Players on Korea's national esports team, including Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok, fifth from left in the front row, salute the national flag at the team's send-off ceremony for the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 at the Sangam Cube Convention Center in Mapo District, western Seoul, on Aug. 25.YONHAP
TOKONAME, Japan — Korea's League of Legends team swept its group at the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 on Wednesday, as its biggest star, Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok, said he hopes esports stays on the Asian Games program.
The six-man squad is made up entirely of players from the LCK, Korea's top league. It won all three of its single-game group matches at Aichi Sky Expo by lopsided margins, at times opening leads of more than 10,000 gold. Korea beat Chinese Taipei in 26 minutes and India in 19 minutes, then defeated Hong Kong to reach the semifinals with a perfect record.
The team will face Saudi Arabia, the runner-up in Group A, in the semifinals on Thursday.
Faker and Ryu "Keria" Min-seok play for T1, while Choi "Zeus" Woo-je, Kim "Zeka" Geon-woo and Lee "Gumayusi" Min-hyeong play for Hanwha Life Esports. Kim "Canyon" Geon-bu plays for Gen.G.
Of the team's two mid laners, Faker played against India, while Zeka played against Chinese Taipei and Hong Kong.
"Communication within the games is going well," head coach Kang Dong-hoon said. Asked about his choice at mid, he was unequivocal: "Whoever plays, there is no problem."
The schedule has taken some adjusting to. "Match times here are different from what the players are used to, so they are having some difficulty adapting their daily routines," Kang said. "They have been getting up at 7 a.m."
Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok, who will compete in League of Legends at the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, answers reporters' questions at the national esports team's send-off ceremony at the Sangam CUBE Convention Center in Mapo District, western Seoul, on Aug. 25.YONHAP
Japan shares Korea's time zone, but for Faker the early starts feel like travel.
"It feels like getting over jet lag when we go overseas for international tournaments," Faker said. "It feels a bit like being in Europe or the United States. I fall asleep early and try to get good sleep."
Gumayusi said he overslept at first but has since grown used to going to bed and waking early for the morning matches. Zeka said he began resetting his routine with the coaching staff a week before the Games.
The gap between Korea and the other teams in the League event is wide. China, Korea's biggest rival, did not enter.
"There is something we players say to each other a lot: 'Do not get complacent. Let's still work hard,'" Faker said.
Esports became an official medal sport at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, which were held in 2023 after a pandemic delay. Some overseas media outlets have since reported that esports would be dropped after the Aichi-Nagoya Games. Under those reports, it would move to the Asian Esports and Mind Sports Games, a new event for esports and mind sports such as bridge that the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) will launch in 2027.
Players compete in the Gran Turismo 7 final, one of the esports events at the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, at Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on Sept. 23.YONHAP
The OCA denied the reports on Monday.
"The popularity of esports in Asia is a key consideration for the OCA in making the aforementioned arrangements," OCA Director General Husain Al Musallam said in a statement. "The establishment of the Asian Esports and Mind Sports Games aims to provide more platforms for Asian athletes to showcase their talents and will not diminish the status of esports within the Asian Games system."
Kuwait will host the first edition of the new event in 2027.
Faker is the most celebrated player not only in League but in all of esports. He has won six League of Legends World Championships among 11 international titles, and this is his third straight Asian Games. The first was the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games, where esports was a demonstration event.
"Games are becoming more popular and better known with each passing day, and I think the more competitions there are for both sports fans and game fans to enjoy, the better," Faker said. "I hope that through them, more esports fans and the players coming after us can find joy and fun."
Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok is seen at the League of Legends Worlds 2025 Finals in Chengdu, China, on Nov. 08, 2025.RIOT GAMES
"It would be a shame if esports were dropped from the Asian Games," he added. "I think the players and everyone involved in the esports industry need to work hard together so that it can be recognized as an official event."
Wireless mice are banned at this Games because of connectivity issues, and Zeka, Zeus and Keria, who have little experience with wired mice, are still adjusting.
"This is an international tournament unlike any I have played, so I am always preparing for the unexpected," Zeka said. "The wired mouse is the hardest part. I have not fully adjusted yet, but I am finding my way. It is better than at the start."
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
