Each region in League of Legends has its own identity and characteristics that are extremely important; they create appeal and, to some extent, brand value for the tournament in that region. Take for example, Vietnam’s VCS, which is famous for its fast-paced matches and continuous skirmishes, a source of great pride for the Vietnamese League of Legends community. Similarly, Europe’s LEC taps into the “comedic” aspect, creating the essential spice of a top-tier tournament.
In the case of the LCK in South Korea, the characteristics of this tournament do not seem to win much favor from neutral viewers due to the extremely slow pace of matches here. Sometimes, people jokingly say that “LCK is a tournament where two teams do nothing, just farm, and a single decisive combat ends the game.” This makes the matches incredibly boring, and viewers occasionally find themselves dozing off.
Therefore, in the promotional video for the LLA summer 2020 tournament – the Latin American region’s tournament – they brought up this “boring” aspect to mock the LCK. They depicted LCK viewers in South Korea peacefully falling asleep, while LLA audiences cheer enthusiastically.
As soon as this video reached Vietnamese gamers, two streams of opinions emerged immediately, with some agreeing and others opposing. Supporters of the LLA tournament claimed it reflected the current reality of the LCK, where matches occur at a slow pace and are part of the reason why South Korea has been lagging behind in recent years. Meanwhile, opponents turned to criticize the Latin American region, saying they play poorly yet dare to mock LCK.
As shared by former player and LCK commentator CloudTemplar, he mentioned that “Korean teams are currently playing not to lose but to win.” This highlights a weakness in the LCK region; they do not dare to take risks or create explosive situations, leading to prolonged matches with no noteworthy moments. Hence, the mockery of the LCK’s boring nature.
It is true that LLA from the Latin American region may not have the same level, but if we place a similar video of LPL or LEC, it would be hard for anyone to counter. Perhaps it is time for the LCK to undergo a comprehensive change to break free from the past glory that is holding them back.