Tracing The Success Of The East In League of Legends Esports

League of Legends may have found its origins in North America but it has surely had a deeper cultural impact in South Korea and China, becoming a part and parcel of life. Esports players and personalities have become household names here. There have been instances of schools adopting esports into their curriculums in Korea to fans turning esports tournaments into festivals.

When the League of Legends Pro League’s (LPL) EDward Gaming (EDG) won the 2021 League of Legends World Championship, the fans of the team erupted in wild celebrations across China. They paraded and flooded the streets as the rest of the world watched their escapades in awe.

Well, this craze for League of Legends goes beyond just the esports scene of the game. There was even a sushi bar in China that specifically offered amazing meal deals to League of Legends players in 2014. As peculiar it might sound, the restaurant advertised that discounts would be offered to customers based on their League rank tiers.

People from all walks of life seem to love watching League of Legends esports and are able to truly understand the game and appreciate its nuances. Chinese pro player Chen "Bin" Ze-Bin’s dad narrated how he loved playing the game and how he would seek the help of his son sometimes to “1v4” his enemies. Likewise, when Korean bot- laner Gwon "Sangyoon" Sang-yun achieved a milestone of 1,000 kills in the Korean league in 2019, the world caught a surprising scene on the broadcast: a proud father holding a fan sign which congratulated his son along with a cheque for 10M Won ($8.3K USD).

The League of Champions Korea (LCK) is historically recognized as arguably the best league in League of Legends Esports and is known for its textbook plays. Clean teleports, coordinated team fights around objectives, and impeccable communication are the name of the game in LCK. On the other hand, we have the Chinese League of Legends Pro League (LPL), the other forerunner of the game, known for its aggression. Fuelled by the insane game mechanics and timed aggression, the Chinese league has also carved a name for itself.

The LPL and the LCK are now the heavyweights of the League of Legends esports scene. They have basically formed a duopoly in the esports scene of League of Legends, winning every single World Championship since 2013. South Korea has managed to etch its region’s name on the trophy six times while the Chinese teams have swept the board three times. The teams from other leagues have been left in the dust for quite some time now and need to go the extra mile to prep and dissect the way the game is played just to stand a chance when they go head-to-head against these mammoths.

The question that looms over our heads is how the LCK and the LPL constantly find success in international events. Sure, we’ve had EU and NA teams emerging victorious over these regions now and then. But how have the Eastern leagues almost perfected the way League of Legends is played?