Korean Esports Team Wins 5 Medals at 2026 Asian Games
Written with artificial intelligence.
The Korean esports national team concluded the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with a total of five medals: two golds, one silver, and two bronzes. Competing in various disciplines, the team demonstrated exceptional performance, particularly in fighting games and League of Legends.
Medal Achievements
The Korean esports national team achieved significant success at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, bringing home two gold medals, one silver, and two bronze medals. The Korea Esports Association announced the team's impressive medal tally on October 6.
Notable Competitions
The esports events took place from September 22 to October 2 at the Aichi Sky Expo in Japan. The Korean team participated in nine titles, including fighting games, Pokémon Unite, Honor of Kings, League of Legends, PUBG Mobile, Identity V, Gran Turismo 7, eFootball series, and Puyo Puyo Champions, fielding a total of 41 athletes.
Highlights of Gold Medal Wins
- Fighting Games: The first gold medal came from the fighting games category, where the team, consisting of Yeon Je-gil (Street Fighter 6), Bae Jae-min (Tekken 8), and Lee Kwang-no (The King of Fighters XV), triumphed over Kazakhstan and Hong Kong in the group stage before defeating Taiwan and Saudi Arabia, ultimately beating Japan 5-2 in the finals.
- League of Legends: The LoL team also secured a gold medal by defeating Taiwan, India, and Hong Kong in the group stage, followed by a 2-0 win against Saudi Arabia in the semifinals and a clean sweep of 3-0 against Taiwan in the finals, achieving a perfect set victory.
Other Medals
- Silver Medal: Kang Dong-sin won a silver in Puyo Puyo Champions after defeating Kazakhstan and Hong Kong in the group stage and Indonesia and Taiwan in the knockout rounds, finishing second to Japan in the finals.
- Bronze Medals: Kim Young-chan earned a bronze in Gran Turismo 7, placing third overall after a competitive series of races. Additionally, the Pokémon Unite team secured a bronze after reaching the semifinals but losing to Japan.
Preparation and Support
Prior to the Asian Games, the Korean Esports Association provided extensive support to enhance athletes' performance and well-being. From August 17 to September 25, training camps were held in Busan and Seoul, with the LoL team participating in two public scrimmages. Two base camps were established in Japan, supported by four experts from the Korea Sports Science Institute focusing on psychological stability and physical conditioning, along with dedicated trainers for injury prevention and performance management. Four strategic analysts assisted the LoL and PUBG Mobile teams with game analysis and strategy development.