Feature: Esports talent in S.Korea gets boost from big business, easing of gaming ban

SK Telecom Co

29/10/2021 24:00

(Repeats for subscribers, no changes to text.)
    By Joori Roh
    SEOUL, Oct 28 (Reuters) - South Korean teenager Yoon Ki-chan
gets just three hours of sleep a day but spends more than three
times that playing online games - with the blessing of his
parents and teachers - as he dreams of becoming a top pro League
of Legends player.
    Yoon and his peers are the next generation of gamers in
South Korea, a fast-growing esports powerhouse whose players
have won Riot Games' League of Legends World Championship six
times since the most-watched esports event began in 2011.     
    They will also benefit from the country's announcement in
August that it would abolish a decade-old law which bans those
below the age of 16 from playing online games on computers from
midnight to 6 a.m, over a growing consensus that youths are
increasingly using their mobile phones instead.
    "I suffered a lot from the shutdown law. I typically don't
sleep a lot, so I studied different things during the shutdown
hours. If it weren't for the law, I could have been a better
player by now," said Yoon, who says he can game at least four
hours more now since turning 16 this year.    
    South Korea's move is in contrast to that of China, the
world's biggest esports market, which in late August drastically
limited the amount of time under-18s https://www.reuters.com/technology/tencent-shares-fall-more-than-2-after-china-tightens-rules-young-video-gamers-2021-08-31/#:~:text=Chinese%20teens%20vent%20at%20new%20gaming%20limits%20as%20investors%20weigh%20impact%20on%20industry,-By%20Brenda%20Goh&text=While%20the%20hit%20to%20gaming,industry%20were%20much%20more%20severe
 can spend on video games to a mere three hours a week https://www.reuters.com/world/china/why-how-china-is-drastically-limiting-online-gaming-under-18s-2021-08-31.
  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2Q40JC urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2Q21AG
    Esports will also feature as a medal sport for the first
time at the Asian Games https://www.ocasia.org/news/2313-oca-announces-titles-for-hangzhou-asian-games-esports-competition.html
 in Hangzhou next year.
    "China's game regulation could be a rather good opportunity
for us to build strength and regain the esports initiative,"
said Park Se-woon, vice president at Seoul Game Academy that
offers programmes to nurture pros.
    Park said the private academy has seen a 30-fold jump in
daily consultations since it started this programme in 2016.
    
    GOVERNMENT APATHY?    
    Despite the growing international status and interest among
prospective professional players, government support for the
esports industry, estimated in 2020 to be worth around 17.9
trillion won ($15.2 billion), has been lacklustre, experts say.
    Esports and the gaming sector received 67.1 billion won of
the 604.4 trillion won national budget for next year.
    But the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism wants to do
more, especially ahead of organised competitions such as the
Asian Games, an official said without giving details.
    In the meantime, the space has been filled with investments
from big businesses and private educational institutes.
    Instant noodle maker Nongshim Co Ltd  004370.KS  launched
its professional League of Legends gaming team, Nongshim
RedForce, late last year, joining other South Korean
conglomerates that have seen potential in the industry.
    Among them are SK Group's SK Telecom Co Ltd  017670.KS ,
Hyundai Motor Co  005380.KS  affiliate Kia Corp  000270.KS ,
Hanwha Group's Hanwha Life Insurance  088350.KS  and KT Corp
 030200.KS .
    "The esports industry continued growing, but the state-led
support measures have been weak, with corporate sponsorships and
private academies mainly having driven the industry," said Oh
Ji-hwan, CEO of Nongshim E-Sports.
    Oh said businesses consider the esports scene as a platform
to reach younger generations and improve their brand image.
    SK Telecom-backed team T1, on which 'Faker', the most famous
League of Legends gamer of all time, plays, opened its esports
academy last month. The 20-week programme costs 5.6 million won,
but applications are flooding in, it said.
    As yet, there is only one school in South Korea with esports
on its academic curriculum aimed at fostering professional
gamers. Teenager Yoon makes a two-hour round trip to Eunpyeong
Meditech High School every day to bolster his pro gamer chances.
    Nongshim's Oh says support for gaming talent from both the
government and the private sector is paramount as South Korea's
market will never be as big as that of the United States or
China.
    "Focusing on talent is the key," he said. "The buildup of
talent development knowhow should be our strength."

($1 = 1,177.23 won)

 (Reporting by Joori Roh; Editing by Karishma Singh)
 ((joori.roh@thomsonreuters.com; +82 2 6936 1493;))