The South Korean League of Legends (LOL) national team, featuring players Zeus (Choi Woo-jae), Canyon (Kim Gun-bu), Faker (Lee Sang-hyuk), Zeka (Kim Geon-woo), Gumayusi (Lee Min-hyung), and Keria (Ryu Min-seok), has advanced to the finals. The legendary Faker's bid for a second consecutive title is on track.
On October 1, the team defeated Saudi Arabia 2-0 in the semifinals held at the Aichi Sky Expo e-sports venue. In this match, Zeka was chosen to play mid-lane instead of Faker, as the two players have been alternating in the tournament.
Having reached the finals, the team will face Taiwan on October 2 to compete for the gold medal. Notably, China, considered a strong rival, has withdrawn from the tournament, and the host nation Japan is also absent, making South Korea the top contender.
South Korea has already faced Taiwan in the group stage, securing a 1-0 victory. The team also defeated India and Hong Kong in the qualifiers, not dropping a single set.
If the team wins, Faker, Zeus, and Keria will achieve back-to-back titles. Additionally, Faker will earn medals in three consecutive tournaments, following a silver medal at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games. This tournament also carries military service benefits; winning a gold medal would qualify Canyon, Zeka, and Gumayusi for special status as arts and sports personnel.
There are discussions about the potential exclusion of e-sports from future competitions. However, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has stated, "No decisions have been made." In response, Faker remarked, "As a national representative, I believe it is a great opportunity to bring joy to many people through a sport our country excels in. I hope e-sports, which many fans love, continues for a long time."
Meanwhile, South Korea has shown strength in e-sports at this tournament, winning three gold medals in fighting games, a silver in Puyo Puyo Champions, and bronze medals in Pokémon Unite and Gran Turismo 7. With the League of Legends team securing at least a silver medal, attention is now on their potential to win gold.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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