LAN events are integral to the Overwatch community. It may be that since the inception of Overwatch esports, LAN has always been present. This stems from in Korea the APEX seasons were at OGN in person and at the beginning of the inaugural season LAN events were at the Burbank Arena. The OWCS Korea branch is ensuring that that tradition doesn’t die through the hard work of WDG. The Korea OWCS highlighted the immense work the region has done to keep the LAN energy and spirit alive!

The Venue

The venue of the Korea OWCS is in the Daehan movie theater. This building itself has a long history of being the first modern theater in South Korea, and now is housing the next generation of entertainment of Overwatch LAN events. The location is great as it is centrally located with it being right outside Exit 1/2 of Chungmuro. There is movie theater popcorn and drinks that fans are able to get on floor one, with a Starbucks above before heading to the 7th floor, which many fans leave to get during breaks in the gameplay.

The sign-in desk is right away at the elevator before going around the corner into the theater. As this is an old movie theater some elements seem natural to the building but made a big difference for an esport event. The layout is an amphitheater so unlike the normal chairs on the same level looking at the stage all fans are able to see over the people in front of them. The casters are in the back but still visible to the fans as they cast in the same room. The chairs are movie theater chairs so it is not the hard folding chairs that fans are used to for many LAN events.

The players are in front, but with no soundproof shell around them, the fans can hear the teams’ comm right in front of them. It gave a very personal feel with how it was set up and the players could see the signs of support and hear the cheers.

Fan Interaction

The Korea OWCS finals gave fans something to look forward to when viewing in person. It started at the check-in desk, and for each ticket that was purchased, fans were able to reach in for a lucky draw chance of a signed Polaroid from players. The fans also received a memorabilia ticket for the match as a keepsake. The classic posters were also available for fans to draw their support for players and teams. There was also an Instagram event where fans were able to post using gifs of the official account for a chance to win!

During the broadcast, the signs were highlighted during breaks in the gameplay making the time pass quicker. The Korean fans were showing pictures of pets on their phones during the breaks which also kept the crowd entertained. There is also the ever-present fan cheers at the beginning of each map where the fans will yell the team name and “화이팅” to support their team. All of this together shows how Korea OWCS has created their own ecosystem of fans that builds on the history of esports but is also pushing forward into the new.

The Players

All the matches were filled with Overwatch League pros. It was a who’s who when it came to the teams. The final match was Falcons vs WAC. This match-up had all the history of the Overwatch League behind it.

It was fitting that the coaches was Moon “Moon” Byungchul previously of the Shanghai Dragons and Park “Crusty” Daehee previously of the San Francisco Shock. Both of the Dragons and Shock were powerhouses within the Overwatch League in the last seasons. Both coaches have shown their skill and prowess in helping grow new players and synergize a team together. They were two of the biggest coaching names in the Overwatch League and to see them again in the Finals of OWCS Korea cemented their names in Overwatch esport history.

The Teams

When it came to the players it was a mismatch of role-stars and MVPs from the Overwatch League. Falcons’ team is comprised of Han “Chiyo” Hyeonseok, Kwon “Fielder” Joon, Choi “Hanbin” Hanbin, Kim “Proper” Donghyun, Majed “SirMajed” Alrashied, Yoo “Smurf” Myeonghwan, and Jeong “Stalk3r” Hakyong. Smurf, Hanbin, and Proper all hailing from Crusty’s old lineup of the Shock with the new additions of the support team and Stalk3r. Meanwhile, WAC has Choi “MAX” Sumin, Kim “Shu” Jinseo, Lee “LIP” Jaewon, Park “Junbin” Junbin, Chae “Heesang” Heesang, and Sung “CH0R0NG” Yoomin on the roster. Coach Moon and LIP worked closely together on the Shanghai Dragons. There are multiple Overwatch League winners and role-stars in these star-studded lineups.

The narratives don’t stop with the coaches. The Atlanta Reign DPS Duo of Lip and Stalk3r faced off. Both of them were popping off on the different maps. Stalker had amazing performances in the first 3 matches, while LIP refused to go down without a fight helping WAC pull it back for 2 matches. MAX and Junbin from WAC hail from Crusty’s old team of the Shock. They were the tank duo while Smurf and Hanbin were also the Shock Tank duo from a different Overwatch League era. There was LIP who was MVP in 2021 while Proper was MVP in 2022 putting two massive DPS stars against each other.

Korean OWCS Finals

The Final of the Korean OWCS was filled with action and a lot of great Overwatch. Falcons won the title of Champions and clinched their spot in the overall larger tournament. Though WAC did not win, their performance helped them secure a signing to the Japanese organization Crazy Raccoons where the whole team was picked up!

WDG’s hard work is creating magic. Not only is the production on point but the community that has been created. LAN is so important to Overwatch and it is WDG and OWCS Korea that is keeping that alive. It was magical to be in the theater watching the players that the community has come to love still be able to play professional Overwatch in front of their fans. With the death of the Overwatch League there were fears of how it would impact the community, but Korea OWCS has shown that with the right choices and hard work fans still there waiting to be able to show their support!

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