Kang Dong-shin earned a silver medal in eSports Puyo Puyo, preserving South Korea's pride. Japan's 11-year-old gaming prodigy Yuki Kurihara won the gold medal, becoming the youngest medalist and gold medalist in Asian Games history.
On September 26, Kang faced Kurihara in the finals of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games eSports Puyo Puyo competition at the Aichi Sky Expo Hall D in Tokoname, Japan, losing 2-10.
Despite the loss, Kang managed to win two sets against Kurihara, becoming the only player in the tournament to take multiple sets from him. Kurihara only dropped sets to Kang and Thailand's Thanarak Wongkittikun, whom he defeated 10-1 in the semifinals. Earlier in the group stage, Kang was the only player to win a set against Kurihara, 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 in this competition. Nevertheless, he adapted by placing the keyboard on his lap and positioning himself as far from the screen as possible while competing for the Puyo Puyo medal.
At 24, Kang's extensive training paid off with a medal, while Kurihara showcased his talent despite his young age and limited training time. According to local Japanese media, Kurihara first picked up a controller at kindergarten, receiving Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 as a Christmas gift. 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, Kurihara broke the previous record for the youngest medalist at the Asian Games. At just 11 years old, he surpassed the record set 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.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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