The Seoul Metropolitan Government is set to host a groundbreaking Esports festival at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, coinciding with the much-anticipated League of Legends (LoL) World Championship final. This initiative aims to position the city as a thriving hub for Esports, leveraging the global popularity of the tournament.
The League of Legends World Championship is undoubtedly one of the most prestigious and watched Esports tournaments worldwide. With an impressive track record of attracting massive audiences, last year’s final drew an astounding 18,000 spectators and a staggering 5.15 million concurrent online viewers.
This year, the tournament returns to Korea for the first time since 2018, igniting excitement among both local and international Esports enthusiasts. Anticipating an influx of attendees, Seoul has decided to embrace the tournament’s return in a big way.
Gwanghwamun square: A global stage for Esports
To commemorate the event, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has partnered with Riot Games, the developer of League of Legends, to transform Gwanghwamun Square into a hub of Esports activities. The square will feature dedicated facilities where attendees can enjoy various games developed by Riot Games, relish a music concert, and watch the LoL World Championship final live on November 19.
Deputy Mayor of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Economic Policy Division, Kim Tae-kyoon, stated, “Gwanghwamun Square is not only the center of Seoul, but it is also one of the most historically important places in Korea that already plays host to global sporting events like the World Cup and Olympics as well as various culture and civic events. This global event will introduce Seoul’s charm to people worldwide and will also serve as an opportunity for them to enjoy and experience various cultures.”
Esports extravaganza across Seoul
Beyond the LoL World Championship final, Seoul will be a hotbed of Esports activities, hosting not only the tournament’s final showdown but also the Play-In-Stage and Swiss Stage in October.
The Play-In-Stage, a pair of four-team double-elimination brackets serving as preliminaries for the tournament, will unfold at LoL Park in central Seoul from October 10 to 15.
Following this, the two qualifying teams from the Play-In Stage will join the 14 other pre qualified teams for the five-round Swiss Stage, where teams with similar win-loss records will compete until they achieve either three wins or three losses. The Swiss Stage will captivate audiences at KBS Arena in western Seoul from October 19 to 29.
As the tournament progresses, it will venture south to Busan for the knockout stage, featuring the quarterfinals and semifinals at Sajik Indoor Gymnasium from November 2 to November 12.
Ultimately, the culmination of this Esports extravaganza will take place at Gocheok Sky Dome in western Seoul on November 19. The world final will be a best-of-five showdown between the two semifinal winners, promising an electrifying conclusion to the tournament.
Secretary General of League of Legends Champions Korea, Lee Jung-hoon, expressed his gratitude for Seoul’s active cooperation, stating, “Thanks to Seoul’s active cooperation, we are able to hold the 2023 LoL World Championship final at Gocheok Sky Dome. Since we can be with fans at Seoul’s iconic venue Gwanghwamun Square and this is also the first big Esports event to be held at the venue, we will meticulously prepare for it in order for the fans to enjoy it with pride.”
It’s worth noting that this year’s tournament was slightly postponed from its usual September start to accommodate the Asian Games, scheduled to take place in Hangzhou, China, from September 23 to October 8. League of Legends is among the seven Esports titles to be featured at the Games.
