S. Korea wins gold in esports fighting games at Asian Games

TOKONAME, Japan — South Korea secured a gold medal in the esports fighting games event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Saturday, marking their first victory in this category at the Asian Games held in Japan. The South Korean team, comprising Lee Kwang-noh, Yeon Jea-gil, and Bae Jae-min, triumphed over Japan with a score of 5-2 in the final match held at Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname, located approximately 35 kilometers south of the main host city, Nagoya.

The esports fighting games event encompasses three popular titles: Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, and The King of Fighters XV, with each player focusing on their respective game.

South Korea's gold medal marked the nation's inaugural esports gold at the Asian Games in Japan. Earlier in the day, Kang Dong-shin earned silver in puzzle game Puyo Puyo Champions, while Kim Young-chan claimed bronze in the auto racing game Gran Turismo 7 on Wednesday.

In the Street Fighter 6 match, Yeon dropped the opening battle against Kojiro Higuchi 2-1. However, Lee secured a victory in The King of Fighters XV by edging Akihito Sawada 2-1, which brought the overall score to a draw. In the Tekken 8 match, Bae lost to Daichi Nakayama 2-1, further equalizing the score at 2-2 between South Korea and Japan.

In the subsequent The King of Fighters match, Lee outperformed Akihito Sawada 2-0, ultimately securing South Korea's gold medal in the esports fighting games event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.