This coincided with the release of Starcraft in 1998 which became wildly popular among Korea’s youth.
The dynamic of having more viewers than players is standard in traditional sports but very uncommon in esports.
This is most apparent withLeague of Legendsand Overwatch, where Korean teams have been extremely dominant.
Given how popular League of Legends is worldwide, the unshakeable dominance of the Koreans is extraordinary.
The world’s best hone their craft here, and visiting it was high on my bucket list.
I was somewhat fortunate in that the period I was in Seoul overlapped with five separate LCK Cup matches.
However, getting tickets is extremely difficult for a foreigner.
Despite the popularity of League of Legends in Korea, LoL Park only has capacity for 450 spectators.
Despite doing everything right, I was initially unable to secure tickets.
I squatted in the station for ten minutes, continuously refreshing the page until… euphoria.
The Destination
Two days later, I entered LoL Park for the first time.
The place has an undeniable aura, you might sense that champions are forged here.
I made it into the venue proper around 20 minutes before the series began.
LoL Park is divided into three sections, one section for each set of fans and one for neutrals.
and then the opposing fans wait politely to do their own team’s fan chant.
It’s a far cry from the hostility of my local football stadium.
The series itself wasn’t particularly exciting.
I, however, had a fantastic time drinking in the atmosphere of the arena.
I knew I’d be incredibly rusty.
This unfortunately was a sign of things to come.
I chain died, messed up early combos and generally played badly on that day.
And yet, I won every single game.
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