Korean LoL players who join teams abroad face very different environments

With Korean players enjoying success in the League of Legends World Championships since 2013, teams from all around the world are keen on importing Korean talents to help them enter and win the big tournament. Koreans were the most represented nationality at the world stage every year since 2013, with the exception of 2014 when LMQ, consisting of all Chinese players, played for North America. Two of the five players in the two Chinese teams that won the world championships in 2018 and 2019 wer

More SportsJan. 26, 2021

Shinsegae acquires pro baseball club from SK Telecom

South Korean retail giant Shinsegae Group said Tuesday it will acquire a professional baseball club owned by SK Group as it seeks to boost marketing with the sports team. E-Mart Inc., the country's biggest discount store chain run by Shinsegae, has agreed to buy the SK Wyverns of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) from SK Telecom Co., the country's largest mobile carrier, for 135.2 billion won ($122 million). The deal includes acquisition of SK Telecom's 100 percent stake in the Wyverns as

BaseballJan. 26, 2021

New manager for KBO club wants to give fans hope during pandemic

When it comes to playing for fans, Hong Won-ki, recently named the manager of the South Korean baseball club Kiwoom Heroes, doesn't want his players just to talk the talk. He'd like to see them walk the walk with their action on the field. Hong, who was promoted from bench coach to manager last Thursday, was formally introduced on Monday in a ceremony streamed on the club's YouTube channel. The former player in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) first joined the Heroes as a scout in 2008 and

BaseballJan. 25, 2021

Kim Si-woo captures 3rd PGA Tour victory

Kim Si-woo won the American Express and captured his third PGA Tour title, securing his first victory since 2017. Kim birdied two of the final three holes to card a bogey-free 8-under 64 in the final round to edge out late-storming Patrick Cantlay, who got 11 birdies in the final round alone, by a stroke on Sunday. “My heart was very firm in the last five holes and Patrick kept making birdies,” Kim said in the interview after winning the tournament. “But I was not trying

GolfJan. 25, 2021

S. Korean Kim Si-woo earns 3rd career PGA Tour title

South Korean Kim Si-woo has captured his third career PGA Tour title, ending a drought that had lasted nearly four years. Kim won the American Express by a stroke over Patrick Cantlay of the United States at 23-under 265 on the Stadium Course at PGA West in La Quinta, California, on Sunday (local time). The 25-year-old Korean carded a bogey-free final round of eight-under 64 to hold off Cantlay, who fired a blistering round of 11-under 61. Kim's previous victory had come at The Players Champio

GolfJan. 25, 2021

Speed skater sues ex-teammate over emotional distress following Olympic controversy

A years long controversy in South Korean speed skating took another twist Wednesday, with the announcement that one athlete has sued her former teammate over emotional distress. Legal representatives for the speed skater Kim Bo-reum said she is seeking 200 million won ($182,590) in compensation for mental anguish caused by her former 2018 Olympic teammate, Noh Seon-yeong. The suit was filed last November, said Kim's lawyer, Heo Won-rok of the Seoul-based firm Q1. Kim and Noh were at the center

Olympic GamesJan. 20, 2021

Women's football coach sees Olympic qualifiers as 'a chance to make history' for S. Korea

With his South Korean national team set to face China in Olympic women's football qualifying playoff next month, head coach Colin Bell isn't daunted by past results or the air of uncertainty surrounding the competition. South Korea, dubbed the Taeguk Ladies, have lost 27 times against China in 37 previous meetings. Their most recent victory came more than five years ago. These two countries will meet on Feb. 19 and then again on Feb. 25, with the aggregate score determining who will compete at

SoccerJan. 19, 2021

Football icon Park Ji-sung named adviser for K League champs Jeonbuk

South Korean football icon Park Ji-sung will join the domestic club champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors as an adviser, hoping his knowledge of European football will keep the juggernauts at the top. Jeonbuk, the four-time reigning K League 1 title holders, announced Tuesday that Park, former national team captain, will work with them on a part-time basis while splitting his time in South Korea and Britain. Jeonbuk said Park will be advising in areas ranging from draft to player development, scout

SoccerJan. 19, 2021

S. Korean IOC member wins re-election as head of S. Korean Olympic body

Lee Kee-heung, a South Korean International Olympic Committee member, has been elected to his second consecutive term as head of the national Olympic body. In a vote held on Monday, Lee beat out three candidates for the new four-year term in an election for the top position at the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee. Of 1,974 votes cast by representatives of the KSOC, its member federations, provincial, municipal and other regional sports associations, Lee garnered 915 votes. Kang Shin-wook,

Olympic GamesJan. 18, 2021

Can T1 put a break on DWG KIA’s dominance?

