[466 Cover] From PC Bangs to Global Championships, South Korea’s Esports Legacy Thrives
Do you consider yourself to be a gamer? If you do, you must certainly have heard about the League of Legends World Championship, which took place in Berlin, Paris, and London in 2024. It ended with T1’s victory. With this victory, T1 secured back-to-back championships, adding another significant chapter to Esports history and solidifying Korea’s status in gaming culture and Esports. The League of Legends World Championship is one of the largest Esports events globally, drawing millions of passionate fans annually. According to the video traffic analytics site SoftCon Viewership, the 2024 World Final surpassed 6.9 million live viewers. In terms of live viewers and the size of fanbases, Esports has now grown from a mere hobby or interest to a global culture. Games like StarCraft, League of Legends, Overwatch, and Valorant have built global fanbases through international competitions, helping spread the popularity of gaming as a form of mainstream culture. Due to this influence, Esports was recently added as an official sport in the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022.
Korea has played a leading role in these global Esports trends. Since the early 2000s, Korea’s Esports culture grew rapidly, with Korean players dominating various international tournaments. Korea’s gaming culture is not only popular domestically, but it has also gained substantial recognition internationally. Through teams and players like T1 and Faker, more people around the world are becoming familiar with Korean gaming culture. This global Esports popularity demonstrates just how much influence Korea’s gaming culture has. Korea’s unique combination of the gaming industry and Esports has fostered a distinctive cultural environment. For example, the PC Bang, which refers to internet cafes, created a unique gaming environment that played a significant role in the growth of Esports. These cafes are more than just internet spaces. They are places where people come together to compete, communicate, and enjoy games. Through this article, The Dongguk Post aims to explore the establishment and growth of the PC Bang culture of Korea as the beginning of Korea’s Esports success. In addition, the article will gather students’ opinions on whether Esports should be considered a legitimate sport, and examine the future potential and outlook of Korea’s gaming culture.
The development of PC Bang’s status and culture
The Korean PC Bang culture has undergone significant changes from the mid-1990s to the present. In the mid-1990s, with the spread of the internet, the PC Bang began to transform from just a place to access the internet to a place to play games. In the early days, many people visited the PC Bang as a place that provided high-end PCs and internet experiences, especially when it was difficult to use the internet at home. At that time, offline gaming was prevalent, and the spread of online gaming began in earnest in 1998 with the popularity of Blizzard’s StarCraft. StarCraft is a Real-Time Strategy (RTS) game that allows online battles, and PC Bangs became centers for playing games and competing with friends. Other games such as Warcraft III and Diablo II followed, and in the early 2000s, Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) such as Lineage made the PC Bang an even more active cultural space.
The mid-2000s through the early 2010s were the heyday of the PC Bangs. During this time, it offered high-performance PCs, fast and reliable internet connections, and a close relationship with Esports culture. However, until the early and mid-2000s, the PC Bang was often stigmatized by the older generation for not having designated smoking areas, and allowing people to smoke in their seats, and also for computer games being bad for studying. With the launch of the StarCraft League, the market for Esports grew. Among them, Player Lim Yo-hwan played an important role in the history of Korean Esports. His appearance and activities are closely linked to the development of Korean Esports culture. In the early 2000s, the game StarCraft exploded in popularity and began to popularize Esports, and Lim became one of its most prominent players. In particular, he attracted a large fan base with his well-thought-out strategies and excellent play. SK Telecom T1, the team he was a part of became a leader in Korean Esports and remains so today with players like Faker of the League of Legends World Championship.
Lim’s activities have been linked to the popularization of Esports. Combined with Korea’s PC culture at the time, many people enjoyed watching his games, and Esports gradually became a popular pastime. In addition, his performance paved the way for Korea’s leading Esports players to gain global recognition and had a major impact on the globalization of Esports. More than just a professional gamer, Lim has become a cultural symbol of Esports, not only through his on-court performance, but also through his interactions with fans and positive messaging, helping to establish Esports as a more positive and healthy culture.
Since then, Esports tournaments and leagues have been organized for various games, and PC Bangs have become more accessible to a wider range of people, with separate smoking rooms. As a result, people of all ages have been able to come and enjoy gaming. As the popularity and diversification of online games increased, popular games such as FIFA Online and League of Legends after StarCraft were popularized in PC centers. In the 2010s, PC Bangs became more than just a place to play games; it was also a place for people to socialize. Playing games, browsing the internet, and sharing drinks and snacks with friends are commonplace. In the late 2010s, the proliferation of smartphones and the rise of mobile gaming had a major impact on the culture of PC Bangs. With the ability to play games anytime and anywhere on smartphones and fast internet access everywhere, including at home, the customer base of PC shops has declined. As a result, PC Bangs have begun to change and offer a variety of services with games. For example, they have diversified their drinks and food offerings to become more like cafes, and started streaming game broadcasts.
