TL;DR
- DAMWON faced unprecedented silence from 6,000 Chinese fans during their Worlds 2020 introduction
- ShowMaker’s ‘Shanghai Library’ comment became an iconic moment in esports history
- The team used the crowd’s cold reception as psychological fuel for their victory
- This incident highlighted intense regional loyalty in international esports competitions
- DAMWON’s ability to perform under pressure without crowd support defined their championship run
The return of live audiences to esports created massive anticipation for Worlds 2020, with over 6,000 enthusiastic fans expected to generate electric atmosphere throughout the finals weekend.
However, the reality proved dramatically different for the eventual tournament champions DAMWON Gaming, who experienced what many described as deliberate crowd disrespect.
When DAMWON’s roster made their championship entrance, the Shanghai arena fell into near-total silence. Sparse applause echoed through the massive venue, but the overwhelming majority of Chinese spectators remained conspicuously quiet during the Korean team’s introduction.
The contrast became so pronounced that streaming platform viewers began questioning broadcast audio quality, with multiple Twitch chat participants asking if technical issues were preventing crowd noise transmission.
League of Legends enthusiasts worldwide immediately recognized the significance of this moment, flooding social media platforms with reactions ranging from disbelief to outright condemnation of the audience behavior.
Twitter: IT’S GREAT HEARING A LIVE CROWD AGAIN
Damwon:
pic.twitter.com/DePZ3mxoeS— Ovilee May (@OvileeMay)
October 31, 2020
For numerous international viewers watching the finals broadcast, the stark contrast in crowd reactions actually strengthened their support for DAMWON. The visible favoritism toward Chinese representatives Suning crossed from typical home team support into what appeared as outright disrespect toward the visiting Korean squad.
This prompted widespread discussion about tournament hosting ethics, with many suggesting future World Championships should prioritize neutral venue locations or implement audience composition guidelines to ensure competitive integrity.
I was like dis the whole time when the crowd was silent on Damwon’s intro. NOW I WANT DAMWON TO WIN. 3-0. CRUSH ‘EM
pic.twitter.com/Xe9IR78uQl— Riku #EsportsPHDoBetter (@RikuCasts)
October 31, 2020
DAMWON possibly salty Worlds 2020 crowd
Initial theories speculated about potential audio engineering problems, suggesting microphone placement might have failed to capture actual crowd volume. However, DAMWON’s own team communications thoroughly debunked these technical explanations.
The players actively discussed the conspicuous silence during their pre-game preparations, clearly recognizing the crowd’s deliberate cold shoulder toward their organization.
Translator Kevin Kim provided crucial insight by sharing translated in-game communications from the match’s decisive moments, revealing DAMWON’s acute awareness of their reception.
“Let’s transform this arena into a library! A Shanghai library!” proclaimed Heo “ShowMaker” Su to his teammates, creating one of the most memorable quotes in competitive League of Legends history.
Ghost: You guys!
ShowMaker: Let’s make it a library! A Shanghai library!
Ghost: Hit it, hit it. They die with just one auto.
Canyon: You guys did so well
ShowMaker: Get your emotes up!
Ghost: DRX, Gen.G
ShowMaker: Stun! Let’s go!
Nuguri: I’m relieved
Ghost: Kill this guy! NICE!!!
pic.twitter.com/OWVfvGy6G5— Kevin Kim (@KevinKimLoL)
October 31, 2020
Competitive gaming enthusiasts overwhelmingly praised ShowMaker’s response to the challenging environment. Many interpreted his comment as masterful psychological gameplay, directly leveraging the crowd’s apparent saltiness as motivational fuel.
The community quickly coined the term “Shanghai funeral” to describe the atmosphere, with ShowMaker’s savage remark earning his team significant international fan support beyond their existing Korean fanbase.
Despite the clearly partisan audience behavior, global League of Legends fans witnessed an exceptionally competitive finals series featuring intense back-and-forth action between DAMWON and Suning.
This championship match represented the most closely contested Worlds finals in four years, breaking the streak of 3-0 sweeps that had characterized recent tournaments. Suning delivered impressive resistance against the tournament favorites, but DAMWON ultimately secured victory despite the complete absence of crowd support.
The 2020 finals demonstrated how elite professional teams can transform adverse conditions into competitive advantages. DAMWON’s ability to maintain focus and performance intensity without external encouragement established new standards for mental fortitude in competitive gaming.
This incident continues to influence tournament organization discussions, particularly regarding venue selection and crowd management policies for international events.
Action Checklist
- Analyze crowd behavior patterns in previous international tournaments to understand typical regional bias levels
- Study professional team communications during high-pressure moments to learn mental resilience techniques
- Practice identifying psychological warfare elements in competitive gaming scenarios
No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » LoL fans livid over Worlds 2020 finals crowd dissing DAMWON How DAMWON Gaming turned silent crowd disrespect into championship motivation at Worlds 2020