Updated on September 13, 4:22 p.m. (GMT+8): Added information on Riot Games Korea’s Warriors campaign.
Updated on September 4, 4:59 p.m. (GMT+8): Added Khan and Zefa to the coaching staff, improved title.
The Korea e-Sports Association (KeSPA) has unveiled the official candidates for the League of Legends roster that will represent Korea at the highly anticipated Asian Games 2023. After an intense selection process, only six players out of the initial 20 have made it to the final cut, with each player assigned to a specific role, along with a substitute player.
The final candidates for Team Korea’s League of Legends roster consist of three players from T1, one player from Gen.G, and two players from JD Gaming, who were part of the victorious Mid-Season Invitational (MSI 2023) roster.
- Exclusive: How League of Legends esports is evolving in a post-Valorant world
- The world’s best League of Legends player is also a big bookworm — what’s he reading?
Team Korea unveils final candidates for its League of Legends player roster for Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou, China
Securing their positions as the top choices for the national team are T1’s top laner Choi “Zeus” Woo-je, mid laner Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok, and support Ryu “Keria” Min-seok.
Among the candidates, Faker stands out as a seasoned player, making this his second appearance in the multi-sport event. The three-time Worlds champion previously participated in the Asian Games 2018 in Jakarta, Indonesia, where he and bot laner Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk claimed the silver medal.
The roster will also witness the reunion of former teammates. JD Gaming’s AD carry rejoins forces with Gen.G’s mid laner, Jeong “Chovy” Ji-hoon. The duo, who previously secured the LCK Summer 2022 championship title with a convincing 3-0 victory against T1, will once again display their synergy.
Ruler departed from Gen.G after season 12 to join the Chinese region and play under the JDG banner, alongside three-time League of Legends Pro League (LPL) champion Seo “Kanavi” Jin-hyeok.
The specific roles of Faker and Chovy within the starting lineup have yet to be determined, leaving fans eagerly awaiting the final decision by KeSPA.
Renowned coach Kim “kkOma” Jeong-gyun will be leading the team and overseeing their training as the multi-sport event approaches. Kim “Khan” Dong-ha and Lee “Zefa” Jae-min will join him in coaching the national team, as confirmed by KeSPA in a post.
KeSPA conducted a thorough evaluation of the players, taking into account their individual awards, as well as their domestic and international records over the past two years, including this year’s MSI, as stated in the association’s official announcement.
Prior to the official announcement, ONE Esports created its South Korean League of Legends dream team for Asian Games 2023, with five of their choices aligning with KeSPA’s final selection.
Team Korea’s final candidates for its League of Legends roster at Asian Games 2023
ROLE | NAME | CURRENT TEAM |
Top laner | Choi “Zeus” Woo-je | T1 |
Jungler | Seo “Kanavi” Jin-hyeok | JD Gaming |
Mid laner | Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok | T1 |
Mid laner | Jeong “Chovy” Ji-hoon | Gen.G |
Bot laner | Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk | JD Gaming |
Support | Ryu “Keria” Min-seok | T1 |
Head coach | Kim “kkOma” Jeong-gyun | N/A |
Coach | Kim “Khan” Dong-ha | Dplus KIA |
Coach | Lee “Zefa” Jae-min | N/A |
View all LoL teams and player rosters for Asian Games 2023 here.
Riot Games Korea has given the title “Warriors” to supporters of the national team. This term signifies unity, encompassing everyone from the Korean LoL national team at the Asian Games to League of Legends players and esports fans, all coming together to compete on the same battlefield.
Under the “Warriors” campaign, Riot has organized numerous activities and events for fans to actively demonstrate their support for Team Korea.
Asian Games 2023, the 19th edition of this prestigious continental multi-sport event, is scheduled to be held in Hangzhou, China, from September 23 to October 8. The esports discipline will encompass eight titles, including Arena of Valor (Asian Games version), Dota 2, Dream Three Kingdoms 2, EA Sports FIFA-branded soccer games, Hearthstone, League of Legends, PUBG Mobile (Asian Games version), and Street Fighter V.
Follow ONE Esports on Facebook and Twitter for more LoL news, guides, and highlights.
READ MORE: Exclusive: Because of the LoL community, JDG Ruler deeply relates to this ‘hero’ in One Punch Man