Vietnamese Gen Z treats Korean esports players like K-pop idols

Min Hai, a second-year student at Hanoi Law University, attends a Hanwha Life Esports fan event at the Quan Ngua Sports Complex in Hanoi, Vietnam, June 18. Korea Times photo by Jung Ji-yong

Min Hai, 20, a second-year student at Hanoi Law University, was among the thousands of fans who gathered to meet the members of Hanwha Life Esports (HLE), one of Korea’s leading League of Legends teams, on June 18 at Quan Ngua Sports Complex in Hanoi.

Holding a placard that read “I am a Hanwha fan,” Min Hai said HLE’s rise into a team representing League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) taught the importance of effort and perseverance.

“For me, cheering for HLE is more than just a hobby,” she said. “Watching the players overcome adversity gives me courage to face difficulties, too. They are like role models in life, with many things to learn from.”

The scene looked more like a K-pop concert than an esports team fan event. When HLE's star players Zeus, Kanavi, Zeka, Gumayusi and Delight walked out, fans erupted with cheers, chanting their names.

Jung, a 20-year-old University of Virginia student, said the players felt like both stars and friends after years of playing League of Legends (LoL) and following them since she was in high school.

“It took 26 hours of flying over two days, but I am really happy to finally see my favorite players in person.” Jung said.

Hanwha Life Esports fans completely fill the 3,500-seat Quan Ngua Sports Complex in Hanoi, Vietnam. Korea Times photo by Jung Ji-yong

Vietnamese Gen Z falls for Korean esports

The fans’ stories show how Korean esports has found a devoted audience among Vietnam’s Gen Z. Many young fans go beyond watching matches. They follow the players’ setbacks, comebacks and growth stories, treating them as personalities to identify with as much as people to cheer for.

Young female fans helped promote a new fan culture similar to that of the K-pop scene, leading Vietnamese fans to cheer for LoL players much like K-pop stars. The shift has helped turn Korean esports in the country into something closer to in-person pop fandom than a niche gaming scene.

A crowd of HLE fans at Quan Ngua Sports Complex proved the popularity of Korean esports. The fan meeting has grown sharply since its first edition, from 1,500 attendees in 2024 to 2,500 in 2025 and 3,600 ticketed attendees this year. Including fans who failed to secure tickets but still came to experience the atmosphere around the venue, more than 5,000 people took part, about double last year’s level.

A club official said $96 VIP tickets sold out two minutes after sales opened. All tickets sold out within 90 minutes.

The heat did not thin out the crowd. The temperature reached 35 degrees Celsius and humidity topped 60 percent, but a line of fans stretching about 200 meters formed outside the official merchandise booth.

Fans posed in front of cardboard standees of players and gathered around the arena to make placards. Some wrote messages in Korean, including “Please bring back the championship trophy” and “We came all the way here to see you.”

Hanwha Life Esports (HLE) fans gather outside the arena in the sweltering heat to write messages on placards for the players. The black clothing they wear is the official HLE uniform. Korea Times photo by Jung Ji-yong

Fans connect with players’ growth, charm

Young women in their 20s dominated the crowd, making them central to understanding the Korean esports boom in Vietnam. While many male fans at the venue focused on game strategy and results, young women connected more with the players’ growth and personalities.

Chau Giang, 23, flew from the Netherlands to see the players of her favorite team.

“I have played LoL since I was a student, and rooted for HLE in 2023. When they lose, I feel upset, but watching the matches is still a great joy,” she said. “I used to spend a lot of time alone at home, but meeting people with the same hobby and cheering together has made my daily life much brighter.”

“The competition for tickets was fierce, but I was lucky and could come,” said Thuy Duong, a 20-year-old fan who started to support Gumayusi but now cheering the whole team. “I am moved by how the players never give up, even during difficult times, to win the next match. I realized that failure is part of the growth process.”

Korean esports also connects Vietnamese fans. Min Hai said strangers become friends and high-five simply because they support the same team.

“In-person events offer a unique experience that cannot be replicated when watching matches alone,” she added.

Nhu Quynh, 21, a student at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Ho Chi Minh City, said the event turned a nervous solo trip into a shared fan experience.

“I was nervous because it was my first trip alone, but I met fans wearing HLE gear at the airport, bonded with them, and we came to the arena together,” she said.

Vietnamese female esports fans holding placards attend Hanwha Life Esports fan event at Quan Ngua Sports Complex in Hanoi, Vietnam. Korea Times photo by Jung Ji-yong

Prime market for esports growth

Vietnam is a prime market for esports. Of Vietnam's population of over 100 million, 45 percent are digitally savvy adults in their 20s and 30s. About 55 percent play online games, and 16 percent watch esports. LoL is easily accessible on smartphones and personal computers, and its minimal violence and sexual content lower the barrier of entry for women. Gen Z fans easily identify with the players, most of whom are in their early to mid-20s.

Korean esports’ competitive strength has also helped expand the fan base. Korea has won the League of Legends World Championship 10 times. China has three titles, while Europe and Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao have one each. The 2024 LCK final, though a Korean league match, drew 560,000 concurrent viewers in Vietnam alone.

HLE general manager Kim Sung-hoon said Vietnam has become a core market for the team.

“Vietnam is a core market where HLE has the largest number of official members after Korea,” Kim said. “At first, the fan meeting began as part of marketing, but now I am certain that we are building a strong relationship with fans.”

Kim said HLE spends only one or two days a year in Vietnam, but the team wants to make that short time count.

“Though we only spend one or two days a year in Vietnam, we will continue to think about how to spend that time more meaningfully,” he said.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.