Some PC Bangs are also trying to differentiate themselves by introducing virtual reality games, games that require high-end devices, and the latest gaming equipment. The Dongguk Post interviewed international students to learn more about their experiences with Korean gaming culture and PC Bangs. Médéric Boutin (Film Department) said, “In Korea, Esports and gaming culture are deeply ingrained, with players often starting at a very young age, frequently practicing in PC Bangs. I believe this environment has made Esports a major part of Korean culture. In contrast, in Europe, the gaming culture is considered to be a “nerd” culture. It is gradually becoming more accepted, although it remains less mainstream compared to Korea.” Additionally, he added that, “The PC Bang culture is a unique experience that I would recommend for international students. The food and quality of the equipment in it are interesting. There are always plenty of games to play; therefore, it is great to enjoy them with friends even if you are not a gamer.”
As the perception of Esports and gaming in Korea has gradually improved due to professional gamers and changes in popular culture, the gaming culture is changing positively compared to previous years. In line with this, PC Bangs are now evolving into spaces that provide various cultural and social functions in addition to gaming. Especially with the combination of Esports and game broadcasting, and the increasing number of PC Bangs offering streaming services, they are playing an important role as hubs for content consumption and production, not just gaming. Now, they are exploring the possibility of becoming a new type of community space beyond just an entertainment space in Korea, and more changes are expected.
In the following sections, we will discuss the ongoing debate about classifying Esports as a sport. Before that, we will first present the results of a survey conducted on this topic. The survey was conducted among students and professors at Dongguk University, asking the question, “Can Esports be a sport?” The survey ran offline from November 14th to 25th, with a total of 100 participants. Among the respondents, 72% answered “Yes,” agreeing that Espor ts can be considered a sport, while 28% answered “No.” The results indicate that the majority of participants agree that Esports can be recognized as a sport.
Should Esports be considered a “real” sport?
At the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games, Esports participated as a demonstration sport. At that time, it was not an official event to win a medal, but then it was not an official category to compete for medals, but then it was adopted as an official event from the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. The decision was made in collaboration with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which took into account the potential of Esports as a competitive and professional sport beyond global growth and simple leisure activities. At the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, there was an Esports competition for medals around several popular games. Representatively, League of Legends, PUBG Mobile, Hearthstone, FIFA Series, and Street Fighter V were included as events, and national athletes participated in each game to compete.
As in the world, there have been a lot of controversies over whether Esports is a sport. Especially in the case of Korea, there has been a controversy over the fairness of the sport, as players are given a military exemption if they achieve a good performance in competitions such as the Asian Games and the Olympics.
Yes, Esports is a real sport.
From the standpoint of claiming that Esports can be recognized as a sport, it is said that Esports require mental and physical abilities like traditional sports such as football and basketball. Esports require athletes to have mental and physical abilities such as a high level of concentration, fast reaction speed, accurate control, and strategic thinking, which can be regarded as factors similar to the mental and physical abilities required by traditional sports athletes when they participate in games. In addition, the fact that many Esports events are team-based games is also related to the teamwork required by existing sports.
One of the sports that is evaluated similarly to Esports is Go. Although Go is a sport that requires very little physical activity and requires a significant amount of mental ability, it was included as a demonstration sport in the 2010 and 2014 Asian Games and was officially adopted as an event at the Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games in 2018. Although there is a lack of physical elements, there is an opinion that Esports can be recognized as a sport in the same context, although it emphasizes mental efforts and strategic thinking.
The size of Esports and its competitiveness with other sports cannot be ignored. Esports has already hosted big international competitions and has a huge number of fans all over the world. Competitions such as the League of Legends World Championship are broadcast worldwide through television broadcasts and online streaming, boasting a huge commercial scale.
No, Esports is not a real sport.
From the standpoint of claiming that Esports cannot be recognized as a sport, the physical activity that Esports lacks is considered insufficient to qualify as a sport. Traditional sports are games centered on physical activity. However, Esports does not require much physical activity or physical strength compared to existing sports. In this respect, Esports argues that it is far from the definition of a sport.
There is also an opinion that Esports lacks cultural roots. There are many views that Esports is still an extension of the game industry in that it basically started from an entertainment element called games. It is argued that traditional sports have hundreds of years of history and cultural roots. While social, educational, and cultural values have been accumulated over a long period, Esports has a relatively short history and is limited to the game industry. It also raises problems in that it accompanies social controversy and problems. Games are still often accompanied by negative social images, and issues such as game addiction cause adolescents to become excessively immersed in games. There are concerns that some games contain violent content, and that these factors negatively affect adolescents socially. These characteristics of Esports are distinct from traditional sports and further highlight the differences.
