NewJeans to open 2023 League of Legends World Championship finals with 'GODS'

K-pop girl group NewJeans / Courtesy of ADOR

K-pop sensation NewJeans is set to kick off the 2023 League of Legends (LoL) World Championship finals by staging the opening ceremony, as announced by Riot Games and NewJeans' agency, ADOR.

This year's LoL World Championship, with its finals scheduled to take place at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro District, Seoul, Nov. 19, marks the third time the event will held in Korea since 2014 and 2018.

The championship's showdown, streamed online to a staggering 74 million viewers in 2021, is one of the grandest spectacles in the world of esports.

On this year's occasion, NewJeans will perform "GODS," the 10th official theme song for the LOL World Championship, released on Oct. 4. The song has achieved remarkable success maintaining a steady presence on the U.S. Billboard Global Chart for three consecutive weeks.

Renowned artists such as Imagine Dragons and Lil Nas X have graced the opening stage of previous LoL World Championship finals. NewJeans is to set another milestone in its career as the first K-pop group to headline the opening ceremony.

Comprising members Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein, the quintet swiftly rose to stardom under the creative direction of Min Hee-jin, previously instrumental in the success of K-pop stars such as f(x) and EXO during her time at SM Entertainment. The group has risen to popularity for its chart-topping hits like "Hype Boy" and "ETA."