After a week of action at the Hangzhou Asian Games, Korea officially won the gold medal event of the LoL event.

Image Credits: AFP

Korea wins 2022 Asian Games

The Korean team prevailed over Chinese Taipei in the finals, which was played at the China Hangzhou Esports Centre. A total of 15 League of Legends teams, competed at the Asian Games, which was recognized as a medal event for the first time this year, alongside six other esports titles.

For the League of Legends tournament, the two powerhouses China and South Korea were the favorites for the title, but the schedule forced them to face one another in the semifinals. South Korea ended up taking down China in a swift 2-0 win, showcasing their dominance in this discipline. After winning against China, South Korea was basically guaranteed to win the gold medal and took down Chinese Taipei with another 2-o.

By winning the golden medal, all the players who participated in the South Korean national team are going to be exempted from mandatory military service. Military service is compulsory for men in South Korea, with almost all able-bodied persons required to serve in the army for 18 months by the age of 28.

This rule has impacted the careers of some of the country’s biggest names, including global superstar music group BTS. Three of the boy band’s members are currently serving in the military, with band member Suga having started his service on September 22. With the wins of the Asian Games, Zeus, Kanavi, Faker, Chovy, Ruler, and Keria are now exempted and won’t need to go to the military, potentially extending their careers within esports.

China narrowly beats Vietnam in a surprising turn of events

After losing to Korea in the semifinals, the Chinese team found itself contending for the bronze medal against Vietnam. While it was supposed to be a mere formality, Vietnam showed its potential by taking Game 1 in the series. In a tricky situation, China was able to turn things around thanks to the substitution of BLG’s jungler Xun, allowing China to come back and reverse sweep to take the bronze medal.

All the players will now have a short break before heading to South Korea, as Worlds 2023 will begin on October 10.

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