A Fine Moment for Korea’s Robot Industry

Korea’s robot, Taekwon V, went head-to-head with a Japanese robot at The Eighth Japan Robo-One Competition held on September 17 and 18.

Taekwon V was developed by Jeon Yeong-su (36) at a robot-developing venture business called “MiniRobot.” Robo-One is a contest where walking robots fight.

EBS’s cultural program, “Robot Power” (Fridays, 8:05 p.m.) has come up with a “Japan Robo-One Competition” special. It captures the Korean robots that competed in Robo-One on camera just last month. You can catch the special on October 21, 28 and November 4, a total of three episodes.

Japan accounted for 90 percent of the 156 participating teams. Taiwan, U.S., Canada sent teams as well. In the preliminary match, Taekwon V’s trick was writing. Jeon looked serene, as opposed to the Jeon who was worrying, “I don’t know if I can even turn on the switch” backstage.

Operated by Jeon, Taekwon V warmed up with a little stretch and started to write. Writing was a new robot trick, ever since the Robo-One competition was established in 2002. Taekwon V was off to a good start as it advanced into the final round. Jeon’s secret for the final match: “Be careful, be stable.”

First came a one-on-one match. A swift punch put Taekwon V into the top 16, and a crevice blow put Taekwon V into the final eight. What awaits Taekwon V is the champion of many robot fights, the Japanese Dynamizer. Well into extension time, Taekwon V and Dynamizer were still at it. There is no such thing as a second overtime, at least not in the history of robot contests, until now. But the game ended, unfortunately, in Taekwon V’s defeat.

“I was nervous… I don’t know. Let me calm down,” said Jeon. But Jeon was not daunted. There was still the “Rumble” match, where two teams of eight robots fight simultaneously. The opponents were all Japanese. After fierce combat, Taekwon V was the winner. “I thought that we should run faster. I’ll keep trying,” Jeon reported. It was a fine moment for the Korean robot industry.

kimjy@donga.com