Esports fans on the night of Nov. 19 watch this year's League of Legends World Championship finals at a street cheering party on a large screen at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul's Jongno-gu District. 

By Choi Jin-woo
Photos = Choi Jin-woo

"T1! T1! T1!"

The voices of fans of the multiplayer online game League of Legends (LoL) on Nov. 19 filled Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul's Jongno-gu District.

The square was packed with crowds watching the finals of this year's LoL World Championship. The venue was Gocheok Sky Dome in the city's Guro-gu District but four large screens installed at Gwanghwamun livestreamed the competition.

From 3 p.m., or 2 1/2 hours before the game started, crowds flocked to the square. Korea was hosting its first LoL World Championship in five years and held street cheering at the square for the first time. 

To commemorate the finals, esports fans at the square took part in side events before the finals through Worlds Fan Fest 2023, which was arranged from Nov. 16 to mark the championship. 

A long line of fans formed in front of Cheerful Wall to write messages to the two finalists: T1 of Korea and Weibo Gaming of China. In front of an electronic display showing T1 members, people were eager to take photos together.

Esports fans on Nov. 19 gather at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul's Jongno-gu District ahead of the finals of this year's LoL World Championship.

All 6,000 bleacher seats for the final were filled from 4:30 p.m. that day, but organizers said an estimated 50,000 people flocked there. 

Cheers erupted at 5 p.m. after T1 and Weibo Gaming appeared on the large screens. After the competition started 30 minutes later, fans shouted the names of their favorite players with cheering sticks. 

In the wake of T1's convincing 3-0 victory at 8:10 p.m., shouts from the crowds filled the square. 

Gaming fans on Nov. 19 watch a livestream of the finals of this year's LoL World Championship at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul's Jongno-gu District. 

"I think the way people see esports has changed a lot thanks to this event," said Ham Yeong-ju, who went to Gwanghwamun to watch the finals. "It's good to see esports recognized as a sport," 

After T1's win, Matt Clifton from Australia picked as his favorite player from the team Lee Sang-hyeok, also known by his nickname "Faker." The fan said Lee has played a major role in promoting Korean esports abroad and has grabbed the spotlight since his time in LoL Champions Korea, with every player in the game knowing him.

Jacob Mason Bergquist from the U.S. said the championship is enjoyed by everyone because it is based solely on performance rather than other factors such as ethnicity or wealth.

T1's title was its first since 2016 and fourth overall. As the world's largest esports competition based on viewership, the championship pits against each other top teams from regional professional leagues abroad.

Esports fans on Nov. 19 watch a livestream of the finals of this year's LoL World Championship at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul's Jongno-gu District.