Korea’s Fighting Game Veterans Reach Asian Games Finals to Face Japan

Veteran Gamers Reach the Asian Games Final

Childhood arcade regulars are one match away from an Asian Games gold medal. On September 25, 2026, the South Korean eSports fighting game national team secured their place in the final at the 2026 Aichi Nagoya Asian Games by defeating Saudi Arabia 3 to 1 in the semifinals.

The team consists of three seasoned competitors representing three distinct titles. Yeon Je-gil competes in Street Fighter 6, Bae Jae-min—widely known as “Knee”—competes in Tekken 8, and Lee Kwang-no—known as “MadKOF”—competes in The King of Fighters (KOF) XV. Having already secured at least a silver medal, the trio faces Japan on September 26 at 4:00 PM for the gold.

Tournament Path and the Final Showdown With Japan

South Korea’s journey through the tournament was dominant. In the group stage, the team defeated Hong Kong and Kazakhstan by identical 3-0 margins before sweeping Taiwan 3-0 in the quarterfinals. Though the team dropped their first individual set of the tournament during the semifinal against Saudi Arabia, they closed out the series 3-1.

The players anticipated meeting Japan in the final round. Following the semifinal match, Bae Jae-min noted that the outcome matched the coaching staff’s preliminary tournament scenarios mapped out during their training camp. The matchup carries heavy competitive weight. Back in April 2026, South Korea faced Japan in the final of an Asian eSports competition in Jinju, Gyeongsangnam-do, and settled for the silver medal. Reflecting on that prior defeat, the players voiced a strong drive for a competitive turnaround.

Intensive Training and Structural Changes in the Competition

Preparation for the Aichi Nagoya games required extensive sacrifice. The athletes underwent a long-term joint training camp in Busan, maintaining a rigorous daily schedule. Yeon Je-gil noted the personal toll of training through the Chuseok holiday away from home, crediting his wife’s support for making the focused preparation possible.

The format of this year’s competition differs significantly from the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, where esports debuted as an official medal event. In Hangzhou, Street Fighter V stood alone as an individual competition, yielding South Korea’s first-ever esports gold medal via 44-year-old Kim Kwan-up, while Yeon Je-gil exited the tournament early.

For the Aichi Nagoya games, organizers consolidated Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, and The King of Fighters into a single team-based fighting game discipline, awarding a unified team gold medal. Each of the three South Korean athletes carries the responsibility for one specific game title.

“If we perform as well as we practiced, I believe we can win the gold medal,” Bae Jae-min said.

Lee Kwang-no echoed that sentiment, stating after the match, “We prepared really hard. I definitely want to show everyone watching on TV and the internet the moment we win the gold medal.”