TL;DR
- Korean esports players can earn military exemptions by winning gold medals at the 2022 Asian Games
- Faker and other stars face career disruption without exemption, unlike BTS members who received deferments
- The 2018 demonstration event featured six major titles but offered no exemption eligibility
- Medal status in 2022 creates genuine exemption opportunities for the first time
- Strategic team preparation and international competition experience are crucial for success
The elevation of esports to official medal sport status at the 2022 Asian Games presents a groundbreaking opportunity for South Korea’s competitive gaming professionals. This development carries particularly significant implications for players approaching mandatory military service age.
South Korea maintains one of the world’s most stringent conscription systems, requiring all able-bodied male citizens to complete approximately 18 months of military service before reaching age 28. The government does grant limited exemptions for individuals classified as “exceptional athletes” who demonstrate capacity to “enhance national prestige through international sporting achievements.”
Historical precedent establishes that success in major international competitions like the Asian Games frequently qualifies athletes for these coveted exemptions. While this policy has generated ethical debates about preferential treatment for celebrities, it represents a potential career-saving opportunity for esports professionals whose peak competitive years often align directly with military service eligibility windows.
Will Faker go into the military?
Earlier in 2022, South Korean legislative bodies examined potential modifications to conscription regulations affecting prominent young celebrities. This review emerged as multiple high-profile figures reached military enlistment age, including T1’s legendary mid laner Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok alongside members of the globally renowned K-pop group BTS.
The resulting policy adjustments permitted certain musicians to postpone their military obligations until age 30, but this accommodation specifically excluded esports competitors from similar deferment opportunities.
Mandatory military service introduces potentially catastrophic disruption to professional gaming careers, while exemption represents an extraordinary competitive advantage. Baseball star Hyun-Jin Ryu exemplifies this benefit, having secured permanent exemption after contributing to South Korea’s gold medal victory in the 2010 Asian Games baseball tournament.
Without this exemption, statistical analysis suggests Ryu would have faced near-insurmountable obstacles in transitioning from Korea’s KBO league to America’s MLB with the Los Angeles Dodgers, fundamentally altering his career trajectory.
Esports professionals historically haven’t received comparable consideration. The career trajectory of Dota 2 professional Park “March” Tae-won demonstrates the severe impact, as he missed three consecutive opportunities to compete at The International—the sport’s premier championship event—due to military service obligations.
For elite Korean esports competitors like Faker, securing military service exemption would deliver monumental career preservation benefits. Historical patterns indicate that capturing gold at the 2022 Asian Games would establish the most reliable pathway toward achieving this objective.
What games will be in the 2022 Asian Games esports event?
At publication time, the specific game titles selected for the 2022 Asian Games remained unconfirmed. The previous 2018 Asian Games hosted in Jakarta, Indonesia incorporated esports as a demonstration event rather than official medal competition.
The 2018 demonstration program featured six prominent titles: League of Legends, StarCraft II, Hearthstone, Clash Royale, Arena of Valor, and Pro Evolution Soccer 2018.
[eSports as Medal Sport at 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games]
OCA announced that eSports will be featured as a medal sports in 2022 Asian Games.
Please look forward to 2022 Asian Games, and cheer for Korean eSports players!
pic.twitter.com/OLGBXbNc0p— Korea e-Sports Association (KeSPA) (@KeSPAen)
December 18, 2020
The 2018 Asian Games esports program operated strictly as a demonstration event, meaning no official medals were awarded and the competition wouldn’t have qualified South Korean athletes for military service exemptions under existing regulations.
Despite the non-medal status, Faker competed representing South Korea’s League of Legends squad alongside other elite players including Jo “CoreJJ” Yong-in and Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk. The League of Legends tournament also featured Jian “Uzi” Zi-Hao and substantial representation from Royal Never Give Up for China, EVOS Esports representing Vietnam, and Flash Wolves constituting the core of the Taiwanese roster. Team China ultimately prevailed over Team South Korea in the championship match with a 3-1 victory.
Korean esports organizations must implement sophisticated preparation methodologies to maximize their Asian Games performance potential. Teams should initiate specialized training camps at least six months pre-competition, focusing on adapting to potential patch changes and international meta variations.
Selection committees face critical decisions in roster construction, balancing individual star power with team synergy and role specialization. Historical data from traditional sports suggests that cohesive unit performance frequently outperforms collections of individual talents in team-based competitions.
Common preparation errors include underestimating adaptation requirements for international rule sets and overemphasizing individual mechanical skill at the expense of strategic coordination.
Advanced optimization strategies include:
- Implementing sports psychology support systems
- Developing comprehensive opponent research protocols
- Creating contingency strategies for unexpected game selections
- Establishing communication frameworks for multinational tournament environments
Teams should allocate approximately 8-12 weeks for intensive bootcamp training specifically designed for the Asian Games format, which often differs significantly from professional league structures.
Success in the Asian Games requires understanding the unique pressure dynamics of representing national teams rather than organizational sponsors. This psychological dimension frequently separates successful national team performers from exclusively league-oriented competitors.
Action Checklist
- Monitor official Asian Games esports title announcements through KeSPA channels
- Participate in national team qualification tournaments during selection windows
- Develop specialized training regimen addressing Asian Games format differences
- Coordinate with legal advisors regarding exemption application procedures and documentation requirements
- Prepare contingency career planning for both exemption and non-exemption scenarios
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