*This content was translated by AI.View Original
"Sis, do your best."
Jung Soobin (27), who rose from a part-time billiard hall worker to the top of the LPBA, delivered a pointed remark toward Kim Bo-mi (28), her teammate at NH Nonghyup Card.
Even between close friends, this could be a sensitive topic for Kim Bo-mi. Why did Jung Soobin bring up such a comment?
Jung Soobin claimed the championship by defeating Lee Mi-rae (30, High1 Resort) with a set score of 4-2 (11-1, 11-10, 10-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-5) in the LPBA final of the "Crown Hite PBA-LPBA Championship," the fourth tour of the 2026-27 Pro Billiards season, held at the Goyang KINTEX PBA Stadium in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on the 11th.
Jung Soobin, who was once an ordinary college student, entered the world of billiards by chance when she stepped in as a substitute for a friend's part-time job at a billiard hall. After picking up a cue seriously in 2021, she grew rapidly and entered the professional billiards stage in 2022. In February last year, after narrowly losing in her first final appearance, she vowed to "definitely win next time," and she did not let this second opportunity slip away. It was a championship that took four years, one month, and six days—1,497 days—after her professional debut.
After the award ceremony, Jung Soobin grabbed the microphone and said, "It is honestly hard to believe that I won before Bo-mi, my senior on our team. Sis, do your best." She then shouted, "Sis Bo-mi will definitely win the next tournament. Fighting!"
Kim Bo-mi covered her face with a shy smile. There was reason for it. Kim Bo-mi is a powerhouse ranked ninth in the LPBA cumulative rankings. She is the only player to have accumulated over 100 million won in prize money without a single championship title. Among players ranked within the top 15 in prize money, only Kim Bo-mi and Han Ji-eun (ranked 14th) have no titles. This serves as proof of her consistent performance.
This is also a painful point for Kim Bo-mi. As an original member who has been active since the inaugural 2019-2020 season when the professional league launched, Kim Bo-mi maintained steady results from her first season, including two semifinal appearances. She narrowly missed victory on three occasions and advanced to the semifinals a remarkable 15 times.
In the billiards world, people agree that she is a player for whom winning at any time would not be surprising. Therefore, it felt all the more regrettable to Jung Soobin, who has watched her closely and knows her true worth better than anyone else.
At the winner's press conference, Jung Soobin said, "My senior might feel upset, but the reason I said it publicly is that she is a senior and teammate whom I love very much, and despite having more than enough skill... so by saying it publicly, I wanted to put some pressure on her. I really hope she wins."
The two share a particularly close bond, and Jung Soobin also showed exceptional affection for Kim Bo-mi. Even after the award ceremony was fully concluded, the two gathered with their teammates to share in the joy. Hearing Jung Soobin's remark, Kim Bo-mi may have felt embarrassed, but her face was filled more with a smile than any sign of displeasure.
Separate from their relationship, it could serve as an effect that awakens Kim Bo-mi's competitive spirit. Will Jung Soobin's spontaneous remark become the catalyst to help Kim Bo-mi overcome her limits, as planned? The fifth tour of the season, the "How to Live Well Now zgm NH Nonghyup Card PBA-LPBA Championship," opens on the 18th. The result is expected to be seen soon.
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*This content was translated by AI.View Original
