Even on the 29th, the day of Chuseok, the clock ticked busily for the Hangzhou레고토토 Asian Games squad. A medalist press conference was held at the Sports Diplomacy Lounge of the Korean Sports Council in Hangzhou, China, starting at 8:30 am (local time) on this day. Esports FC Online’s Kwak Jun-hyuk (bronze), Street Fighter 5’s Kim Kwan-woo (gold), and the men’s saber (gold) and women’s foil (silver) fencing teams attended with medals around their necks.The topic of discussion on this day was Street Fighter 5 Kim Kwan-woo (44). Kim Kwan-woo, the first gold medalist in Korean e-sports history, said, “When it was first announced that (Street Fighter 5) would be adopted as an official event in the Asian Games, I challenged myself to the selection match as I had participated in most competitions. He did his best to win the selection competition and when he became a member of the national team, I didn’t really feel it, but he watched me grow as I trained hard before coming to Hangzhou. “I am happy to have won the gold medal,” he said.
It also brought tears to my eyes. When asked whether he received congratulatory calls from those who scolded him for playing games as a child, Kim Kwan-woo said, “The only person who scolded me back then was my mother. Her mother found out about the gold medal through someone else. “I am so happy that I received a text message that was difficult to type, saying ‘I love you so much, my son,’” he said, trying to control his heightened emotions.
Kim Kwan-woo, who became a living proof of the ‘deok-up match’, said, “Ever since I was young, if I was good at street fighter at the arcade, I would be taken away by my older brothers and scolded. If you don’t get beaten up by his older brothers, your skills will be questionable. “I think this has come to fruition thanks to my strong competitive spirit that allowed me to not give up my combo skills while being hit in the side (by his older brothers),” he said.
National fencing team member Koo Bon-gil (34), who also attended the press conference that day, also added a word. Gu Bon-gil said, “I play fighting games, and I’m good at Tekken. “If Tekken had been an Asian Games event, I wouldn’t have been here (Kim Kwan-woo),” he said, drawing laughter from the crowd. He continued, “I think concentration is really important in games. “I really congratulate you,” he added.
Meanwhile, in celebration of Chuseok, the players who attended the press conference, including Chairman Lee Ki-heung of the Korea Sports Council, Choi Yoon (Chairman of OK Financial Group), and other athletes, celebrated Chuseok on behalf of the athletes. Even on the day of Chuseok, which is full of abundance, the Korean team will challenge for gold medals in the women’s saber team fencing event and the men’s 400m freestyle swimming event.