On September 26 at the Aichi Sky Expo, South Korea defeated Japan 5-2 in the finals of the fighting game esports event at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. It was a dramatic comeback win, taking four consecutive sets after trailing 1-2. Bae "Knee" Jae-min of Tekken 8, Lee Kwang-no of The King of Fighters XV, and Yeon Je-gil of Street Fighter 6 wore gold medals together—a miracle in Nagoya forged by a trio with an average age of 41.
Bae Jae-min and Yeon Je-gil both rematched opponents who had defeated them in their initial matchups and won. Lee Kwang-no secured victories in both of his outings, keeping the team afloat. What did they see in those first losses that enabled them to triumph in the next match? We look deep into their story—from character selection and opponent analysis to the players' mindsets.
An opportunity that might never come again: wearing the national crest
Bae Jae-min was thrilled ever since fighting games were introduced at the Hangzhou Asian Games. Continuing with Street Fighter as an official medal event following Hangzhou was already good news. But then came the announcement that Tekken and The King of Fighters would also be included, bundled together into a team event. Combining three distinct games into a single event was unfamiliar, but it opened up a chance for "Knee" to compete for the national team.
During the national qualifiers, he competed against his own DRX teammates. Bae felt a mix of complex emotions, but he was delighted to secure a spot on the national team. There was no guarantee that Tekken, his main title, would be included in the next Asian Games. That made capturing this opportunity an absolute necessity.
“You never know if there will be a next time. I desperately wanted to represent the country.”
Representing South Korea was a memory that had stayed with Bae for a long time. Whenever asked about his happiest and most memorable tournament, he always pointed to WCG 2010, recalling the overwhelming emotion of winning a medal for Korea. At these Asian Games, however, the weight on his shoulders felt even heavier.
“Back at WCG, I wasn't playing under a professional title. It felt like just an arcade gamer wearing the national flag. Today, as a professional player for DRX stepping out to represent South Korea, the mindset felt completely different,” Bae explained.
This was a stage watched by far more people, where even those who didn't know games well could understand what the outcome meant. For Bae Jae-min, this gold medal was destined to be special.
The strategy that brought gold to South Korea: Head Coach Kang Sung-hoon's distinct assignments for the trio
The finals were played in a best-of-nine format, where the first team to win five sets took the overall victory. Each set was played as a best-of-three match in a single game title. All three titles had to be played once in every three-set block. The choice for the first title was decided by a coin toss, after which the team that lost the previous set selected from the remaining titles, or the final title was automatically assigned.
Head Coach Kang Sung-hoon determined that order was crucial under rules where avoiding the opponent's strong titles was impossible. Delaying the opponent's strong titles while securing two early sets would allow them to dictate the pace. In his assessment, South Korea possessed balanced strength across all three titles. Ever since his appointment, he had prepared every contingency by cross-referencing expected rosters from each country against the match regulations.
For the finals, he calculated that if South Korea won the selection right, they would take an early point with The King of Fighters XV, whereas if Japan got the choice, they would open with Street Fighter 6. While the coach calculated the complex web of variables, he distilled his instructions to the players into simple mandates.
He anticipated that Bae Jae-min and Yeon Je-gil might experience early losses. Both players excelled at building a game plan for a rematch once they had personally experienced an opponent's playstyle—an ability Coach Kang described as "a strong download capability." The key was for the team to hold the line until the two players could analyze their opponents in the first match.
That responsibility was assigned to Lee Kwang-no. He instructed Lee that he could not afford a single loss against Japan's 'SCORE.' Coach Kang explained that Lee trusted his own skills and held complete confidence in his ability to overcome his opponent.
He asked Yeon Je-gil to secure just one victory out of up to three potential appearances. For Bae Jae-min, he instructed him to close out the match when his turn came, as he was likely to be the anchor. The blueprint was for Lee Kwang-no to hold down the fort on the scoreboard while the other two figured out the answers for their rematches.
After losing the opening Street Fighter 6 match, South Korea drew even with Lee Kwang-no's victory in the second set, before falling behind 1-2 with a loss in the subsequent Tekken 8 match. This flow was precisely within the scenarios Coach Kang had prepared for. The match played out in the palm of his hand, producing the very first gold medal in esports at these Asian Games.
