Some festival runs are memorable. Others become part of the story of the series itself.
At Players Series Championship III Taipei, Kim Kiyoung, delivered one of the most remarkable performances of the festival, capturing both the PS Championship Super High Roller and the PS Championship Main Event in a stunning double-major triumph. It was the kind of run that instantly commands attention, not only because of the results, but because of the discipline, composure, and determination it took to achieve them.
For Kim, the victories were as surprising to him as they were to everyone watching.
“I’m surprised too,” he shared. “However, I did my best and I think it’s the result of hard work.”
Player Spotlight: Kim Kiyoung
A Journey Built In Just Three Years
Kim’s rise in poker is especially impressive when considering how recently his journey began. He has only been playing poker for around three years, a relatively short time for a player who has already managed to claim two of the biggest titles in a single festival.
Unlike many players who were introduced to the game by friends or through home games, Kim’s path into poker was self-driven. His interest came from within, and once the game caught his attention, he studied it seriously. What first drew him in was simple and honest: the excitement and possibility that poker offered.
He admits that the game’s ability to create life-changing moments was one of the first things that fascinated him. Over time, that early curiosity turned into commitment.
Before poker became central to his life, Kim was the president of a small company. As circumstances around his environment and work changed, poker became more than just an interest. It became a new direction.
Hard Work, Patience, and Refusal To Give Up
While the results at PS Championship III were exceptional, Kim does not speak about them in terms of luck or destiny. Instead, he returns again and again to one theme: effort.
That mindset showed throughout the festival. Whether in the Super High Roller or the Main Event, Kim approached both with the same determination to keep pushing until the very end. Asked how he adjusted between the two very different events, his answer reflected a player focused on endurance and resilience: he simply made an effort not to give up.
It is a straightforward answer, but perhaps that is what defines Kim’s run best. There was no need for overstatement. He trusted his work, stayed in the fight, and let the results speak.
His response on handling pressure was equally revealing. For Kim, composure at the highest level comes from stability, confidence, and having the chips to work with. When the pressure builds near a title, he believes both restraint and patience are essential. It is a balance that every champion needs, and at PS Championship III, Kim found it at exactly the right moments.
Winning the Main Event Meant the Most
As extraordinary as it was to win both marquee titles, Kim made it clear that the Main Event held special meaning for him.
He described winning it as the result of his hard work, and said it felt especially meaningful because it was his first Main Event title. Even after already claiming the Super High Roller, the Main Event brought a different kind of emotion and fulfilment.
That says a lot about how players view these titles. High rollers carry prestige and elite competition, but Main Events often hold a different emotional weight. They are the championships that define a festival, the tournaments every player dreams of winning, and for Kim, lifting that trophy became the highlight of an already extraordinary series.
Condition, Energy, and Championship Rhythm
Kim also offered a glimpse into how he managed himself across such a demanding festival. He described himself as a player who values his condition very highly. He does not enjoy drinking or sleeping in, and that sense of routine and discipline clearly played a role in his ability to perform across multiple deep runs.
Asked where his best poker comes from, Kim pointed to energy. During a series as intense as this one, he felt he needed to be even more energized as the tournaments progressed. That insight is telling. Championship-level poker is not only about cards, reads, and strategy. It is also about maintaining focus, stamina, and emotional balance over long days and even longer festivals.
Kim’s double-major sweep was not just a technical achievement. It was also a physical and mental one.
A Special Run at Players Series
When asked about his experience at PS Championship III Taipei, Kim’s answers showed both the excitement of the moment and the emotional swings that make live tournament poker so unforgettable.
One of his happiest memories came from a huge hand where he won a massive pot holding kings in a multi-way all-in showdown. It was exactly the kind of explosive moment that can define an entire series for a player — the sort of spot that players replay in their minds long after the event is over.
Kim also shared that although he felt the previous Players Series had seen even bigger fields, he still believed the PS tournament experience was better than many other competitions, which was one of the reasons he chose to return and play again. That is meaningful praise coming from a player who competes across multiple major tours, including WSOP, WSOPE, APT, ZSOP, Poker Dream, and more. Kim is clearly no stranger to the international circuit, and for a player with that level of experience to speak positively about Players Series says a great deal.
Players Series – A Growing Reputation in Korea – and Beyond
Kim believes Players Series has become a well-known competition in Korea, and he feels its profile has continued to grow. He also spoke confidently about the strength of Korean poker players, saying the level will continue to improve.
At the same time, he believes the wider level of Asian poker is still underestimated by many outside the region. Having competed internationally, including in Europe, Kim has experienced firsthand the difference in perception. For him, Asia’s players deserve greater recognition, and he wants to continue proving that on the felt by competing against players from all over the world.
His ambition remains clear. He wants to keep moving forward, keep improving, and continue chasing bigger goals. His ultimate dream is to win on poker’s biggest stages.
More Than Two Titles
For readers just getting to know him, Kim hopes they will see more than the headlines. He wants people to understand that Korean players have real strength, real talent, and real ambition. He also hopes his recent success will bring more attention and support, not only for himself, but for the players around him.
And after a performance like this, that support is certain to grow.
At Players Series Championship III Taipei, Kim Kiyoung did more than win two major events. He announced himself in emphatic fashion, delivering a performance built on hard work, energy, discipline, and belief.
Some champions win titles.
Some champions create a moment.
At PS Championship III, Kim Kiyoung did both.
