challenge, held in Taiwan, saw luminaries such as Steve O'Dwyer, Isaac Haxton, Espen Jorstad, Danny Tang, Biao Ding, and Roman Hrabec compete. French superstar Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier came away with the top honors, banking the equivalent of $367,770 after defeating Lester Edoc heads-up.
Stay tuned to PokerNews over the coming days as we bring you a guide about everything you need to know about the APT Jeju, South Korea 2024, followed by a detailed recap of all the juiciest results from the bustling schedule.
Matthew Pitt hails from Leeds, West Yorkshire, in the United Kingdom, and has worked in the poker industry since 2008, and worked for PokerNews since 2010. In September 2010, he became the editor of PokerNews. Matthew stepped away from live reporting duties in 2015, and now concentrates on his role of Senior Editor for the PokerNews.
