Griffin, a winner in Korea last year at the tour's Charity High1 Resort Open, had nine birdies and a bogey around the 6,732 metre (7,361 yard) par-72 Pinx Golf Club course -- and it could have been even better if not for two three-putts.
Korean veteran Kang Wook-soon surprised even himself to take sole possession of second place, while ten others were jostling for position at six under -- including China's Hu Mu, Australians Anthony Brown and Jason Norris, American David Oh and Michael Long of New Zealand.
Korea's Kim Do-hoon, runner-up at last week's GS Caltex Maekyung Open, was also at six under with countrymen Kang Kyung-nam, Jang Dong-kyu, Kim Jae-ho and Lee Sung-ho.
Playing the course back-to-front, Griffin started with a birdie and then put on a masterclass from the 15th to the second with six in-a-row.
He three-putted the fourth for a routine par and repeated the sin on the seventh for a bogey, but birdies on six and nine put him in charge of the tournament.
"For a while I had visions of Thailand," said Griffin, who finished the last round of the season-opening Thailand Open in April with eight birdies in-a-row for a career-low 64.
"I had a good go at eagle on the last today which would have given me a 63, but it wasn't to be."
Kang, 46, a seven-time winner on the Asian Tour and two-time Order of Merit champion, hasn't lifted a title since 2009 and said his confidence had taken a blow after missing the cut at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open last week on a course he normally prefers.
"But this is my best score ever at Pinx, so I am feeling confident again," he said. "I am not sure if I can win, but I will definitely try my best."
Indonesia's top player Rory Hie had another good start with a round of 5-under par. He's currently in a 10-way tie for thirteenth, just 3 behind the leader. Countryman George Gandranata had more difficulties, and his round of 75 puts him in a tie for 134th after the first round.
Rory Hie in action in the first round of the SK Telecom Open. Picture by Paul Lakatos/OneAsia.Defending champion Kim Bi-o, who has been in the golfing doldrums since his victory last year, fared much better on Thursday and posted a 68, one better than star attraction K.J. Choi, who jetted in straight from the United States after finishing joint 48th on Sunday at The Players Championship, a tournament he won in 2011.
"I'm adjusting to the jet lag better than expected … my condition feels great," said Choi. "I thought maybe two or three under would be a great round today, but the scores are even better."
The shot of the day belonged to American Jason Kang, who aced the 176-metre (193-yard) par three 17th to win a Jaguar XF 2.0P luxury four-door sedan worth 70 million won (around $65,000).
"None of us saw it go in," he said of his five-iron shot.
"The sun was on the horizon so we couldn't see it finish, but when we were walking up to the green we still couldn't see the ball and my partner said 'dude, I think you got it", and there it was, in the hole."
Kang finished one under for the day.
Scores after round one of the SK Telecom being (Par 72):
64 - Matthew GRIFFIN (AUS)
65 - KANG Wook-soon (KOR)
66 - KANG Kyung-nam (KOR), KIM Do-hoon 753 (KOR), HU Mu (CHN), Anthony BROWN (AUS), Michael LONG (NZL), JANG Dong-kyu (KOR), KIM Jae-ho (KOR), David OH (USA), Jason NORRIS (AUS), LEE Sung-ho (KOR)
67 - Rory HIE (INA), Craig HANCOCK (AUS), Akinori TANI (JPN), PARK Do-kyu (KOR), LEE Soo-min (am, KOR), LEE Ki-sang (KOR), KIM Hyung-tae (KOR), PARK Jae-kyung (KOR), BAEK Joo-yeob (KOR), MOON Kyong-jun (KOR)
Selected:
75 - George GANDRANATA (INA)
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