Game trio of Lee Kwang-noh, Yeon Jea-gil and Bae Jae-min came from behind to win fighting games final against host Japan
Esports player Bae Jae-min had been getting physical therapy for his wrist. Yeon Jea-gil said his eyes grew tired and red after even a short time playing. Still, neither was ready to put down his controller.
On Saturday, the two joined Lee Kwang-noh to beat host Japan 5-2 in the Asian Games fighting games final, giving South Korea its first esports gold of the Aichi-Nagoya Games.
Bae, 41, played Tekken 8, while Yeon, 39, competed in Street Fighter 6, and Lee, 44, took on The King of Fighters XV. All three games belong to a fighting series the players grew up with in arcades.
The final gave them a chance to show they could still compete at the top, even in their 40s.
Japan led 2-1 after three sets, but the team of three won the next four. Yeon lost the opening game to Japan’s Kojiro Higuchi 2-1, but Lee answered with a 2-1 win to level the final.
Daichi Nakayama then beat Bae 2-1, putting Japan back in front. Lee responded again, defeating Akihito Sawada 2-0 to tie the final at 2-2.
Saturday’s victory also made Lee South Korea’s oldest Asian Games gold medalist, breaking a record set by another esports player. Kim Kwan-woo was 44 when he won Street Fighter 6 at the 2023 Hangzhou Games.
After clinching the gold, Bae had a message for others his age pursuing a dream: Don’t give up.
“If there’s something you want to achieve, keep at it. You might get there. Keep going!” he said.
junheee@heraldcorp.com