All eyes are on the second match of League of Legends Champions Korea on Friday between Damwon Kia and T1 as the two powerhouse teams clash for the title of the strongest in the LCK. T1, undoubtedly the greatest team in LoL history, will face Damwon Kia, the current world champion, in a best-of-three series. The match will be Damwon’s first game of the season. The team showed that they are still one of the strongest teams in the world as they dominated the KeSPA Cup earlier this month,

More SportsJan. 15, 2021

Election campaigns for top S. Korean Olympic job marred by mudslinging

The race for the top position at the national Olympic committee has been marred by mudslinging, accusations and subsequent denials, with the four candidates busy taking shots at one another rather than making concrete pledges to improve sports in the country. Lee Kee-heung is going for a second four-year term as the head of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC). He's up against three opponents: Lee Jong-kul, a five-term legislator and former head of the Korea Basketball Association; Y

More SportsJan. 15, 2021

KBO rocked by latest gambling scandal

About two weeks before the start of spring training across the league, the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) has been rocked by its latest gambling scandal. The Doosan Bears on Tuesday asked the KBO to place two of their minor leaguers, pitcher Jeong Hyun-wook and catcher Kwon Ki-young, on the inactive list, for engaging in illegal betting activities. Once placed there, they must be reinstated by the league commissioner before they can play again. Though the latest incident involved little-kn

BaseballJan. 15, 2021

Korean LoL talent drain to China continues

When South Korea’s Damwon Gaming lifted the Summoner’s Cup in Shanghai in October, fans of League of Legends Champions Korea were filled with joy. For two years, LCK teams had failed to reach the finals, instead looking on as Chinese teams from the LoL Pro League won. As Damwon fulfilled the long-held wish of LCK fans for a win, fans also feared another exodus of Korean players to the LPL. After LCK team Samsung White won the World Championships in 2014, all the starting members of

More SportsJan. 13, 2021

New franchise system heralds changes at LCK

Longtime fans following League of Legends Champions Korea, the 2021 LCK spring season will have many changes with the implementation of the franchise system. For those new to the LCK, it presents a good opportunity to get into LoL esports. With the opening match of the season between Gen.G Esports and KT Rolster set for Wednesday, here’s what you need to know. Ten teams have qualified for the LCK franchise system: Afreeca Freecs, DWG Kia, DRX, Fredit Brion, Gen.G, Hanwha Life Esports, KT

More SportsJan. 12, 2021

Defending KBO champions Dinos acquire ex-MLB pitcher Parsons

The 2020 South Korean baseball champions NC Dinos announced Monday they've signed former big league pitcher Wes Parsons. The Dinos said they signed the 28-year-old right-hander to a one-year deal worth up to US$600,000. He will make $320,000 in salary and $80,000 in signing bonus, and can earn up to $200,000 incentives. The Dinos have now completed their foreign player signings for 2021, having earlier retained starter Drew Rucinski and outfielder Aaron Altherr on new one-year contracts. Th

BaseballJan. 11, 2021

New coach for Asian club football champions stresses importance of attitude

When the South Korean football legend Hong Myung-bo met with his full squad for the first time as coach of Ulsan Hyundai FC on Monday, he didn't wax poetic on some trendy, modern strategies or formations. Instead, Hong placed his focus on the mental part of the game. "I spoke to the players about our three pillars for the upcoming season. They are: accountability, right attitude and happiness," Hong told reporters after his meeting with the players at the team's clubhouse in Ulsan, 4

SoccerJan. 11, 2021

Support for Olympics hits new low in Japan: poll

TOKYO (AFP) -- Support for holding the coronavirus-postponed Tokyo Olympics this summer has hit a new low in Japan, a poll found Sunday as the country battles a third wave of infections. Just over 80 percent of those asked by Kyodo news agency said the huge global event should be cancelled or postponed again -- a jump from around 60 percent in a December 6 survey by the same outlet. Kyodo said the survey asked 1,041 participants nationwide, who were selected by random dialling. Tokyo 2020 org

Olympic GamesJan. 10, 2021

KBO's Bears bring back veteran shortstop on 3-year deal

  The South Korean baseball club Doosan Bears announced Friday they will bring back veteran shortstop Kim Jae-ho on a new three-year deal. The Korea Baseball Organization club said Kim has agreed to a three-year deal worth 2.5 billion won ($2.3 million). He'll make 1.6 billion won in salary and 900 million won in signing bonus. Kim, 35, became a free agent, for the second time, this winter. After debuting with the Bears in 2008, Kim first entered the open market in 2016 and re-signed wi

BaseballJan. 8, 2021

Son Heung-min scores in 2nd straight match, sends Tottenham into League Cup final

He has done it again. Son Heung-min scored in his second straight match, lifting Tottenham Hotspur into the English League Cup final with a 2-0 victory over Brentford on Tuesday (local time). After Moussa Sissoko opened the scoring in the 12th minute at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Son doubled the lead with his 70th-minute strike against the second-division club. Tottenham will face the winner of the other semifinal match between Manchester United and Manchester City. The championship

SoccerJan. 6, 2021

Esports one step closer to gaining sports status

When the foundation for esports in Korea was established in the early 2000 with the launch of a StarCraft league, esports remained far from being considered among “real sports.” Pro gamer as an occupation was a new concept, and player wages were not sufficient to make ends meet. In fact, pro gaming was not considered an actual career in the beginning, as players had to pay additional taxes because their earnings were considered unearned income. Perceptions about esports have changed

More SportsJan. 5, 2021