King Poker Cup Delivers for Players w/ Ren Lin at Center of Attention
Table Of Contents
The inaugural King Poker Cup wrapped up in Jeju with the clear intention of becoming a major player in the rapidly-expanding Asian poker market. And after a week of card-playing action, the new series delivered a festival to remember.
Running January 11–18 at LES A Casino, Jeju Shinhwa World, the King Poker Cup debuted as a premium extension of the wider K Poker Cup (KPC) brand. The concept aimed to build a high-end festival that could stand alongside Asia’s biggest poker stops, with buy-ins designed for the region’s growing pool of mid-to-high-stakes players.
With $5,000 openers, a $10,000 Mystery Bounty, a $15,000 Main Event, $30,000 Final Coronation and a high-stakes Big Bounty special, the series wasted little time showing what it was about. And at the center of it all was the headline-making Ren Lin.
Ren Lin Takes Two Titles in Jeju
Lin finished the series with two victories, headlined by a win in the The King’s Main Event, where he topped a 191-entry field to claim $600,700 from a $2,681,700 prize pool. After three days of play, the Chinese high roller became the first-ever King Poker Cup Main Event champion.
Earlier in the week, Lin also won the $10,000 NLH/PLO Mix, adding another $70,000 to his series earnings and cementing himself as the standout performer of the festival.
His presence in Jeju came during a turbulent stretch off the felt. Lin was recently disqualified from a WSOP Circuit event before receiving an indefinite ban from GGPoker and the World Series of Poker, only to be reinstated seven weeks later. Shortly after his return, he was announced as a WPT Global ambassador, a move that prompted the World Poker Tour to publicly distance itself from the role, noting that WPT Global licenses the WPT name but operates independently.
That announcement also coincided with David Lappin and Dara O’Kearney stepping away from their ambassadorial roles at WPT Global, citing irreconcilable differences. In Jeju, however, the focus stayed on the tables, where Lin backed up the headlines with results.
King Poker Cup Full Results
| Event | Buy-in (USD) | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| King's Debut Opener | $5,000 | 362 | $1,658,900 | Yang Zhang | $330,500 |
| NLH - 8 Handed Turbo | $8,000 | 33 | $246,200 | Christopher Park | $92,400 |
| Crown Hunt Mystery Bounty | $10,000 | 109 | $1,020,300 | Matas Cimbolas | $242,500 |
| The King's Main Event | $15,000 | 191 | $2,681,700 | Ren Lin | $600,700 |
| NLH/PLO Mix | $10,000 | 12 | $112,300 | Ren Lin | $70,000 |
| NLH - 8 Handed | $15,000 | 51 | $716,100 | N/A | $237,200 |
| Final Coronation | $30,000 | 68 | $1,909,500 | Lei Yu | $485,500 |
| Big Bounty ($6,500 bounties) | $15,000 | 2 | $28,100 | Tom Heung | $28,100 |
Strong Numbers Across the Debut Schedule
Beyond Lin’s double, the King Poker Cup produced healthy fields across the board. The $5,000 King’s Debut Opener drew 362 entries, creating a $1,658,900 prize pool that Yang Zhang converted into a $330,500 payday. The $10,000 Crown Hunt Mystery Bounty attracted 109 entries and was won by Matas Cimbolas, while the series closed with the $30,000 Final Coronation, where Lei Yu topped a 68-entry field for $485,500.
High Roller events throughout the week were well attended, and by the end of the festival both the K Poker Cup and King Poker Cup series had surpassed 800 unique participants.
KPC Momentum Continues to Build
The Jeju stop also formed part of a broader surge for the K Poker Cup brand. In just over a year, KPC has established itself as a major player on the Asian circuit. The 2026 K Poker Cup × Long Poker Tour (LPT) Series Main Event alone recorded 2,030 total entries, highlighting the rapid expansion of its player base.
That January joint effort concluded with a KRW 2,280,100,000 (~1,555,470) total prize pool. Zhang Lante — the champion — collected KRW 296,250,000 (~$203,000) before ICM, dual championship trophies, and a $15,000 seat to the King Poker Cup Series.
During the series, KPC also launched its new official website, kpcpoker.com, which now serves as a central hub for tournament schedules, news, and updates across both the K Poker Cup and King Poker Cup brands.
