Woman to play for S Korea at e-sports at Asian Games

Park So-yeon is set to become the first woman to represent South Korea’s national team in e-sports and wants to pave the way for more in the male-dominated world of competitive gaming.

South Korea is an e-sports powerhouse and Park has been chosen to compete in survival horror game Identity V at the Asian Games in Nagoya and the wider Aichi area from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4.

The 23-year-old Park, the only woman in South Korea’s team of 36 e-sports competitors heading to Japan, said she wanted to “go all out and have no regrets.”

Park So-yeon poses for a photograph during a ceremony for the South Korean Asian Games e-sports team in Seoul on Tuesday.

Photo: AFP

“As I am the first, I feel a great responsibility to pave the way for other women athletes who love playing games as much as I do,” said Park, who majored in taekwondo in college.

South Korea’s formidable team is spearheaded by superstar gamer Lee Sang-hyeok. Better known as Faker, he was part of the South Korea team who won gold in League of Legends at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

“As the South Korean people have high hopes for the e-sports category, I want to fulfil that hope and give them back pride and honor,” he said. “I will do my very best in my role to ensure that our team wins the championship and brings back the gold medal.”

Members of the South Korean Asian Games e-sports team pose for a photograph during a ceremony in Seoul on Tuesday.

Photo: AFP

South Korea won two golds, one silver and one bronze at the 2023 Asian Games, when e-sports made its debut as an official medal event.

The number of e-sports events has risen for this year’s Asian Games, with 13 games being used in competition.