▲ Sang-hyeok "Faker" Lee poses biting his gold medal during the medal ceremony for the mixed League of Legends final at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, held at the Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on the 2nd.
The South Korean eSports League of Legends (LoL) national team has claimed its second consecutive gold medal, following the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, without dropping a single set at the Aichi-Nagoya tournament.
South Korea thoroughly defeated Taiwan with a set score of 3-0 in the final held today (the 2nd) at the Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, to reach the top.
Centered around head coach Kang Dong-hoon and Sang-hyeok "Faker" Lee—who has worn the Taegeuk mark since the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang demonstration event—the national team stood atop Asia once again after three weeks of joint training and strategic analysis.
Speaking to the press in the mixed zone after the match, Faker expressed pride in the national team's consecutive titles.
"I am so happy and proud that the South Korean eSports national team has won back-to-back championships," Faker said, sharing his thoughts. "This is thanks to our teammates who did their absolute best in practicing and managing their condition in their respective positions."
He also advised young fans, who likely nurtured dreams of becoming eSports players while watching this tournament, to enjoy games healthily.
"I hope children find what they love, pursue it with passion, and take on challenges with enjoyment," Faker said. "At the same time, because games inherently have immersive and addictive qualities, I hope they do not indulge in them excessively."
He added, "Since it can be difficult to control oneself at a young age, I hope they discuss it well with their parents and enjoy games in a healthy and moderate way."
For the final match, South Korea selected Geon-woo "Zeka" Kim as the starting mid laner.
Faker, who watched his teammates' matches from the bench, explained, "Personally, there might have been a slight regret in not being able to play directly in the final, but the greater goal of this tournament was 'the team's gold medal.' Because I did my absolute best in the role assigned to me during that process, I have no regrets or lingering attachments."
He also remarked, "During the early stages of sets 1 and 2, Taiwan put up fierce resistance, making for a very difficult flow. I was moved watching from behind as the players overcame it with astonishing tenacity."
He emphasized, "Such dramatic tenacity and competition are the true charm of sports. If the fans were also able to gain inspiration and positive messages through this, that in itself is deeply meaningful."
Zeka, who led the team to a 3-0 sweep victory in the final, stated, "As it was my first Asian Games appearance, I felt a heavy sense of burden and responsibility. However, Faker gave me a lot of advice regarding champion matchups and item choices from right beside me, which allowed me to play comfortably."
He continued, sharing the credit, "Thanks to playing while trusting my exceptional teammates, I am proud to have contributed to the consecutive titles."
Geon-bu "Canyon" Kim, who donned the Taegeuk mark for the first time alongside Zeka, expressed his confidence: "The process of coordinating with players from other teams over a short period was new and fun. Because South Korean LoL is exceptionally strong, whoever plays in the next tournament will continue our winning streak without losing."
Existing members, who shared the undefeated gold medal with him following the Hangzhou tournament, also showed their determination for a third consecutive title.
Woo-je "Zeus" Choi said, "If given the opportunity, I want to even challenge for a third consecutive title."
Min-seok "Keria" Ryu emphasized, "We teamed up again after a long time, but our bodies remembered. Until LoL goes under, I want to prove that South Korea is an eSports powerhouse with an undefeated streak."
Head coach Kang Dong-hoon explained, "Although we were somewhat shaken by the opponent's early strategy spearheaded by Taiwanese jungler JunJia, our players' crisis-management skills were so exceptional that I believed we would ultimately win."
He shared his feelings, saying, "I feel like I have the whole world, and I am truly grateful to the players."
Having placed the gold medals around their necks, the players are now pondering their dinner menu.
This is because they had been getting by on convenience store food, instant rice (Hetbahn), and cup noodles during the tournament period for doping control and condition management.
Zeus shared, "As soon as it ended, everyone started talking about meat dishes like yakiniku."
Faker also smiled and said, "I ate only convenience store food for a week, but I think I'll be eating something delicious today."
When asked, "Are you treating us to the meal, Faker?", he laughed and replied, "I will no comment."
Having finished their Asian Games schedule, the players will immediately return to their respective teams and prepare for the League of Legends World Championship (Worlds) taking place in North America.
Faker expressed his determination, stating, "I learned a lot through the Asian Games, and my passion has grown even further. I will take on new challenges while focusing on the preparation process itself rather than the results."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.