Gamers find common ground, community at LoLMeetupKorea

Members of the LoLMeetupKorea community pose together during a Valentine's Day Platonic Potluck event in Mapo District, Seoul, Feb. 8. Courtesy of LoLMeetupKorea

People from all corners of the world gathered in Seoul in early February for a feast worthy of the upcoming Lunar Near Year: Two tables were laden with ubiquitous Korean fare like dumplings and fried chicken, homemade comfort food from abroad like shepherd’s pie, garlic bread and tres leches cake, as well as all manner of snacks, and even some libations in the form of Jell-O shots.

This was the scene at the Valentine’s Day Platonic Potluck hosted by LoLMeetupKorea (LoLMK), a community of English-speaking gamers who play on Riot Games’ Korean League of Legends (LoL) server. The timing of the event meant international residents could enjoy a festive gathering ahead of the holidays, even far away from home. The food offerings were as diverse as the group members, ranging from Korean Americans who want to stay connected with English-speaking culture to international students and workers searching for gaming buddies, and even soldiers stationed in Korea.

LoLMK was founded at least 14 years ago and is currently helmed by owner/leader Eric Hwang and Phil Chung. Chung, the deputy leader, is more widely known in the English-speaking community as the proprietor of Phil’s Computer Repository, a repair, sales and services shop tucked away in Sunin Plaza, a labyrinthine electronics market in Seoul’s Yongsan District.

“I spent my 20s working, building this business, and by the time I was 30 years old, I realized I didn’t have any friends. Business was successful, but I wanted to socialize,” Chung recalled. “I really liked the aspect of joining a community for a common interest.”

After assuming a leadership position last July, his first order of business was growing the group via social media. LoLMK’s Discord membership has since ballooned from 200 to more than 600, while a resuscitated Instagram account has improved visibility and organic reach.

Members of the LoLMeetupKorea community pose at the group's Halloween party in October 2025. Courtesy of LoLMeetupKorea

Julian Escobar, a student who joined the potluck, discovered LoLMK after stumbling upon an Instagram post from the group’s Halloween gathering last fall.

“Everyone was wearing their Halloween costumes, and it seemed fun and well-run, and everyone was happy,” he said. “They seemed genuine.”

The friendly vibes of the community confirmed that first impression. “Before, I was just playing (LoL) by myself, and that’s not fun. I saw the Discord server was very active, so that was also motivation to join. In this server, you can always see more and more people, different types of people, and they’re all welcoming. They all try to play with you,” he added.

Another member, Jin Cho, had stopped playing League briefly due to how intensely competitive the Korean scene was, but said it became fun again after joining LoLMK with Escobar. “You know your team’s not going to be toxic to you, and that makes the game a lot more enjoyable,” he said.

That’s what sets LoLMK apart from other gaming communities — the emphasis is on the people, not the game, a philosophy that has been central to the two leaders’ vision and approach.

“Making a really nice environment was always my goal for the group. I want to make everyone happy,” Hwang said. After assuming ownership in 2017, he struggled at first to maintain those good vibes, describing himself as “too nice and too tolerant” to weed out any bad actors. Now, even though he’s taken a more hands-off role compared to Chung, he’s learned to set stricter guidelines.

“For me it’s all about quality over quantity,” he said. “If there’s any hint of toxicity, it has to be addressed, otherwise it won’t be a good environment.”

A dedicated group of moderators and game coordinators helps keep the order in the group chat and games, and longtime members have noticed and appreciated these efforts.

“It’s more clean now compared to before — people are nice to each other, talking about their daily life or game-related stuff,” said Duke Kim, a Korean American who said he originally joined the group so he could keep up his English skills while gaming.

Even though the community was formed online and revolves around an internet-based game, it has spilled over into the real world, both through official events like watch parties and holiday hangouts. The result has been the formation of genuine connections, even extending into mutual aid for members going through medical crises. Chung himself had dozens of LoLMK members attend his wedding last August — a far cry from the small handful of friends he says he had before joining the group.

“What’s really wholesome is that people on Discord will play together for many hours and then say after, ‘Hey, what are you doing this weekend?’ and just hang out, not at an official event but privately,” he said. “It’s really nice to see people posting pictures of themselves just hanging out and having a good time.”

That camaraderie was on display at the Valentine’s Day potluck. Banter flew freely during a spirited round of LoL trivia, which dispersed into an equally spirited game of UNO, while an esports match played on the projector screen. On the other side of the room, one member set up his laptop and some consoles for Riot Games’ new fighting game 2xKO, drawing a crowd of observers and participants.

Offline events like these, Escobar said, are “that extra layer to the group that makes you connect more with people. When you go back to the Discord server (after meeting them in person), it’s totally different. It’s really nice.”

Composite image showing members of the LoLMeetupKorea community participating in a 5v5v5 tournament around Christmas 2025. Courtesy of LoLMeetupKorea

In addition to social events, Chung has focused on growing the gaming side of the community through in-house tournaments, and he has ambitious plans to put together a LoLMK in-house tournament, modeled after a professional esports league, which would culminate in a big offline finale at “the biggest venue possible.”

“The only limit is our imaginations. If there’s an idea for a tournament, then we just do it,” he said.

Gaming can be an isolating hobby, especially in Korea, where mechanical skills often trump social skills on the competitive ladder. That loneliness is amplified for foreign residents, who often deal with both a language and a cultural barrier in the gaming scene. LoLMK’s way of bringing people together may seem like the cliche about the real prize being the friends you make along the way — but it’s one that ultimately rings true.

“I see it more as an expat group than an actual gaming group,” Chung said. “Compared to other gaming communities where how good you are at the game determines your social hierarchy level, it’s more about how open you are to making friends. That explains the success of the group.”

Follow @LoLMeetupKorea on Instagram for more information on upcoming events and links to join their community.