Some people criticize the limitations of the game. There are various types and styles of games within the field of games, and it is difficult to select a specific game fairly when adopting a game as an official sport. In addition, games have limitations in their sustainability as a sports event. The game industry is changing rapidly, and various games are gaining popularity. However, in order to be adopted as a sports event in an international competition, the adoption of the game has to be decided several years in advance. On the other hand, it is not easy to predict how the game market will change, and there are many variables. Games are also largely distinguished from traditional sports in that they have a company that owns the game. The games we often enjoy are not public goods. Games are adjusted for rules and details within the game by the games’ manufacturer, and new rules or elements are added. It is hard to make it an official sport because it is an Esports controlled by the company that owns the game, not a rule that everyone generally accepts. There is also a concern that if it is adopted in international competitions as a sport, royalties on the sport or profits generated by it may be concentrated in certain private companies.
The Dongguk Post heard the story about the Esports through an interview with the central club of Dongguk University, NIRVANA. It is the Esports & game club with various activities including a gaming tournament, mentoring program on the game, the collaboration with other universities.
Q. What kind of impact do you think game clubs are having on Esports? Do you think their activities play a positive role in the spread of Esports or gaming culture, and what impact would you like to have in the future?
A: When people hear the term “game club,” they often think it is just a club where members gather to play games. However, game clubs go beyond just enjoying games. We plan and organize various events with games, and through a process of figuring out how to enjoy gaming culture in a fun way. We create a space where many people can naturally become involved. I strongly believe that through activities such as club events, school events, inter-school tournaments, and university league participation, game clubs can contribute greatly to the spread of Esports and gaming culture, both within a school and on a national scale.
Q. What do you think are the unique characteristics of your NIRVANA?
A: One of the most distinctive features is the ability to meet online. Unlike other clubs, which are required to have scheduled in-person meetings, our club uses tools like KakaoTalk polls for organizing members and Discord for online communication. This makes it easy to find fellow members to play games with and form close bonds quickly. Since regular activities are not mandatory and the club is highly accessible, we can have hundreds of members working harmoniously each semester.
Additionally, as mentioned earlier, our club also has the opportunity to offer members unique experiences through interactions with other schools or partnerships with game companies. For example, in 2022, we collaborated with Gen.G Esports to promote a game, and last October, we filmed content with professional gamers from the Brion Esports team. This September, during the club fair, we also organized various events in the university league with the university league with Woori Financial Group. Through these collaborations, game clubs play a key role in the growing Esports industry while providing unique experiences to our members.
Q. Tell us your experiences with PC Bangs. Do you have any interesting stories?
A: I visit PC Bangs often, especially during free time. I think PC Bangs are like a nest for gamers. Just as people gather at cafes to chat with friend or play sports on a field. PC Bangs offer gamers a place to communicate and bond with others.
One memorable moment was when our club went to a PC Bang after drinking. We laughed a lot seeing our in-game characters stumbling around as if they were also drunk. There were also times when we missed the last bus and ended up spending the whole night at the PC bang together.
Q. Why do you think so many people are passionate about Esports?
A: I believe that people often get excited about unique stories that cannot be easily seen elsewhere. Esports allows people to create their own special narratives and share them with others. Other than that, they can easily get access to play games. Also, people get excited by watching professional matches or become fans after being moved by the story of a particular player.
Q. There is ongoing debate about whether Esports is a sport or not. What is your opinion on this?
A: The debate likely stems from the traditional definition of sports, which emphasizes physical activity. However, I believe Esports should be considered as sport because it requires precise movements, quick reflexes, and intense concentration, as well as emphasizing sportsmanship. Furthermore, with Esports being included as a demonstration event in the recent Asian Games, it is clear that Esports is increasingly being recognized as part of the sports category.
The rise of famous professional gamers and their successes in international gaming competitions have put Korea on the map, but gaming is not always viewed positively within the country. In the early days of Korean gaming culture, PC Bangs served as places that provided high-end PCs and internet access. As the internet became more widespread, PC Bangs became places that sold non-gaming food and drinks, offered top-of-the-line games, and attracted customers of all ages, both men and women. As Korea’s Esports culture develops and expands, it serves as a new frontier, and there are many debates about gaming within the country. One of the main questions is whether Esports can be considered a real sport.
While they are somewhat different from what we have traditionally recognized as sports, such as soccer and baseball, they are both competitive and recreational in nature. In Korea, Esports are often discussed in the context of the social atmosphere where many men play games, and the recognition of Esports as a sport is also related to the special exemption for military service. Some argue against recognizing computer gaming as a sport because it has a short history and is closely related to a profit-seeking industry. In addition, the idea that gaming leads to negative lifestyle habits and concerns about gaming addiction bring-up negative images of gaming. However, there is a positive side to the story considering the students’ interview: the services offered by PC Bang, including equipment and food are amazing, and it is a good place to enjoy with friends even though you are not interested in playing games. The Dongguk Post hopes that Esports, which continues to develop and attract a lot of attention, will continue to progress and become a mainstream culture in Korea and a worthwhile industry. GG!
Kim Do-hyun, Social Desk Editor
2022110163@dgu.ac.kr
Jeon Han-gyeol, Post Reporter
hangyal9820@dgu.ac.kr
Lee Jae-won, Post Reporter
jaewon010203@dgu.ac.kr