Kang Dong-shin earned a silver medal in eSports Puyo Puyo, preserving South Korea's pride. Japan's 11-year-old prodigy, Guri Hara Yuki, won the gold medal, becoming the youngest medalist and gold medalist in Asian Games history.
On September 26, Kang faced Guri Hara in the finals of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games eSports Puyo Puyo competition held in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture, where he lost 2-10.
Despite the defeat, Kang managed to win two sets against Guri Hara, making him the only player in the tournament to take multiple sets from the young champion. Guri Hara only dropped sets to Kang and Thailand's Thanarak Wongkittikun, whom he defeated 10-1 in the semifinals. Kang had previously secured a single set against Guri Hara in the group stage, although he ultimately lost that match 1-3.
In preparation for the tournament, Kang dedicated himself to 12 hours of training each day. However, he typically plays Puyo Puyo in a windowed mode with a smaller screen, which was prohibited during the competition. Nevertheless, he adapted by placing the keyboard on his lap and positioning himself as far from the screen as possible while still securing a medal.
At 24 years old, Kang's extensive training paid off, while Guri Hara showcased his talent despite his young age and limited practice time. According to local Japanese media, Guri Hara first picked up a game controller as a Christmas gift of 'Puyo Puyo Tetris 2' during kindergarten. After starting elementary school, he devoted four hours a day to gaming, but recently, due to academic commitments, he has been limited to one hour on weekdays and two hours on weekends, attending a cram school three times a week until 9 p.m. for middle school entrance exams.
With his gold medal win, Guri Hara set a new record as the youngest medalist in Asian Games history. At just 11 years old, he surpassed the previous record held by Nimas Bunga Cinta of Indonesia, who won a bronze medal in women's street skateboarding at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games at the age of 12.
Puyo Puyo is a puzzle game where players connect four or more characters of the same color to clear them. Players aim to create chains of consecutive block removals to send obstructive blocks to their opponents, winning by filling their opponent's screen. Guri Hara reportedly achieved a maximum chain of 19 during the tournament, consistently frustrating his opponents with his signature chain attacks.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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