At the conclusion of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, South Korea secured five esports medals from nine contested tournaments, highlighted by another consecutive League of Legends championship title, as reported by InvenGlobal.
Their final medal count included two gold, one silver, and two bronze awards, earned in both group and solo disciplines. The League of Legends victory marked the country’s final gold, whereas their initial top-podium finish was achieved in the fighting-game team category.
Two golden triumphs, two distinct paths
On October 2 at the Aichi Sky Expo, the South Korean squad shut out Chinese Taipei with a 3-0 victory in the League of Legends grand final. The roster went undefeated throughout their eight-match run, leading Group B after defeating Chinese Taipei, India, and Hong Kong, followed by a dominant 2-0 semifinal win against Saudi Arabia.
This victory continued the nation’s dominance in Asian Games League of Legends, following their previous first-place finish in Hangzhou. Returning champions Faker, Zeus, and Keria secured their second gold medals, while teammates Canyon, Zeka, and Gumayusi earned gold in their inaugural Asian Games appearances.
The delegation’s initial gold medal was captured on September 26, when the trio of Bae Jae-min, Lee Kwang-no, and Yeon Je-gil triumphed 5-2 over Japan in the fighting-game team finals. Despite falling behind 1-2 early on, South Korea surged back with four straight set victories in a hybrid competition featuring Tekken 8, The King of Fighters XV, and Street Fighter 6.
Lee spearheaded the recovery by taking two matches, and Bae secured two sets after dropping his first game. Yeon also played a crucial role, getting redemption for a prior loss against Kojiro Higuchi. This victory secured the country’s premiere gold of the tournament, proving they could win outside of traditional team strategy titles.
Rounding out the medals with silver and bronze
In Puyo Puyo Champions, Kang Dong-shin secured a silver medal after advancing to the final on September 26, where he fell 2-10 to Japanese competitor Yuki Kurihara. The nation’s opening esports medal of the event was claimed three days prior, when Kim Young-chan took third place in the eight-player Gran Turismo 7 final, which resolved its standings through a cumulative three-race point system.
The final bronze was claimed by the Pokémon UNITE squad. Composed of Kim Jae-young, Park Seong-soon, Lee Ji-hwan, Cho Min-hyuk, and Jin Soo-bin, the team overcame Singapore 2-1 in the quarterfinals on September 27 before falling 0-2 to Japan in the semifinals. Because no third-place play-off was held, both semifinal losers were awarded bronze.
These five top-three finishes demonstrate South Korea’s adaptability across diverse formats, ranging from solo racing tournaments to collective fighting game and multiplayer battle arena events. This variety of achievements highlights a more well-rounded competitive landscape than just their gold medal performances.
A summary of South Korea’s performances
| Award | Discipline |
|---|---|
| Gold | Fighting Game Team; League of Legends |
| Silver | Puyo Puyo Champions |
| Bronze | Gran Turismo 7; Pokémon UNITE |
Although South Korea participated in nine distinct events, some teams missed out on the podium. In PUBG Mobile, the national roster claimed sixth place overall with 71 points, despite securing a victory in the opening match of the final stage. Meanwhile, the Honor of Kings and Identity V teams were knocked out during the quarterfinals, and the eFootball representative failed to progress beyond the group phase.
This outcome contributes to the growing legacy of esports at the Asian Games, an event that unites competitors from various gaming backgrounds. South Korea’s consecutive League of Legends championship, coupled with four additional medals from diverse games, highlights both their elite status and their impressive versatility across the competitive landscape.