Bae Jae-min: “When it comes to facing Japan, failure is not an option”
Stepping up in Set 3 with the overall score tied at 1-1, Bae Jae-min anticipated that 'Nobi' would select Steve first and prepared Fahkumram. His rationale was based on a previous encounter in Jinju, where Nobi had defeated him using Steve. The prediction proved correct. He took the first game with Fahkumram while also planning for the possibility of his opponent switching to Dragunov.
When Nobi tied the match by taking a game with Dragunov, Bae deliberated between Bryan and Dragunov. He ultimately picked Dragunov—a character he had practiced for about a month—entering a mirror match. In the heat of real competition, however, nerves took over. He threw out more attacks than usual, but connected with fewer effective hits, putting Bae at a disadvantage.
Even for a veteran of countless tournaments, the pressure of the Asian Games felt different. If he lost and allowed the opposing team to score, his teammates would have to carry the burden of making up that point.
“If I lose, the burden on the next player increases immensely. On top of that, because it was Korea versus Japan, the mindset that I absolutely had to perform was overwhelming.”
In Set 5, after Lee Kwang-no brought the team score back to 2-2, Bae calculated that his opponent would now be wary of his Fahkumram. Expecting Nobi not to lead with Steve, Bae started with Bryan while remaining prepared to switch to Fahkumram if Steve made an appearance. Indeed, after beating Dragunov with Bryan, he dropped a game to Steve, then brought out Fahkumram to win the final game. Korea took the lead at 3-2.
After Yeon Je-gil won Set 6 to extend Korea's lead to 4-2, the turn came back to Bae Jae-min. In Set 7, after defeating Dragunov with Bryan, Steve came out again. Bae knew exactly what attacks had landed on him in his earlier defeat. Bae recalled, “I felt that as long as I didn't get hit by the same moves that caught me before, I could win with Bryan.”
His plan was to revert to Fahkumram if Bryan failed. Even if he lost the set entirely, another opportunity remained. Under the regulations, Korea would gain selection rights for Set 8 and could pick The King of Fighters XV, which had not yet been used in that block. Bae explained, “I even kept in mind that even if I lost, Lee Kwang-no would close it out for us.”
The backup card wasn't necessary. Bryan's counter hits landed one after another, and the final game ended in a 3-0 round sweep. Bae Jae-min won both of his rematch sets, sealing the gold medal.
Lee Kwang-no: The pillar who rescued the team through every crisis
After dropping the first set, Korea fielded Lee Kwang-no for Set 2. Although he claimed the first game, 'SCORE' fired back to tie the game score. When Korea fell behind 1-2, it was Lee Kwang-no who stepped up once again. Without fail, he leveled the score each time, becoming a bedrock of reliability for his teammates.
Lee assessed that his opponent had prepared specifically for his familiar character composition. Since his main team setup was widely known, he anticipated they would come prepared, and he felt that counter-preparation during the match. He noted that it wasn't a matter of poor condition; rather, because the opponent was handling his standard lineup well, he pulled out an alternative pick he had kept ready.
That character was Najd. Subbing in a character he enjoyed and had practiced regularly, he reclaimed momentum. Taking the final game, he closed out the set 2-1, bringing the overall team score to 1-1.
Set 4 in the finals was critical for South Korea. If Lee Kwang-no collapsed here, the momentum would spiral uncontrollably. Yet Lee shared that he felt no pressure stepping into the match.
Lee said, “If I lose, I lose; if I win, great—I've always played without pressure with that mindset. I have confidence in my own skill. As long as my condition is good, I can beat anyone.”
Lee Kwang-no demonstrated immense confidence and backed it up with sheer skill.
His confidence stemmed directly from his preparation. He had practiced against the opponent's characters with multiple sparring partners, repeatedly honing his defense and punish options after blocking. Thus, even when trailing 1-2, he remained convinced he would not lose as long as his execution and condition held up.
