The K Poker Cup (KPC) is South Korea’s largest live poker series, and it runs twice a year at Les A Casino on Jeju Island. The July 2026 festival guaranteed ₩2 billion across 222 events and pulled 15,360 entries, with the Main Event costing ₩1,300,000 and a $100,000 Super High Roller sitting at the top of the schedule. For most visiting players a week on Jeju — flights, hotel and one Main Event bullet — lands somewhere between $1,500 and $2,500.
Two series, one casino, and a large price gap
The confusing part for newcomers is that “KPC” is really two festivals stacked back to back under the same roof. The K Poker Cup itself is the volume series: dozens of events, buy-ins that start under ₩1,000,000, and the deep fields that make the trip worthwhile for mid-stakes players. The King Poker Cup, which debuted in January 2026, is the premium sibling bolted onto the end of it — fewer events, far bigger numbers, built around four flagship tournaments.
In 2026 that meant the K Poker Cup ran July 25 to August 4, with the King Poker Cup overlapping from August 3 to August 10. January followed the same shape: a KPC block from January 3, then the King Poker Cup’s four “crown jewels” — King’s Debut, Crown Hunt, The King’s Main Event and Final Coronation — from January 11 to 18.
What the 2026 numbers actually looked like
The series has grown fast for something that only started in 2018, when it launched as the Korea Poker Cup before rebranding under the DK Tour banner. The April 2025 Main Event set a then-record 1,228 entries. By July 2026 the Main Event was drawing 1,692, and the full festival counted 15,360 entries across 222 tournaments.
The top end has attracted genuine names: Bryn Kenney took the King’s Charity Super High Roller for $1.954 million, and Tony Ren Lin won January’s King’s Main Event for $600,700. That sits in the same building as ₩900,000 openers, which is the whole point of the format.
Buy-in tiers, from ₩900K openers to a $100K seat
Converting at roughly ₩1,390 to the US dollar, the 2026 ladder ran something like this:
Entry level: Jeju Opening at ₩900,000 (~$650) with a ₩180,000,000 guarantee. Mid-tier: a Mystery Bounty at ₩1,000,000 (~$720) guaranteeing ₩300,000,000. Flagship: the KPC Main Event at ₩1,300,000 (~$940) with ₩880,000,000 guaranteed. High rollers: ₩5,000,000 and ₩7,000,000 events (~$3,600 and ~$5,000). Top: the King’s Charity Super High Roller at $100,000, plus a King Poker Cup Main Event priced in dollars at $15,000.
Three separate Player of the Series races run alongside it, paying out rings and bracelets rather than cash — worth knowing if you are planning volume rather than one shot at the Main.
Les A, and what Jeju costs around the tables
KPC has moved venues as it has grown: Jeju Shinhwa World in 2024, Landing Casino Jeju in 2025, and Les A Casino for both 2026 editions. Incheon’s Paradise City has also hosted series events, so check the venue before you book — Jeju and Incheon are a flight apart. Our Jeju poker rooms guide covers what else is running on the island between festivals.
Jeju’s separate visa-waiver arrangement is a large part of why the island works as a regional poker hub, and the fields reflect that: professionals and recreationals from China, Japan, Taiwan and Korea, playing considerably softer than a comparable European stop. Entry rules change by nationality, so confirm your own status before you buy flights.
At the other extreme, the January King Poker Cup sold early-bird VIP packages — $30,000 for the Triple Crown (six nights at the Jeju Marriott, transfers, butler service) and $60,000 for the Quadruple-Champion version over eight nights. Most players will ignore those and book a hotel independently, which is where the trip stays affordable.
Cheaper ways in
KPC runs an on-site satellite progression feeding seats into the flagship events, and that is the realistic route for anyone not paying ₩1,300,000 straight off the card. The other angle is the Road to KPC LIVE Super League, a ₩2,500,000 event whose top three finishers earned direct entry into the January 2027 edition — a seat that pays for itself.
Recent editions have not advertised online qualifiers, so treat satellites as something you do once you land. Building the trip bankroll online first and hit a snag with a deposit or verification? Ping @PAGDaddyBot on Telegram before you book.
Weighing KPC against the island’s other option, the Asian Poker Tour also stops in Jeju with a broader international field, while most of this player pool grinds Natural8 between festivals. Schedule history is tracked at SoMuchPoker, and PokerNews published the full July 2026 event list.
K Poker Cup FAQ
When is the next K Poker Cup?
The series runs two festivals a year. The July 2026 edition finished on August 10, and a January 2027 edition is already confirmed — the top three finishers in the Road to KPC LIVE Super League won seats to it. Exact dates are usually published a couple of months in advance.
How much is the K Poker Cup Main Event?
The KPC Main Event cost ₩1,300,000 in 2026, roughly $940, with a ₩880,000,000 guaranteed prize pool. The separate King Poker Cup Main Event was priced at $15,000.
Where is the K Poker Cup held?
Both 2026 festivals ran at Les A Casino in Jeju, South Korea. Earlier editions used Landing Casino Jeju and Jeju Shinhwa World, and Paradise City in Incheon has also hosted series events.
Is the K Poker Cup good for recreational players?
Yes — that is its main draw. Buy-ins start under ₩1,000,000, the fields mix professionals with recreational players from China, Japan, Taiwan and Korea, and the games are widely considered softer than an equivalent European series.
Can I qualify for the K Poker Cup online?
Recent editions have not advertised online qualifiers. Instead, KPC runs a satellite progression at the venue that feeds seats into the flagship events, so plan to satellite in once you are on the island.
What is the difference between the K Poker Cup and the King Poker Cup?
The K Poker Cup is the high-volume series with accessible buy-ins. The King Poker Cup, launched in January 2026, is the premium event bolted onto it, built around four flagship tournaments and high roller buy-ins up to $100,000.
How big is the K Poker Cup?
The July 2026 festival guaranteed ₩2 billion across 222 events and drew 15,360 entries, with 1,692 of those in the Main Event alone.