Lee won Set 4 as well, leveling the score at 2-2. Both of his victories came when South Korea was behind. Throughout the interview, Bae Jae-min and Yeon Je-gil repeatedly praised Lee's performance, expressing how reassuring and incredible it was to watch him play.
Battling through PTSD from the past: How Yeon Je-gil endured with a drive for revenge
For about six months after Hangzhou, Yeon Je-gil struggled to breathe whenever he laid down to sleep. Looking back, he confessed that it was a symptom of PTSD. What kept him from giving up was a desire for redemption.
“I didn't want to stay defeated like that. And I had my wife, who supported me through it all.”
Although the Asian Games title shifted from Street Fighter V to Street Fighter 6, Yeon Je-gil's fundamental skill remained unchanged. He admitted that his gameplay ability hadn't drastically shifted compared to Hangzhou. What changed was his mindset.
He confessed that during Hangzhou, hearing others call him a gold medal favorite made him complacent, assuming he would easily reach the podium. This time, determined to fortify his mental resilience, he underwent more mental coaching than his two teammates. Psychological therapy proved to be an immense help.
When he lost 1-2 to 'Higuchi' in the opening set of the finals, Yeon was already focusing on the rematch. Returning to the team, he told his two teammates, “I think I can win next time.” Having faced him directly, he concluded that the matchup was well within his reach.
What he picked up on were Higuchi's offensive and defensive habits. Noticing the frequent use of invincible reversal moves, he realized he needed to bait and block them. He also reflected on how he had rushed when just one hit away from victory. Remembering how the opponent walked backward under pressure, he formulated a plan to target low attacks in the next match.
Bae Jae-min had observed the same moment. Yeon shared that Bae advised him, “You had basically won, but you lost because you couldn't stay patient.” His teammate had pointed out the exact impatience that Yeon identified when reviewing his first game.
When he met Higuchi again in Set 6 with Korea leading 3-2, Yeon was confident of victory. By adapting to his opponent's habits and remaining patient, he even claimed a Perfect Round without taking any damage. As Yeon pulled off the upset, the momentum swung decisively in Korea's favor.
After winning, he felt he had fulfilled his role. Yeon said, “I believed the two of them would each win twice.” Trusting in Bae Jae-min and Lee Kwang-no to secure their victories, he focused on contributing the single point entrusted to him in between.
45 sparring partners: The people behind the gold medal
The preparation described by the players in the finals represented the collective time and effort of many people. According to Head Coach Kang Sung-hoon, a total of 45 sparring partners across all three games traveled to the bootcamp in Busan. Top domestic players volunteered their time to serve as practice partners for the national team. Coach Kang expressed his gratitude to all the players who willingly came to Busan, especially Seo Jin-woo and Kang Myung-goo, who stayed for an extended period until the very end.
Bae Jae-min explained that top-tier players don't normally train together all the time. He expressed deep gratitude to those who dedicated their own time for the Asian Games to serve as sparring partners and offer feedback.
Support to sustain their training was equally crucial. Bae noted that playing for eight hours a day over consecutive days would normally cause wrist pain that made gaming difficult, but at the bootcamp, receiving physical therapy allowed him to continue practicing. For Yeon Je-gil, mental coaching was instrumental in helping him refocus after his initial defeat. Managing both body and mind was an integral part of their tournament preparation.
Lee Kwang-no shared that because the head coach handled all the preparation, he was able to focus entirely on his gameplay without distraction. He repeatedly thanked the practice partners and the three physical therapists who supported them. Bae Jae-min expressed his gratitude to KeSPA officials, support staff, his club teammates and national team colleagues, and his wife, who trusted and waited for him throughout the month.
The first person Yeon Je-gil named was also his wife. While he was away—normally sharing childcare responsibilities at home—his wife managed working from home and raising their child simultaneously. He said this challenge would have been impossible if she hadn't taken care of their child in his stead. He also offered his thanks to Seo Jin-woo, who helped immensely during training, and to the physical therapists.
When he checked his phone after winning the gold medal, congratulatory messages from his family were already waiting. During a video call with his son, Yeon watched him smile and celebrate his father's gold medal. With a happy smile, he remarked, “Seeing my son so overjoyed made me even happier.”
